01940 Summer 2022

A career 

etched in 

Stone 

INSIDE: Gorgeous Generations ● Track Ruler ● Woman's Best Friend 

SUMMER 2022 

VOL. 5, NO. 2

EXCELLENT TIME TO SELL! 

INVENTORY IS LOW AND DEMAND IS HIGH! 

6 Trickett Road, Lynnfield 

List Price: $649,900 

Sale Price: $748,575 

1 Victor Circle, Peabody 



8 Styles Drive, Peabody 



126 Jersey Street Unit 201, Boston 



20 Sylvan Street Danvers 



14 Grove Street, Salem 



30 Union Park Unit 404, Boston 

List Price: $1,325,000 

Sale Price: $1,300,000 

10 Friend Ct. Unit 2, Wenham 



53 Worcester Avenue, Swampscott 



12 Hampton Court, Lynnfield 



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A publication of Essex Media Group 

Publisher 

Edward M. Grant 

Chief Executive Officer 

Michael H. Shanahan 

Directors 

Edward L. Cahill 

John M. Gilberg 

Edward M. Grant 

Gordon R. Hall 

Monica Connell Healey 

J. Patrick Norton 

Michael H. Shanahan 

Chief Financial Officer 

William J. Kraft 

Chief Operating Officer 

James N. Wilson 

Controller 

Susan Conti 

Editor 

Thor Jourgensen 

Contributing Editor 

Courtney La Verne 

Writers 

Mike Alongi 

Allysha Dunnigan 

Oksana Kotkina 

Steve Krause 

Alena Kuzub 

Anne Marie Tobin 

Illustration 

Sam Deeb 

Edwin G. Peralta Jr. 

Emilia Sun 

Photographers 

Spenser Hasak 

Jakob Menendez 

Advertising Sales 

Ernie Carpenter 

Ralph Mitchell 

Patricia Whalen 

Design 

Jakob Menendez 

INSIDE 

4 What's up 

6 Track ruler 

10 Appraising eye 

12 House Money 

15 Connor's cares 

18 Course setter 

21 Kelly's way 

24 Solid as Stone 

30 Driscoll style 

35 Capitol creator 

38 Global thinkers 

40 Lovell's love 

ESSEX MEDIA GROUP 

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Lynn, MA 01901 

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01940themagazine.com 

LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER 

A collector’s edition 

TED GRANT 

I will die before my wife. This is not an actuarial-table thing; it’s an actual-table thing. My table generally 

consists of cheeseburgers, pizza, and cookies. Jansi Chandler Grant’s, on the other hand, features salads, and 

vegetables, and lean beef not bound by bread or rolls. She exercises because she wants to be healthy; I do my 

rowing machine daily so I can later consume said cheeseburgers and pizza and cookies and still fit into my 

80 or so suits. 

But upon my death, it will be those suits that will have given me the final word over my healthy and fit 

roommate. The suits; an equal number of pairs of shoes; the hundreds of shirts and ties. Shelves and shelves 

of books and CDs and cassettes and 8-tracks and LPs (Google it, children) and years-old magazines and 

class notebooks from St. Mary’s and BC. Caps and T-shirts from every college bowl game or Big East and 

ACC basketball tournament I ever attended. Catholic Central League and EMass championship jackets 

won as an assistant coach to Bob Guidi at St. Mary's. My blue double-knit St. Mary’s baseball uniform. 

Pig cufflinks and little pigs formed from ceramic and cement and iron (did you know pigs are the cleanest 

of animals?). Old newspapers. Clips of every column I wrote in my previous (1977-92) incarnation at The 

Daily Item. Diplomas and Confirmation and Baptism certificates. Photos of my mother and father and 

grandmother (all long deceased) and brother as a baby. 

When I die, Jansi gets all that stuff (minus whatever suits Marc McDermott claims). And – as she has 

told me for years – into a dumpster it will go. 

Jansi doesn’t want it. 

Which brings me to the Steve Krause story, “Your children don't want it,” elsewhere in this edition of 

01940. 

Krause writes that those are words to live by if you're getting near that point in life where you're ready to 

downsize and you've got this treasure trove of stuff to give to your children. 

Appraiser Michael Ivankowich of Pennsylvania presented this scenario to a Zoom audience courtesy 

of the Lynnfield Public Library. His topic: Children today don't really want your treasures. As he puts it, 

sentimentality doesn't sell well on the open market. 

Not my framed poster of when the Rolling Stones played in Lynn more than 50 years ago. (It looked so 

official, but everything on it was wrong: the date, the year, and the other acts on the bill.) Not my Nahant-to- 

Revere oars from an old Item-sponsored charity. In my world, pure collector’s gold. Not in Jansi’s. 

And that's Michael Ivankowich’s point, according to Krause. We –– well, some of us –– accumulate all 

this stuff. But nobody else cares. 

Anyway, read Steve Krause’s story. You might even want to save it. 

Elsewhere in this edition, go-getters are often described as aggressively enterprising people who aren't 

afraid to do what it takes to get things done — people like Lynnfield High seniors Jordan Lavey and 

Georgia Milne. 

Friends since childhood, the pair helped jumpstart the school's new Environmental Awareness club with 

one goal: instill into others their sense of concern about the fate of the planet. 

Milne and Lavey said the club had been in the making for nearly a year. Both seniors say they are 

committed to doing what it takes to protect the environment. The club's first major initiative came on Arbor 

Day in April with long-range projects designed both to beautify the area and to protect the environment and 

combat climate change. Ought to be a breeze, huh? Anne Marie Tobin has the story. 

By now, Craig Stone is an institution at Lynnfield High. Reading Mike Alongi’s story, I was brought 

back to my earlier-referenced first incarnation at The Item, when, as a sportswriter, I covered some of his 

teams. He has won all the accolades a coach can win, yet after 46 years – like a human Timex watch – he 

keeps on ticking. 

Stone has put in more than 75 total seasons between wrestling in the winter and girls tennis in the 

spring. His wrestlers have a record of 561-380-9. He took over the girl’s tennis program in 1980, and in the 

42 years since he's gone 633-96. That's 1,194 wins and counting (Lynnfield girl’s tennis is 10-2 at presstime) 

to just 476 losses and nine ties. 

Not bad, Coach. 

Anyway, there’s plenty more in this edition. 

I think it’s a keeper. 

COVER Craig Stone is a coaching mainstay in town, with almost a half century of experience under his belt. PHOTO BY JAKOB MENENDEZ 

02 | 01940

2022 LYNNFIELD SALES 

INVENTORY IS LOW AND DEMAND IS HIGH! 

38 Grey Lane 

PENDING 

OVER ASKING 

10 Elizabeth Way 

SOLD 

$2,635,000 

OVER ASKING 

4 Perkins Lane 

PENDING 

OVER ASKING 

35 Lynnbrook Road 

PENDING 

OVER ASKING 

6 Ivanhoe Drive 

PENDING 

OVER ASKING 

38 Doncaster Circle 

SOLD 

$1,079,999 

OVER ASKING 

1200 Salem Street 

PENDING 

OVER ASKING 

8 Juniper Road 

PENDING 

OVER ASKING 

4 Mohawk Lane 

SOLD 

$1,650,000 

OVER ASKING 

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Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act.

04 | 01940 

WHAT'S UP 

A ton of summer fun 

What: It's not too late to sign 

children in third grade and older 

up for Lynnfield Recreation 

Department summer adventures, 

including trips to the beach, movies, 

and farms. 

Where: Buses leave from the 

middle school, 505 Main St. 

When: Check lynnfieldma.myrec. 

com/info/activities for trip schedule 

and registration information. 

SOFA has nothing to do 

with sitting 

What: Lynnfield Community 

School's annual Summer of Fun 

Activities (SOFA) offers half- and 

full-day programs for children in 

pre-kindergarten through middle 

school. 

Where: Programs are held at 

the high school, 275 Essex St. See 

lynnfield.k12.ma.us/communityschools/sofa 

for activity list and 

registration. 

When: Seven weeks of 

programming runs June 27 

through August 12. 

Sing a sea song 

What: Every wonder why the ocean 

foams? The answer can be found 

in the sea shanties and stories local 

musician Davis Bates sings and tells. 

Where: Lynn Common, Summer and 

Main Streets. 

When: Wednesday, June 8, 6:30- 

7:30 p.m. Contact Abby Porter at the 

library, aporter@noblenet.org, for 

more information. 

Get your art on 

What: The Lynnfield Art Guild 

sponsors exhibits, artist technique 

demonstrations, and welcomes 

members. 

Where: Visit info@LynnfieldArts.org 

or write to Lynnfield Art Guild, P.O. 

Box 12, Lynnfield, MA 01940

NOW'S YOUR CHANCE TO CASH IN ON THE 

STRONGEST REAL ESTATE MARKET IN HISTORY! 

Call me to find out what your home is worth! 

Lynnfield By the Numbers For January 1, 2022 - March 31, 2022 

1 # of 

Listings 

2 

Avg. Days to 

Offer 

21 17 

3 

Avg. Days on 

Market 

23 

4 

Avg. List Price 

$1,136,243 

5 

Avg. Sales 

Price 

6 Sale Price: 

List Price Ratio 

$1,216,313 108% 

7 Avg. Orig. 

Price 

$1,152,624 

8 Sale Price: 

Orig. Price Ratio 

107% 

9 

Lowest Price 

$560,000 

Highest Price 

$2,635,000 

10 Median Price 

$1,005,000 

Average Price 

$1,216,313 

ELLEN CRAWFORD 

THE REALTOR THAT GIVES BACK 

C: 617.599.8090 O: 781.842.8113 

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www.EllenCrawford.raveis.com 

1 Post Office Sq. | LYNNFIELD | MA | 01940


Dominant: The only word for Kate 

Story by Mike Alongi 

Kate Mitchell leads the pack en route to another win for Boston College outdoor track. 

COURTESY PHOTOS: BOSTON COLLEGE ATHLETICS 

With the NCAA 

Outdoor 

Championships 

on June 8-11, 

there's only one 

way to describe Lynnfield native and 

Boston College senior Kate Mitchell's 

performance on the outdoor track: 

dominant. 

That fact came in the early season, 

when she placed third in the 800-meter 

at the Larry Ellis Invitational at 

Princeton University, on April 15. 

Mitchell ran a season-best 2:05.58 

in the 800, while her teammate Marne 

Sullivan finished ninth, with a time of 

2:09.53. 

And that was just the latest 

achievement in Mitchell’s march to 

dominance. 

She placed first in the Eastern 

College Athletic Conference (ECAC) 

Indoor 800 back in March, finishing 

with a lightning-fast speed of 2:04.72, 

putting her at an all-time second for 

that race. 

That impressive speed is also a brandnew 

personal record for Mitchell. 

"I didn’t really expect to break any 

records, but I think this season has been 

a breakout season for me," Mitchell said. 

"It’s ironic — when I stopped caring 

about the time on the clock and started 

just focusing on the race, is when I 

started getting faster times." 

Another of the incredible records 

broken by Mitchell over the winter 

was in the 1,000 meter race at the 

John Thomas Terrier Classic on Jan. 

28. Mitchell finished first with an 

astonishing 2:44.49, breaking the 

previous record held by Caroline King 

(2:44.60), which was set back in 2011. 

Funny enough, Mitchell initially 

wanted to be a soccer player during her 

freshman year at Lynnfield High School. 

MITCHELL, page 8 

1 2 3

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MITCHELL, continued from page 6 

She started running track as a way to get faster on 

the pitch, but got hooked on running instead. 

"I thought I wanted to play soccer in college, but 

when I started track my freshman year, I just started 

to love it," said Mitchell. 

Off the race track, Mitchell chose to attend 

Boston College, mostly due to the fact that the 

school reminded her a lot of her hometown 

community, which she grew to know and love. 

She is currently getting her Bachelor of Science in 

management, with a concentration in finance and 

business analytics. 

Someone that Mitchell looks up to, is Olympic 

track star and one of the coaches for the Boston 

College track team, Anna Willard. 

Being the first-ever female athlete to run a 

sub-two minute in the 800 and a sub-four minute 

in the 1,500, it’s easy to understand how Willard is 

such an inspiration to anyone wanting to be a track 

runner. Mitchell hopes to one day be that good. 

Mitchell comes from a very athletic family. Her 

father played football, her mom did cheerleading, 

and her sisters competed in track alongside her. She 

also attributes a lot of her success to her mom and 

dad. She idolizes both of her parents immensely for 

how hard they’ve worked to be where they are today. 

Regardless of what happens in the future, 

Mitchell has etched her name into the history 

books of Boston College. 40 

Kate Mitchell's inspiration is track coach and Olympian Anna Willard. 

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Your children don't want it 

Story by Steve Krause 

Your grandmother has died, and 

you find out that in her will, 

she has given you some of her 

fondest possessions — perhaps 

some china, or even an old table 

saw that was sitting around in her cellar, 

that your grandfather used 40 years ago. 

Whatever it was, or whatever it meant 

to your grandparents, it's yours now. And 

the question is what to do with it. 

Meet Michael Ivankowich, auctioneer, 

appraiser, and all-around arbiter on the 

value of old, and odd, collectables. 

Ivankowich may be from Pennsylvania, 

but his expertise in the art of assessing the 

value of these collectables brought him to 

Lynnfield, via Zoom, on April 13. 

Ivankowich took his virtual traveling 

roadshow to the town, to present his 

"What's It Worth" discussion, courtesy of 

the Friends of the Lynnfield Library. 

Before we get too far, Ivankowich, a 

serious appraiser of collectables, isn't fond 

of being compared to PBS's "Antiques 

Roadshow." 

"That's not reality," said Ivankowich, 71. 

"It's great entertainment, but it's all staged. 

I watch it, but I don't watch it religiously." 

Besides taking his show on the road 

(unlike most people who have had repeated 

experiences with it, Zoom has actually been 

a boon to Ivankowich), he has his own 

radio show on which he shares tips about 

how listeners can get some approximation 

of the value of their old, or inherited, 

property. 

One of Ivankowich's most popular 

programs is called "Your Children Don't 

Want it." 

"People our age don't know what to do 

with this stuff," he says. "In this program, I 

review what I call 'Mike's Buffet of Selling 

Items.' There are many ways they can sell 

their items. Everything looks like a family 

memory to them, but when I go, it's just 

merchandise. 

"What I've been doing for the last 12 

or 13 years or so is helping people deal 

with the contents of their houses or estates. 

Here is the best description of what I do: 

You turn your house upside down and 

shake it. If it falls out, I deal with it. If it 

doesn't, the realtor deals with it." 

Before the coronavirus pandemic hit in 

2020, Ivankowich did his presentations live, 

"usually within an hour or so of where we 

live in Pennsylvania." 

Michael Ivankowich discusses the art of accessing 

collectables to a Lynnfield public library audience. 

COURTESY: MICHAEL IVANKOWICH 

However, one man's shutdown is 

another person's windfall. Rather than 

seeing his business suffer during the 

pandemic, Ivankowich saw his blossom. 

His fame, even on a small, statewide level, 

paved the way for him. 

"We adapted our live program to 

Zoom," he said. "And we've done 350-400 

Zoom programs, and Lynnfield was one of 

the many programs we have done." 

Ivankowich will look at anything inside 

a house, "from the good, the bad and the 

ugly," he says. "I've written a book about 

downsizing in four easy steps. I can go 

into a house and sort things out into three 

categories: sell, donate or dump." 

Of course this can often be 

disillusioning for those who own the 

property. 

"Some people think their stuff is worth 

a lot more than it is," he said. 

And, of course, the opposite is true too. 

"Some people have the pleasure of 

finding out their stuff is worth more than 

they thought it was." 

Among the more common items he 

sees in houses are china and glass. 

"Almost every house we see has a closet 

filled with stuff grandma said would be 

valuable someday. In the modern world, 

there are things kids don't want: things 

like silver plates, or art. Sometimes we see 

some good art, sometimes we don't. There 

are a fair amount of dolls. We've seen some 

real good pocket watches. Some coins, or 

jewelry, furniture, you name it, we see it.” 

"Arguably the coolest thing we've seen 

in a long time was in Massachusetts," he 

said. "A guy had a 1952 Mickey Mantle 

baseball card." 

But before the fellow could fantasize 

too much about the fortune he was sure 

was his, Ivankowich had the following 

admonition: "That card, in great condition, 

sold for $6.6 million. This card looked like 

he'd fixed it to his bicycle spokes." 

Right now, Ivankowich says, the 

baseball market is "insane." 

"One of the things we talk about is why 

would people pay that much for a Mickey 

Mantle or a Honus Wagner card. Because 

they can. 

Ivankowich recently had a conversation 

with a columnist from the magazine 

"Antique Week," who heard of a ticket 

stub for the first game of Jackie Robinson's 

rookie years, in 1947, when he broke 

modern-day baseball's color barrier. 

"It went for a half-million dollars," he 

said. 

What makes or breaks a valuable 

collectable is the condition it's in, and its 

overall appearance. 

"I have people tell me they have 

samovars — very formal coffee urns. My 

first question is 'when was the last time you 

used it?' How many people are going to 

buy your samovar if it's just going to sit on 

the shelf?" 

Other aspects are provenance (where 

did it come from?) and its historical 

background. You have to be able to prove 

it. People aren't going to pay for grandma's 

story. 

"We've become very good at delivering 

bad news," he said. "But most people 

get it. Maybe once a week, we get one or 

two people who know more than we do. 

Once we explain to them just because it 

was valuable to their families that doesn't 

follow that it'll be valuable to anyone else. 

You can't spend sentimental value." 

Then again, he recalls the time a 

client of his sold a diamond ring for $10, 

thinking it was costume jewelry. 

Ivankowich often gets leads that just 

don't pan out. 

"We got wind of a woman in New York 

whose brother had died, and in his younger 

years he was Janis Joplin's manager," 

Ivankowich said. "We figured there would 

be a lot of Joplin memorabilia, but when 

we contacted her, we never heard back." 

Still, he says, "I get paid to look at 

other people's treasures. What a great job 

I have."


HOUSE MONEY 

PHOTOS COURTESY OF CLAUDIA S. TABAR-CONWAY

SUMMER 2022 | 13 

A peek inside 

10 Elizabeth Way 

SALE PRICE:$2,635,000 

SALE DATE: April 14, 2022 

LIST PRICE: $2,200,000 

TIME ON MARKET: 57 days 

(to closing) 

LISTING BROKER: 

Claudia S. Tabar-Conway 

Toner Real Estate, LLC 

SELLING BROKER: 

Louise Touchette 

Coldwell Banker Realty - Lynnfield 

LATEST ASSESSED 

VALUE: $2,221,200 

PREVIOUS SALE PRICE: 

$1,650,000 - 2003 

PROPERTY TAXES: $26,632 

YEAR BUILT: 2000 

LOT SIZE: 10,609 sq. ft. 

LIVING AREA: 8,109 sq. ft. 

ROOMS: 12 

BEDROOMS: 5 

BATHROOMS: 4.5+ 

SPECIAL FEATURES: 

High ceilings with custom 

woodworking. Granite counters 

and stainless-steel appliances, open 

concept kitchen, first-floor primary 

suite and spa-like bathroom. 

Bedrooms on second-floor with 

private baths. Basement gym, 

tanning booth and home theater. 

Stone patio around in-ground pool 

and cabana with kitchen. Three-car 

garage.


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He fits 

kindness 

into a kit 

Story by Alena Kuzub 

Illustration by Emilia Sun 

Connor Wright decided 

to cheer up children 

quarantined at home 

with COVID-19 by 

delivering "COVID Care 

Packages." Little did he know, he was on 

to something big. 

Working with his grandmother, 

Sharon Marrama, the Lynnfield Middle 

School student launched Connor’s 

Kindness Project, a charitable initiative 

aimed at putting fundraising muscle 

behind Wright's good intentions. 

“We just knew it was a really tough 

time for a lot of families,” said Wright. 

“We wanted to do something nice to 

help our community.” 

The 12-year-old's project grew into 

delivering his custom Kindness Kits to 

children in hospitals and shelters. The 

kits usually include Legos, kaleidoscopes, 

Rubik’s Cubes, foldscopes (affordable 

microscopes), coloring books, crayons, 

stickers, card games, slime, playdough, 

and Pop-It fidget toys which Learning 

Express at MarketStreet Lynnfield 

provides at cost. 

When Connor’s Kindness Project 

reached out to Lego, the company 

donated about 4,000 pieces. 

“We like to have the 'wow' factor,” 

said Wright, who makes sure that the 

kits contain quality items which would 

compel a child to exclaim, “Wow, this is 

amazing.” 

Wright has been working closely 

with medical institutions, such as Tufts 

Medical Center, Mass General Hospital, 

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Shriners 

Children’s Hospital, Christopher's 

Haven, UMass Memorial Medical 

Center, Boston's Home for Little 

Wanderers, Lazarus House, Boston 

Children's Hospital at Peabody, Housing 

Families Inc. in Malden and others. 

In the last few months of 2021, he 

delivered 200 Kindness Kits and, for 

2022, he has already committed to 1,500


–– with a year-end goal of 2,000 kits to 

be delivered. The project outgrew the 

Boston area and now sends the Kindness 

Kits to Worcester, Springfield, and even 

Connecticut. 

“We are trying to expand to New 

Hampshire and all over New England,” 

said Wright. 

Now he is looking for teen 

ambassadors, volunteers and a summer 

intern. 

The project has been almost like a 

full-time job, Wright said, and he has 

learned a lot about business, non-profits, 

and taxes. But he has also learned about 

other people’s lives and the value of a 

little help. 

“I feel fortunate that I am in a 

position to help other children that are 

going through a challenging time,” said 

Wright. 

Marrama said her grandson takes 

his responsibilities and engagements 

involving the Connor's Kindness Project 

very seriously. 

“The nice thing about it is that he 

is doing it out of the goodness of his 

heart," said Marrama. "It is not for a 

reward.” 40 

Lego donated 4,000 of its signature tiny pieces to fill Connor Wright's Kindness Kits. 

COURTESY PHOTO: SHARON MARRAMA 

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Kim Sokop has a guiding hand 

Story by Allysha Dunnigan


Kim Sokop makes dreams 

come true for teenagers 

who have their sights set 

on a college education 

and need a helping hand 

to get there. 

The Lynnfield resident spends June 

through December working parttime 

in her small business as a college 

consultant, helping students through 

the application process and providing 

guidance and support on their college 

essays. 

Sokop has a bachelor's degree 

in English and a master’s degree in 

Education, with a concentration in 

teaching writing. 

She spent time teaching high school 

English, and it didn't take students long 

to ask Sokop for help with their college 

essays and for parents to ask her to tutor 

their kids during the summer. 

Sokop eventually left teaching to stay 

home and raise her three children, but 

she kept tutoring English, writing, and 

reading. 

When her first child began her 

college search five years ago, Sokop 

started to think carefully about the 

college application process. 

"I revisited the practices of coaching 

students through the application process. 

I attended workshops, read, and educated 

myself on current expectations of the 

admissions process," she said. 

As a college consultant, Sokop 

connects with students, and sometimes 

their parents, in-person or through 

Zoom, and listens, asks questions, and 

assigns activities related to developing 

college essays. 

"In a way, my initial role is of an 

excavator," Sokop said. "It started with 

the college essays, but it has evolved to 

helping with the Common App, helping 

them organize all of the essays they need, 

and helping them prep for interviews." 

Sokop mostly helps students craft 

the personal statement essay, which she 

described as a snapshot in color of who 

the student is to date, and who he/she 

strives to become. 

"It's an interesting process because 

these kids, they're not used to writing 

this way," Sokop said. "When they're in 

school, it's more analytical writing and 

now you have to write about yourself 

and sell yourself. It's such a busy society 

and we don't take time to be selfless like 

this. Being self-reflective, vulnerable, 

and creative is not easy for most people, 

especially when the task carries so much 

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weight. However, we all have so 

many layers and stories to tell, but 

most lie dormant or unaware." 

Sokop's job is to help the 

students find topics and values 

about themselves and their lives 

so they can work together to make 

connections and bring relevance to 

their stories. 

As an essay coach, Sokop said 

she tries to provide students a safe 

and trusting space where they can 

express vulnerabilities and growth. 

She collaborates with the 

students and helps them develop a 

topic, suggests an essay template, 

and offers editing. 

"Their emerging adulthood 

and perspective on life is very 

interesting to me, and I find a lot 

of value in helping them learn," 

she said. 

Sokop usually works with 12 

students at a time, acquiring many 

of her clients through word of 

mouth and social media. Most of 

her students work with her for 

one to two months, depending on 

their availability to meet and the 

amount of work they need help 

with. 

While the majority of students 

she works with are from Lynnfield 

and surrounding communities, 

she has worked online with outof-state 

clients from New York, 

Florida and Connecticut. 

"I love words … I appreciate 

the rhythm and arrangement 

and how they convey personality. 

Interestingly, coaching students 

through the college application 

process welds these two interests 

together." 

While the process can be 

challenging and include multiple 

essays for various applications, 

Sokop said her favorite part is 

seeing a student complete their 

essay with confidence and hear 

about their successes getting into 

college. 

"The pride and sense of relief I 

witness in the final read-through is 

a joy for me," she said. "Students 

are often reflective, surprised, and 

truly proud of what they have 

learned about themselves as well 

as how they chose to creatively 

express and highlight themselves. 

Bearing witness to their college 

admissions and their expressions 

Kim Sokop is a self-employed college consultant who helps students across the North Shore prepare for 

college. 

Photos: Spenser Hasak 

of gratitude for my help in the process gives me great satisfaction." 

While the busiest time for her work is usually from June to December, Sokop said she 

wishes she could work with college-bound students year round so she didn't have to limit 

the number of students she works with. 

When September and October hits, she said it tends to pick up for students who want 

to do early action applications, which are usually due in November. 

Sometimes Sokop has workshops with multiple students in it before working one-onone 

with them, but other times, she works just one-on-one. 

Sokop gives 30 minute and one hour options for her appointments. When she is done 

working with the students, Sokop stays in touch to see what schools they got into and 

what their next steps are. 

Sokop now works her small business assisting with the college application process 

part-time, while also working part time at an elementary school as a literacy tutor. 

"I'm only a small piece of helping them get accepted; it's so much more than the 

essay," Sokop said. "I do feel an investment in these kids too and I'm happy for them. It's 

neat to see them take off and where they go." 

For more information on Sokop's college consulting business, visit her website at 

www.kimscollegecoaching.com. 40

Beauty thrives through the pandemic 

Story by Oksana Kotkina 

The team at Sobella Skin and Beauty, clockwise from back left, co-owner and aesthetician Kelly Fiorentino, coowner 

Frederika MacMillan, RN, BSN, who runs the cosmetic injectables side of the business, aesthetician Cara 

Curtis, and aesthetician Rose Carpenito. 


Kelly Fiorentino, 

mother of four, 

entered the spa 

industry over two 

decades ago. She 

built a successful beauty business 

right here in town, Sobella Skin 

and Beauty, throughout the years 

of the pandemic. 

“I first started my career 

working at other spas gaining an 

immense amount of experience 

always knowing that I wanted 

to open a business of my own 

where I could offer customized 

treatments to my clients,” said 

Fiorentino. 

Located at 7 Kimball Lane, 

Building B, the spa is known for 

developing and maintaining close 

friendly relationships with their 

clients and providing them with a 

place to escape in a fun, friendly, 

and cozy environment. 

“They come in as a new client 

and leave feeling like an old 

friend,” said Fiorentino. 

Fiorentino, a Lynnfield 

resident, is passionate about 

the services her spa offers. She 

recommends their HydraFacial 

and Microchanneling treatments 

for immediate results that aim 

to fix and repair “many skin 

concerns.” 

Sobella also offers 17 other 

facial treatments ranging between 

$50 and $145, as well as lash, 

brow, nail, and hair removal 

services. They also share space 

with The Refined RN offering 

cosmetic injectables, including a 

full line of fillers, Botox, and PRP 

treatments. 

The spa's Beauty Lounge 

offers formal hair styling and 

professional make up services. 

Fiorentino opened her business 

in December 2019, just a few 

short months before the start of 

the pandemic. At that time she 

had been in the spa industry for 

over 20 years, working on and off 

while raising her family. 

“This was the second career 

choice for me,” said Fiorentino. 

She said she had left her hectic 

office job in Boston after the birth 

of her second child. She then 

“decided to completely switch it 

up,” and began working in a spa as


a nail tech and overseeing customer service. 

She fell in love with the atmosphere and how women felt coming and 

leaving. She knew she wanted to further her career as an aesthetician and 

attended Catherine Hinds Institute of Aesthetics in Woburn in 2010. 

Even after she had received her license, continuing education remained 

a constant part of her life, said Fiorentino. Over the years she continued 

to advance her knowledge with skincare education. 

“The beauty industry is constantly evolving and I want to keep up to 

date with the continuously advancing skincare industry,” she said. 

Over time, she grew her clientele within Lynnfield and the 

surrounding communities. The only thing she needed to do was “move 

outside my comfort zone and put the wheels in motion to open her own 

skin spa." 

Fiorentino said her main objective was to have a spa that could feel 

like an escape and help clients achieve healthy, glowing skin. 

The pandemic brought additional challenges to the newly-minted 

businesswoman. 

“The pandemic brought a whole new list of challenges for us; we 

had to close our doors for over three months and with just being newly 

opened, we needed to be able to come up with ways to still help treat our 

clients from home and keep the business afloat,” said Fiorentino. 

She met the challenge with her employees by developing new 

inventive ways to service the clients, like Zoom and FaceTime skin 

consultations, putting together home skin care regimens and delivering 

products to clients’ doors. 

In February 2022, Sobella Skin and Beauty moved into a much larger 

newly renovated space with five treatment rooms. For a small spa, growing 

into a new space “has been such an incredible experience,” said Fiorentino. 

They are now ready to offer more services, and add new equipment. 

“Our main goal is to give the best service possible, to continue growing 

and make our clients look and feel their very best,” said Fiorentino. 40 

Sobella Skin and Beauty aesthetician Rose Carpenito works on 

Boxford resident Hannah Coleman's eyebrows. 

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46 

years 

strong 

How one coach created a tennis 

dynasty at Lynnfield High School

Story by Mike Alongi 

Photos by Jakob Menendez 

SUMMER 2022 | 25


THERE AREN'T MANY AWARDS OR ACCOLADES THAT LYNNFIELD 

HIGH SCHOOL GIRL’S TENNIS AND WRESTLING COACH CRAIG 

STONE HASN'T EARNED IN HIS 46 YEARS WITH THE SCHOOL. 

Lynnfield girl's tennis coach Craig Stone offers nuggets of advice to Lauren Grava and Maddie Sieve during their doubles match against Newburyport. 

And yet, he keeps on going. 

Stone has put in more 

than 75 total seasons 

between wrestling in the winter and girl’s 

tennis in the spring. Since helming the 

wrestling program in 1976, Stone has a 

record of 561-380-9. He took over the 

girl’s tennis program in 1980, and in the 

42 years since he's gone 633-96. If you 

include home games, that's 1,194 wins 

(and counting — Lynnfield girl’s tennis 

is currently 10-2 this spring) to just 476 

losses and nine ties. 

"What I love about both sports is 

that they’re both team sports, but with 

an individual emphasis," Stone said. 

"There’s a lot of different skills and styles, 

and I enjoy the variety and complexity 

of coaching the two. It’s team first, but 

everyone plays a role and when you win, 

we all win. I’ve been a constant advocate 

of that philosophy my entire life. I’ve 

tried to instill that learning experience 

on the kids the entire time so that when 

they graduate as seniors they can come 

away with what it takes to be successful 

in your everyday life." 

Stone's list of accolades consists of 

much more than just wins — in both 

sports. 

His tennis teams have reached 

the pinnacle of high school sports 

in Massachusetts, winning five state 

championships (1992, 1997, 1998, 1999, 

2014), 14 sectional championships (1989, 

1990, 1991, 1992, 1997, 1998, 1999, 

2002, 2006, 2009, 2014, 2015, 2016, 

2017) and 18 Cape Ann League (CAL) 

championships (1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 

1989, 1990, 1991, 1996, 1997, 1998, 

1999, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 

2014, 2015) in his tenure. 

For his work with the Pioneers, Stone 

has been named the CAL Coach of the 

Year 13 times (1983, 1988, 1990, 1992, 

1996, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015, 

2016, 2017, 2018), the Boston Globe 

Coach of the Year four times (1988, 

1997, 2008, 2014) and the Massachusetts 

STONE, page 28

Since 1980, the girl's tennis team has 

5 

State Titles 

39 

State tournament appearances 

634 

Total wins including playoff games


Coach Craig Stone blows his 

whistle during a wrestling match 

for Lynnfield High School in 1978 

Lynnfield girl's tennis coach 

Craig Stone watches as his team 

plays against an undefeated 

Newburyport team on May 5, 2022 

STONE, continued from page 26 

Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) 

Girl’s Tennis Coach of the Year in 2018. 

"What helps are the demographics of 

the community, court, and club accessibility 

and the instructional LCS tennis programs 

that begin in elementary school and carry 

through to middle school," said Stone when 

asked about his team's successes. "Obviously, 

success breeds success, and when you have 

established a successful program over the 

years, students want to be involved with it. 

It is a credit to the many alumni that have 

played before and have made tennis at the 

high school a priority in their lives." 

As far as wrestling goes, Stone has 

coached one team to the state finals (2014), 

eight individual state champions, and 83 

state individual place finishers in his time at 

Lynnfield. 

He coached the Pioneers to four CAL 

titles (1992, 2013, 2014, 2015), three 

sectional titles (2013, 2014, 2015), and 

was named CAL Coach of the Year eight 

times (1986, 1987, 1992, 1996, 1997, 

2008, 2014, 2020). He was voted the 

National Wrestling Coaches Association 

Massachusetts Coach of the Year in 2013, 

and he is enshrined in the Massachusetts 

Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame 

(1998), the National Wrestling Hall of Fame: 

Massachusetts Chapter (2017), and the New 

England High School Wrestling Hall of 

Fame (2019). 

But even with all of those honors, Stone 

still gets the most satisfaction out of simply 

watching his young players grow and get 

better each year. 

"The best part about all of it is watching 

the players achieve success," said Stone. "That 

success takes on many forms, not necessarily 

getting the 'W,' Watching them become 

more involved and empowered during 

their high school careers is very satisfying. 

Watching a freshman junior varsity player 

hang in there and become a varsity player, 

maybe not until their senior year, is a very 

gratifying and rewarding experience." 

So, when looking ahead, Stone — who 

retired from teaching back in 2016 — is 

taking things as they come. 

"As I tell everybody, I go one year at a 

time," said Stone. "There are times — just 

like any athlete during a season — maybe 

things come up that have led to a little 

adversity during the season and you say, 'gee, 

I don't know much longer.' Then you turn 

around the next day and you have a great win 

or an athlete comes up and tells you about 

a successful experience that they've had and 

you say, 'this is great, I can go on and do this 

forever.'" 

"Time will tell," added Stone. 40


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Four 

generations 

of gorgeous Story by Anne Marie Tobin


History has a way of 

repeating itself when it 

comes to beauty-pageant 

winners from Lynnfield. 

Let's just say it runs 

in the family, as in the 

Driscoll family — better said, the 

Driscoll dynasty of beauty queens that 

stretches all the way back to 1946. 

Seventeen-year-old Jillian Driscoll, a 

senior at Lynnfield High School, became 

the fourth generation of her family to 

win a beauty pageant when she won the 

2022 Miss Massachusetts Teen USA 

beauty pageant in March. 

In winning that title, Driscoll 

followed in the footsteps of her mother 

Jacqui, who won the Miss Massachusetts 

USA title in 1996 (as Jacqui Doucette), 

at the age of 26. 

"We've been told that this is the first 

time that a mother and daughter have 

won titles," said Jacqui Driscoll, who was 

living on Tophet Road at the time. 

"It was so exciting, but I have to 

say it was much harder to be on the 

audience side than I remember it was as 

a contestant. We all want our kids to be 

happy, but it's so hard because you know 

the judging is so subjective and can go 

anywhere. But at the same time you want 

the best." 

But there's a lot more to the story. 

Jillian's maternal great grandmother 

Muriel Bradley (later Hankard) started 

the tradition in 1946 when she won 

the Miss East Boston pageant. The 

paternal side of the family got in on the 

action in 1974 when Jillian's paternal 

grandmother Arlene Driscoll won the 

Miss Boston Hi Fi pageant. 

Fast forward to the 2022 Miss 

Massachusetts Teen USA pageant, a 

weekend-long competition held at the 

Burlington Marriott Hotel. 

Jillian Driscoll said that when she 

heard the name of the first runner 

up announced, it was "surreal. It was 

a dream," she said. "My dad and 

skating coach kept talking to me about 

manifestation so I kept envisioning the 

crown being placed on my head and I 

refused to let any negative thoughts enter 

my head. But still, when they actually 

called out the first runner up and I 

realized I had won, I was shocked. Now 

that I have the chance to digest it, I feel 

like all of my hard work paid off." 

Driscoll defeated 37 other contestants 

from across the state to punch her ticket 

to the Miss Teen USA national pageant 

in July (TBD), which is run by the Miss 

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Like great-grandmother, like grandmother, like mother, like daughter — the Driscoll family has a long history of winning beauty pageants, with 

the first sash being bestowed upon Muriel Bradley, pictured on page 30, after winning the Miss East Boston Pageant in 1946. Her 

granddaughter, Jacqui Driscoll, (left) would go on to win the Miss Massachusetts USA title in 1996, with her daughter Jillian Driscoll (right) 

carrying the legacy forward by being crowned the 2022 Miss Massachusetts Teen USA in March. Photos Courtesy of the Driscoll Family. 

Universe organization. 

Driscoll's name was one of the 

last to be announced in a round of 16 

semifinalists. At that point, her mother 

said all the family hoped was for her to 

make the final five. 

"Once she made the final five, 

we (husband, James, and my mother, 

Candace Doucette) just held hands 

throughout the rest of the pageant. It was 

so nerve-wracking, just super crazy and 

needless to say, it was just incredible to 

see her win." 

The finalists drew random questions 

from a fishbowl and also had to do one 

more walk for the judges. 

When Driscoll pulled her question, 

the audience groaned. 

"It was a really tough question about 

what lessons she had taught her parents. 

Most of the time the question is the 

opposite about what you have learned 

from your parents, not what you taught 

them," Jacqui said. "She salvaged a great 

answer about setting an example for us 

on how important it is to be resilient. 

She said it was all about getting up after 

you fall." 

Jillian said she was surprised, 

especially when she heard the reaction of 

the audience and saw the expression on 

her mother's face. 

"I could hear the crowd say 'ugh' and 

when I saw my mom's face, she looked 

shocked," Driscoll said. "I stumbled a 

bit but then called upon what I learned 

from figure skating –– how you need 

to be resilient. I like to think that my 

parents have learned never to get down 

on themselves after a hard challenge." 

A two-year member of the National 

Honor Society, Driscoll is a competitive 

figure skater with the Burbank Arenabased 

North Shore Skating Club. Her 

mother said that experience paid off in 

dividends, thanks to her skating coach 

Amy Hanson-Kuleszka, who every week 

had Jillian answer a different interview 

question during off-ice training sessions. 

"She's used to the high-pressure 

situations you have in skating when you 

are alone on the ice," said Driscoll. "That 

the pageant was a bit easier as Jillian was 

in a group, which might have been less 

pressure. And her answer to that final 

question was definitely based on her 

skating experience, as while falling is a 

big part of skating, it's all about being 

able to get up." 

This fall, Driscoll plans to attend 

the University of Florida in Gainesville, 

majoring in health sciences. She said she 

and her mother have been attending the 

pageant since she was a little girl and "we 

love it." 

"My mother has given me lots of


advice, but probably the best was to just 

be myself," Driscoll said. "She thinks 

that's what made the difference the year 

she won. I tried to let my authentic self 

shine and I guess it worked. I just love 

that we now get to share this experience 

as the first mother and daughter to ever 

wear these crowns." 

Driscoll is balancing a busy life these 

days. She graduates high school in early 

June, yet has been doing everything 

she can to prepare for the pageant. She 

recently attended a retreat conducted by 

pageant organizers and is also appearing 

Illustration: Sam Deeb 

at local public events. 

The pageant has three components 

- evening gown, activewear, and an 

interview. Jillian recently traveled to 

New York City to select a dress for the 

evening gown competition. She chose a 

pink custom couture creation designed 

by Jovani. Her mother said the dress 

was exactly as Jillian envisioned for the 

national pageant. 

She is also working with designer A.J. 

DaSilva on her state costume. Ironically, 

he designed Jacqui's wedding gown. The 

inspiration for that dress? The gown 

worn by Miss Texas in the 1996 Miss 

USA pageant. 

Jacqui said she has full confidence 

that Jillian has what it takes to compete, 

but historically, the odds are stacked 

against northern contestants. 

"It's very difficult at times for 

the northern states compared to the 

southern states where the pageants 

are more socially acceptable, they have 

more money and sponsorships. When 

I competed, I certainly felt that the 

southern states had a bit of an advantage, 

but I'm hopeful. The director we have 

now works very hard to give the girls the 

same advantage that the southern girls 

have, things like camaraderie." 40 

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An 

artist 

comes 

into her 

own 

Story by Anne Marie Tobin 

It's one thing to be a good artist; 

it's an entirely different thing to 

beat out 107 other student artists 

in a regional show and win praise 

from a congressman. 

Which is what Lynnfield High School 

senior Emma Condon did this winter 

when she took home the grand prize 

at the 28th annual Sixth Essex District 

Congressional High School Art Show, 

held at the Montserrat College of Art 

Gallery in Beverly. 

Her submission, a self-portrait entitled 

"Superposition," was the winner. 

"I am proud of all of you, no matter 

who takes first prize; this is really an 

impressive achievement and you should 

all take pride in that," said U.S. Rep. Seth 

Moulton. 

Condon drew on very personal 

experiences to create a portfolio for her art 

oriented around the theme of dreams. 

She said she has been on various 

medications to combat insomnia and 

anxiety for several years. 

Created with colored pencils, 

"Superposition" is based in large part on 

her own vivid dreams experienced as a 

result of those medications. The powerful 

piece shows Condon covered with 

bandages –– both adult and children's 

–– with an assortment of pills cascading 

downward alongside the image. 

"A lot of those medications caused the 

weird dreams I have had," Condon said. 

"My piece is inspired by my experience 

with the trial and error of medication. 

During those times I have always felt split, 

like I was constantly in two places at once. 

The title is a concept in which one particle 

Lynnfield High School senior Emma Condon took home the grand prize at the 28th annual Sixth Essex 

District Congressional High School Art Show with this self-portrait titled, "Superposition." 

can exist in different locations simultaneously." 

Condon said she has learned to channel her dreams into inspiration for her art. 

"While I have learned over the years to accept my insomnia, when I do sleep, my 

dreams feel real and vivid enough for me to remember every detail in the morning," she 

added. 

Condon said she was a little hesitant to submit such a powerful piece, one that exposed 

some of the challenges she has faced "because of the stigma.” 

"I'm so glad I did, to put it out there in the open. I'm glad I shared it, for obvious 

reasons," she said. 

Condon's artwork is being displayed in the U.S. Capitol for a year, along with winning 

art for other Congressional districts across the United States. A ceremony honoring the 

winners will be held in June. Condon plans to study art at the Rhode Island School of 

Design (RISD) in the fall. When she learned she had been accepted, she was so happy 

she cried. The crying continued into the next day when she learned she had won the 

Congressional Art Show’s grand prize. 

"It was the best 48 hours ever of my life," Condon said. "When I found out I got 

into RISD, all I could do was cry. I was so happy. And then I got the message that I had


Illustration: Edwin Peralta Jr. 

Honorable Mention: “Thought Spiral” by Lynnfield student Alison Orlofski 

"My own mental health inspired me so it was about when you have anxiety and thoughts and thoughts 

are spiraling and you are trapped in your own head and you just can’t get out of your own mind, how 

anxiety can turn into a spiral of panic." 

won the grand prize. I was alone in my 

room and I immediately ran downstairs to 

tell my mom. I looked totally distraught 

and was crying so hard that my mother 

(Colleen) thought something was really 

wrong. I tried to tell her about it but 

couldn't get the words out, so I showed 

her my phone and she got all excited, 

obviously." 

Condon said she hadn't really 

considered RISD until her AP Art teacher, 

Laura Johnson, suggested she apply. 

"We are so proud of her as she has 

worked so hard in our art program," 

Johnson said. "It's been exciting to see her 

growth and development over the past four 

years." 

Condon was not alone locally in 

achieving recognition in the Sixth Essex 

competition. 

Also recognized were Lynnfield High 

students Samantha Bunar with a Best of 

School award for "Asphyxiation," while 

Allison Orlofski ("Thought Spiral"), 

Michael O’Brien ("Effects of an Injury"), 

Lauren Lim ("Naiveté") and Riley 

Hallahan ("Lost Innocence") all received 

Honorable Mention recognitions. 40 

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Best of School: “Asphyxiation” by Lynnfield 

student Samantha Bunar 

"My senior topic is personal body dysmorphia. It 

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Seniors sowing seeds for change 

Story by Anne Marie Tobin 

Left; Lauren St. Andre, Natalie Connell, Jordan Lavey, and Kayla Tracy break up soil around the bulb of the tree they are planting, Right; The Environmental 

Awareness Club planted trees native to Massachusetts on Friday in honor of Arbor Day. 


Go-getters are often described as aggressively 

enterprising people who aren't afraid to do what it 

takes to get things done — people like Lynnfield 

High seniors Jordan Lavey and Georgia Milne. 

Friends since childhood, the pair helped 

jumpstart the school's new Environmental Awareness club with 

one goal — instill their sense of concern about the fate of the 

planet to others. 

Milne and Lavey said the club had been in the making for 

nearly a year. Both seniors say they are committed to doing 

what it takes to protect the environment. 

"I just got fed up with people not doing anything. There's 

been too much talk and not enough action," said Lavey, who 

plans to major in environmental science at Virginia Tech. 

“Georgia and I came up with this idea last August. We had to 

take action and thought this would be a really nice way to help 

the community, to make a tangible difference." 

"It feels great that this is all coming together and people 

are just as excited as we are," said Milne, who plans to study 

politics at St. Anselm College this fall. "We are just trying to be 

kind to the planet and use our voices and actions for kindness. 

The greatest thing you can do is plant trees and when I look 

around and see so many other students share our passion, it's 

just a great feeling." 

The club's first major initiative came on Arbor Day (April 

29) with a couple projects that will not only beautify the 

outdoors, but will also go a long way toward protecting the 

environment and combating climate change. 

Armed with shovels, approximately 20 members of the club 

rolled up their sleeves and got dirty, planting 16 new trees near 

the entrance of the teachers' parking lot. 

Club advisor and science department chair Scott Gordon 

said the highschool property has lost a lot of trees over the 

years between neighbors' removal, school renovations and the 

turf field project. 

"This is filling a very important need for the property," 

Gordon said. "One of our first acts is to try to reforest the 

campus as much as possible. I dare say that, for some of these 

kids, probably most of them, they've never used a shovel. But 

most of them took to it after being shown how to put them in 

the ground." 

Funded with $1,000 from the Public Works Department, 

the new arboretum is located on the slope near the memorial 

benches and tree. 

All trees are native to Massachusetts. Varieties include oaks, 

maples, birch, tulip and quaking aspen trees, all planted in close 

proximity, which Gordon said mirrors what natural forests look 

like with closely-clustered trees. 

"We are foresting as opposed to landscaping," Gordon said. 

"We are growing as the forest grows." 

Tree Committee Chair Jane Bandini said the trees will take 

about a year before they start to grow. 

"These trees are a nice size, they're easy to plant and take 

less time to take off and grow compared to the ones you see 

at nurseries that are much larger and much more expensive," 

she said. "The big ones, that are maybe four to five calipers,


take four to five years before they see 

growth." 

Gordon hopes the area will serve 

multiple purposes. 

"We'll be able to use the area 

as a teaching garden to teach tree 

identification in the classes, which 

is a class we teach along with things 

like climate change and ecology," said 

Gordon. "We also hope the area will be 

just a pleasant place to relax during the 

day for a moment of mindfulness." 

Earlier in the day, students in one 

of Gordon's classes planted a butterfly 

garden behind the school as part of a 

sustainability project. Gordon said the 

garden, which contains milkweed, Joe 

Pye weed, yarrow and echinacea, should 

begin attracting butterflies in the late 

summer. 

Gordon said the plan going forward 

is to apply for grant money to plant 

more trees elsewhere at the high school 

next year and that the club has already 

identified potential locations for future 

plantings. 

Milne said the time to save the planet 

is now. 

"It's tough hearing that if you don't 

work at it there will not be a future for 

your planet," she said. "It's an initiative 

that everybody has to work at. We just 

need to be kind to our planet. This is the 

greatest challenge we are going to face in 

our lifetime. There is no time to continue 

doing these 10-year studies. We have to 

act now and that's what we're doing." 

Bandini couldn't say enough about 

the contributions that Milne and Lavey 

have made. 

"These two girls are real leaders 

and have shown the power of action," 

Bandini said. "What they are doing is so 

important as somebody has to save us; 

we certainly are not doing that." 

Lavey and Milne say they are 

confident that the club will continue 

to carry out its mission long after the 

seniors have started the next phase of 

their lives in college. 

"I'm really proud that people are 

willing to get their hands dirty and come 

out for this," she said. "I'm super excited 

about the future of the club. We seniors 

will be gone, but the younger classes will 

carry on what we started, so that's really 

rewarding. We'll just pass the torch on 

to them." 

"This is only the beginning of what 

we, as students, can do to effect real 

change," Milne said. "I know I want to 

study politics at St. A's but honestly have 

no idea where that will take me. What I 

do know is that I want to make a change. 

We both want to make a difference." 

Truth be told, they already have. 40 

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A woman's 

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How a life of love for dogs 

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Story by Alena Kuzub 

Photos by Jakob Menendez


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Melanie Lovell, a 

Lynnfield resident 

and recipient of 

the 2022 Cape 

Ann Animal Aid 

(CAAA) shelter’s Lighthouse 

Award, doesn’t have a good 

explanation for why she always 

wanted to be around dogs. 

“I grew up in a busy area of 

Gloucester, and one of my first 

memories is meeting King,” said 

Lovell, a 43-year-old disability 

attorney. 

King was an old Samoyed who 

lived across the street and looked 

like a giant stuffed animal to 

4-year-old Lovell. King’s fur was 

often more yellow than white, and 

he had an odor to him that most 

would probably find unpleasant. 

But Lovell didn’t care. She just 

wanted to be around him. 

Lovell’s parents presented a 

united front against adopting a 

dog. But when she was 10, she 

finally managed to convince 

them that a cat would be a good 

compromise. 

The family adopted an orange 

tabby kitten from the CAAA 

shelter in Gloucester, where 

Lovell now serves on the board 

of directors. Back then it was a 

tiny 1,200 square foot building on 

Main St., Lovell said. Nowadays, 

the shelter occupies a 7,500 square 

foot facility at 4 Paws Lane. 

“Having a cat was fine, but 

Muffy felt more like a roommate 

than a friend,” said Lovell. Her 

eyes were constantly itchy and her 

nose was stuffy, but Lovell didn’t 

realize she was allergic to cats until 

she moved out and went to college 

in Virginia. 

While in college, Lovell 

volunteered weekly at the 

Rockbridge County Society for the 

Prevention of Cruelty to Animals 

(SPCA) during her senior year. 

“This was quite a learning 

experience for me, as that 

particular SPCA - like many 

shelters in rural, southern areas - 

had too many dogs and not enough 

adopters,” said Lovell. 

Rural counties often have low 

spray and neuter rates for animals, 

said Lovell, so unwanted litters 

and abandoned adult dogs were 

common, unfortunately. Animals 

at the Rockbridge County SPCA 

were often euthanized to make 

room for new surrenders. 

“It would break my heart to 

Lynnfield resident Melanie Lovell, with her three-year-old Shepard-mix, Picasso, was recently awarded the 2021 

Lighthouse Award by Cape Ann Animal Aid. 

Melanie Lovell isn't afraid to show her love for dogs anywhere she goes.


“Having a cat was fine, but Muffy felt 

more like a roommate than a friend” 

–– Melanie Lovell 

walk a sweet, healthy, friendly dog one day - and then find out 

just a few days later that she had been euthanized in order to 

make room,” said Lovell. 

After college she moved back to Massachusetts to attend 

law school in Boston. Her first year was tough and she had 

been toying with the idea of quitting and becoming a veterinary 

technician. However, her mother convinced her to continue law 

school, as Lovell was paying out of pocket and would never get 

her money back. 

“Just finish law school,” her mother said. “And when you are 

a lawyer, you can figure out a way to spend time with animals.” 

Lovell became a disability lawyer and has been working for a 

Beverly-based law firm for the last 10 years. 

“I am really proud of the work I do because we help a lot of 

people,” she said. 

In 2004, Lovell met her future husband Scott. They went on 

a honeymoon to the Greek island of Santorini, bringing home 

a stray dog. 

“She was a great dog,” said Lovell. “But she had no 

interest in other people or other dogs. We used to call her our 

roommate.” 

When Lovell and her husband Scott moved to Lynnfield in 

2012, she decided to make new friends and assimilate into the 

community by volunteering. She has served on the Lynnfield 

Conservation Commission and is now a member of the Tree 

Committee. 

“Volunteering has opened up so many doors socially (for 

me), where I have been able to meet friends in my community 

and really forge those relationships,” said Lovell. 

Lovell also reconnected with, and began volunteering at 

CAAA. 

“I wanted to get involved with an animal rescue on a local 

level and Cape Ann Animal Aid is a no-kill shelter, so I knew 

my heart wouldn’t be broken like it had in Virginia,” said 

Lovell. 

She was hoping to use her professional experience as an 

attorney and her MBA knowledge to help guide the shelter 

administratively. She joined the Board of Directors in 2014. 

“It’s been a fun, challenging and rewarding whirlwind ever 

since,” she said. “I'm gratified being on the board because I am 

able to make significant or contribute to significant decision 

making that affects the animal shelter.” 

Over the years, she has served as a regular board member, 

the board’s vice president, and president of the board. 

CAAA shelter finds new homes for more than 1,000 cats 

and dogs annually. About 15 percent of rescued pets come from 

Massachusetts, while 85 percent arrive from places like Texas, 

Puerto Rico, Georgia, and Alabama. 

The shelter depends on about 200 volunteers who help clean 

and maintain the facilities, besides socializing with animals, so 

that the staff can spend more time completing adoptions. 

Lovell has been fostering dogs at her home as well and 

currently owns two rescued canines – Papaya and Picasso. 

“That is the other gratifying thing – meeting animals that 

need a home and being able to put them with the right family,” 

Lovell said. 

Sometimes she brings a dog from the shelter to events with 

her, which helps some dogs open up outside of the kennel, show 

themselves off, and find a new owner faster. 

“There are a lot of good dogs out there that maybe don't 

present very well at first or have learned bad habits, or have 

some anxiety or some fears that need to be worked out,” said 

Lovell. “I think the vast majority of them can become really 

great house, family pets if given the right environment, the 

right training, and patience on the part of the people that adopt 

them.” 

In 2022, Lovell was awarded the shelter’s 2022 Lighthouse 

Award for organizing a fundraiser, when the shelter had to 

cancel its annual benefit and reverted to board members hosting 

smaller parties. Lovell’s Howl-O-Ween event raised $10,000 

for CAAA. 

“This award was a complete surprise to me as it was the first 

year in a very long time that I hadn't served on the fundraiser’s 

planning committee. After I recovered from the shock, it felt 

great to be recognized for my efforts,” said Lovell. 

Three other Lynnfield residents helped Lovell with the 

Howl-O-Ween fundraiser - Kirk Mansfield, another board 

member who helped plan the event, Robin Tiro-Kinnon 

and Ann Powers, who volunteered to dress up like homeless 

pets and sell raffle tickets for a lottery ticket basket that they 

generously put together themselves. 

In April, CAAA launched a brand new opportunity for 

certain animals who have spent too long at the shelter. In an 

effort to give some of the harder-to-place animals a chance, the 

shelter introduced a Foster-to-Adopt program with a generous 

life-saving grant from PetCo Love. 

Foster-to-adopt animals are hand-picked by the shelter staff. 

The program gives families two weeks to decide if the animal 

they are fostering would be a good fit for their home. The 

animal is pulled off the shelter’s website for two weeks to ensure 

there is no pressure on the family to decide before the deadline. 

“We hope that by giving some of these dogs or cats a two 

week trial run, potential adopters may see the benefits of 

adopting one of these lovable animals and decide to make it 

permanent,” said Lovell. 

Lovell said she is extremely lucky to have CAAA in her life. 

“Being involved with such a fantastic organization has given 

me the opportunity not just to make a difference in homeless 

animals’ lives, but to join a community of like-minded people 

who I respect and admire,” said Lovell. 40

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