01940 Fall 2022

FALL 2022 | 19
Nikki Louise
Ferullo—A
Champion
for Children
BY DOROTHY IRRERA
PHOTOS BY SPENSER HASAK
Nikki Louise Ferullo is an
unsung hero for the pioneer
community.
Though she grew up
in Everett, Ferullo and her husband,
Anthony, have been living in Lynnfield
since 1976. Ferullo works with Julie
Mallett, the Lynnfield Recreation (Rec)
director, to create a safe, playful environment
for the town’s children.
Ferullo was not always in the industry
of working with children though.
“I moved into Lynnfield in 1976, I was
actually a hairdresser at the time. I had
my shop in Everett. By 1981, I had sold
the shop.” She knew that her lifelong
dream was to work with children.
Ferullo has followed the Rec program
throughout its various relocations.
Specifically, from Huckleberry Hill
School to Glen Meadow Park to Summer
Street School to Lynnfield Middle
School, where the program currently
takes place. Regarding these transitions,
“each time we moved, more kids would
come,” Ferullo noted.
Ferullo credits Mallett for her hard
work in making this program what it is
today, saying “Julie was ahead of it, I’ve
gone back with many directors. Julie
is very involved with getting things
going.”
At one point, there was a maximum
capacity for campers.
“People would line up at 4 a.m. to get
a spot,” Ferullo said. “Too many regular
kids who wanted to come couldn’t, and
me and Julie just looked at each other
and said, ‘Let’s just take them.’”
The supportive environment was the
enzyme that catalyzed the program’s
FERULLO, continued on page 20
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