01907 Winter 2023

Sew good, 

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of the fabric of 

Swampscott. 

WINTER 2023 

VOL. 9 NO. 4

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2 | 01907 

LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER 

TED GRANT 

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 

Controller 

Susan Conti 

Creative Director 

Spenser R. Hasak 

Art Director 

Samuel R. Deeb 

News Editor 

Rachel Barber 

Copy Editors 

Stuart Foster 

Nini Mtchedlishvili 

Writers 

Joey Barrett 

James Bartlett 

Anthony Cammalleri 

Vishakha Deshpande 

Charlie McKenna 

Benjamin Pierce 

Ryan Vermette 

Photographer 

Emma Fringuelli 

Spenser R. Hasak 

Paula Muller 

Advertising Sales 

Ernie Carpenter 

Ralph Mitchell 

Patricia Whalen 

Magazine Design 

Matteo Valente 

INSIDE 

7 Cheerio the duck 

17 2,000-pound pumpkin 

20 Two-sport gunslinger 

23 Halloween on Stetson Ave. 

25 Coco Clopton 

27 How Nahant got its trees 

29 Proud "Sea Hag" 

33 Sew Envious 

ESSEX MEDIA GROUP 

85 Exchange St., 

Lynn, MA 01901 

781-593-7700 

Subscriptions: 

781-214-8237 

01907themagazine.com 

Sew what 

The way things work at 01907 – and in all 11 Essex Media Group publications – is the news 

editor, Rachel Barber, assigns stories to reporters and they go do their thing. Their stories are 

handed over to editors and then on to designers. A few weeks later, their work arrives in your 

mailbox. 

Oh, if only it were that simple. 

Sometimes it’s a mess from the get-go. This edition’s cover story is a good example. 

Ryan Vermette is one of our more gifted staff members. He can write, he can edit, he can 

manage. And he has opinions about everything. 

He certainly had an opinion about one of the stories he was assigned: the one about Karlene 

Ball and Sew Envious. 

He hated it. Wanted nothing to do with it. Sewing isn’t exactly his thing. 

Then he interviewed Karlene – and found out she, too, once hated sewing. 

A bond was formed. 

Turns out, as a kid, Karlene would be dragged to the fabric store with her mother, and would 

jump at the first opportunity to get out of there. Through the years, though, she ended up 

developing a passion for it and now runs a business from her Swampscott home, where she churns 

out all kinds of merchandise from koozies to quilted key fobs. 

She has also been involved with the town’s Made by 01907 Artisan Craft Fair, held every year 

in November, helping local crafters promote their work and getting residents to shop locally. 

Read Ryan’s story. You’ll be Sew Envious. 

Speaking of small artisan businesses . . . 

Lifelong Nahant resident Heather Goodwin started Sea Hag Studios, a wood-sculpting 

business during the pandemic that has now flourished. Our guy Charlie McKenna details the 

success story of Goodwin’s business, which has everything from wooden trees to her most recent 

spooky skeleton work for this past Halloween. 

Those skeletons weren’t the only spooky happenings in town however. If you’ve taken a stroll 

down Stetson Avenue within the past month, it’s likely you have seen nearly every house decked 

out for the haunted holiday spirit. For the first time ever, the road was even closed off completely 

for Halloween trick-or-treaters to walk door-to-door in the neighborhood safely. Our guy Ben 

Pierce caught up with homeowners to talk about the monster mash of decorations lining the street. 

The spirit of Halloween seems to grow on Stetson Avenue each year, and so do retired 

pharmacist Thomas Keenan’s pumpkins. This year, Keenan grew the largest pumpkin in the state, 

earning him a runner-up finish at the Topsfield Fair Giant Pumpkin contest. 

The pumpkin weighed in at a total of 2,074 pounds. That’s pretty gourd if you ask me. Anthony 

Cammalleri spoke with Swampscott’s pumpking (get it?) about the process of growing the massive 

orange objects. 

The giant pumpkin and its owner aren’t the only dynamic duo in the area. Cammalleri also 

details the story of Steven Thibeault and Cheerio the duckling, who was rescued by Thibeault at 

Bass Point. The duck has developed into quite the personality, becoming a police officer for a day, 

and even being inducted as a Nahant Historical Society lifetime member. We here at EMG even 

named him Person of the Year in 2020. 

If that doesn’t quack you up, I don’t know what will. 

Staying in Nahant, James Bartlett gives us a history lesson through the eyes of Nahant Public 

Library Director Sharon Hawkes, who details how the town got its trees and greenery back after 

they were cut down in the 17th century for cattle grazing. 

And lastly, on the athletic side of things, Sports Editor Joey Barrett and reporter Vishakha 

Desphande feature two local multi-sport athletes making waves in town. Barrett caught up with 

Swampscott High’s Jack Spear, who is the starting quarterback on the varsity football team, and a 

closer for the baseball team. Not bad for a sophomore. 

Meanwhile, 17-year-old Coco Clopton is taking on a trifecta of sports that include field 

hockey, lacrosse, and swimming. That is quite the combination, and Vishakha takes us inside 

Clopton’s world to see how she manages to excel as a three-sport athlete. 

So there you have it. Ducklings, giant pumpkins, and multi-sports athletes. Sew Envious. 

COVER Sew Envious owner Karlene Ball trims fabric for her book covers. 

STAFF PHOTO BY Spenser R. Hasak

Winter 2023 | 3


WHAT'S UP 

Drumming Circle 

What: Join other community 

members in participating in a 

Drumming Circle that was initially 

formed over 14 years ago and has 

recently returned stronger than ever. 

The drum circle plays African-based 

and freeform rhythms. Drums are 

available to borrow, and the circle is 

open to all 10 years of age and older. 

Where: The Drum Circle meets at 

the Sanctuary within the Unitarian 

Universalist Church of Greater Lynn 

located at 101 Forest Ave. in Swampscott. 

When: The circle meets on the third 

Sunday of each month. Its next meeting 

is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, 

Nov. 19, 2023. 

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Holiday Fair 

What: The Annual Nahant Women's 

Club Holiday Fair offers attendees a 

chance to get into the holiday spirit 

and start their shopping early. The 

event will feature local vendors, 

artists, community groups, an auction, 

and a raffle. 

Where: The fair will be held at Nahant 

Town Hall, located at 334 Nahant Road. 

When: The fair will begin at 9 a.m. and 

end at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023. 

Tree Lighting 

What: The Annual Nahant Town Tree 

Lighting event will allow attendees 

to enjoy a cup of hot chocolate and 

ring in the holidays, and possibly meet 

Santa Claus. 

Where: The tree lighting will take place 

at Nahant Town Hall, located at 334 

Nahant Road. 

When: The event will take place from 6 

to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023.


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Cheerio the duck was Essex Media Group's "Person" of the Year for the Town of Nahant in 2020. 

STAFF PHOTOS | SPENSER HASAK


BY ANTHONY CAMMALLERI 

MAGAZINE STAFF 

After Bass Points Apartment Grounds Manager Steven Thibeault lost his 21-year-standing 

job, Nahant residents raised more than $3,610 to help Thibeault continue living in town with his 

famous feathered friend Cheerio. 

In 2017, Thibeault found an American black duckling struggling to escape the pool at Bass Point. 

After rescuing the duckling, Thibeault brought it home intending to re-unite it with its mother, but after 

a night of handling Cheerio, the duck imprinted on him. He said he found the duck’s mother shortly after, 

but Cheerio was uninterested in reuniting. 

“I tried for three days (to connect Cheerio with his mother). I found her every single day and I tried to 

throw him to her every single day and he was like ‘No, no, no, you're my dude. I'm not going anywhere,’ ” 

Thibeault said. 

CHEERIO, continued on page 8 

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Cheerio the duck, held by 

caregiver Steven Thibeault. 

CHEERIO, continued from page 7 

In a matter of days, the man-duck 

duo became inseparable. Thibeault took 

Cheerio to work each day, letting the 

duck swim in the pool, or on the shores 

surrounding the peninsula at Bass Point. 

When it was time to leave, Thibeault 

would simply whistle, and Cheerio would 

fly into his car. 

It didn’t take long for Cheerio to waddle 

his way into the spotlight. In 2018, the 

duck spent a day as a Nahant Police officer 

under the care of officer Timothy Furlong, 

now the department’s chief. In 2020, 

Cheerio became the first-ever non-human 

to be in-duck-ted as a Nahant Historical 

Society lifetime member. Later that year, 

Essex Media Group named Cheerio as its 

Nahant Person of the Year. 

One day, Thibeault brought Cheerio 

to his parents’ house in Malden, and the 

duck flew away through an open door. 

Thibeault said he spent hours searching 

for the Cheerio, but returned to Nahant 

heartbroken after having lost his waterfowl 

companion. 

“I went to Malden a couple times and 

went to a bunch of reservoirs. I searched 

high and low but I couldn't find him. The 

next day I go to work, I'm depressed and 

crying,” Thibeault said. 

Later that day, Thibeault received a 

phone call from a Bass Point tenant 

informing him that he saw Cheerio at 

Long Beach. When Thibeault arrived and 

saw a duck socializing with people on a 

crowded beach, he knew instantly that it 

was his duck. 

“The ranger there asked ‘Is he your 

duck?’ and I was like, ‘yeah.’ He said ‘We 

just called some biologists because we 

wanted to figure out why this duck is so 

friendly,’ ” Tibeault said. “Imagine having 

a baby that can fly after four months. Your 

baby can just take off out of its crib and 

go ‘I'm out of here’ and fly. That’s what it’s 

like being a duck dad.” 

CHEERIO, continued on page 10 

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CHEERIO, continued from page 8 

This year, Thibeault was fired from his job at 

Bass Point after new owners came in. He said 

the rug was pulled out from under him, and 

while he said he was concerned for himself and 

his wife, his main priority was to keep Cheerio 

in Nahant — the only home the duck has ever 

known. 

“People get fired every day, but not everyone 

has a duck… If I just had to worry about myself, 

and of course, my wife, that's easy enough. 

But I worry about him. What's the next job 

going to be? Am I gonna be like, ‘Hey, do you 

mind if I bring my famous duck with me a 

couple of days a week?’ ” Thibeault said. “For the 

last six and a half years, that’s been his place.” 

When Thibeault started a GoFundMe account 

hoping to raise enough money to pay his 

bills and stay in Nahant for Cheerio, the community 

came through for him and the duck. 87 

donors collectively contributed $3,610 to help 

Thibeault get back on his feet. 

“This will be a big change for myself and 

Cheerio and my first priority is to make sure I 

can stay in Nahant for Cheerio while we figure 

out what this new chapter of our life will bring. 

We need to stay in our apartment, the only 

home he knows except for my old work place. 

This is very important to me so he has access to 

the beautiful beaches and the ocean he loves so 

much,” Thibeault wrote in his GoFundMe. 

Thibeault said he was grateful for all the support 

that’s come his way. Between the GoFund- 

Me, and some of his savings from 21 years at 

Bass Point, he said he can continue to stay in 

Nahant while he searches for work. 

In the meantime, Cheerio still enjoys 

regular trips to the beach, rides on the front 

console of Thibeault’s car, and making new 

friends around town. 

“Everybody loves him. Especially in Nahant, 

there's not many people that don't know about 

Cheerio,” Thibeault said. “At a red light, when 

you have a duck sitting in between the passenger 

seat and the driver's seat and someone 

looks over at you, they see a duck just sitting 

there. The look on their faces is so priceless 

… Every time I leave the house with him, he 

starts a conversation. I just love him and I 

wouldn’t change a thing.” 

“ 

Everybody loves 

him. Especially 

in Nahant, there's 

not many people 

that don't know 

about Cheerio. 

— Caregiver Steven Thibeault


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CRUISING IN STYLE 

PHOTOS | PAULA MULLER 

Kirk Therrien of Lynn with a 2014 Corvette. 

Scott Marberblattwith of Swampscott a 2022 Huracan EVO model Lamborghini V10. 

Ray Capobianco of Wakefield in his 1961 Corvette FI. 

Mike Denahy of Swampscott shows pictures of a 1941 Ford 

before it was restored by Rick and Jackie Sutes of Hudson, NH. A 1951 Kaiser Henry J owned by Lesley and Tony Gentile of Beverly.


A Mustang owner shows off what's under the hood. 

Bruce Male of Swampscott displays his 1964 Bentley model 153 

A 1951 Frazer Manhattan 4Door 

Hardtop, one of only 152 were 

produced, owned by Rich Doucette. 

CRUISING, continued on page 14


CRUISING, continued from page 13 

Owners relax and socialize on the lawn during the car show. 

Michael Trott of Lynn takes a look at the interior of a 1974 

Stingray owned by Joe Moccia of Nahant. 

The interior of Ray Capobianco's 1961 Corvette. 

The interior of a 2014 Corvette owned by Kirk Therrien of Lynn.



Tom Keenan, of Swampscott, is dwarfed by the giant pumpkin he's grown 

in his backyard, which he estimated to weigh more the 1,800 lbs. 



FAIR TO SAY: 

PUMPKIN SPICES 

UP SWAMPSCOTT 

ANTHONY CAMMALLERI 


Retired pharmacist Thomas Keenan of Swampscott grew the largest pumpkin 

in Massachusetts this year, earning him and his more than one-ton gourd 

second place at the 2023 Topsfield Fair’s Giant Pumpkin contest. 

Only a week before the Fair, Keenan walked through his backyard, 

pointing to a roughly 1,900-pound shining orange pumpkin at the 

center of a 20-square-foot plant spanning half of the yard. The massive 

pumpkin, weighing 2,074 pounds, is Keenan’s largest after 11 consecutive 

years of trying to beat the national pumpkin-growing record, set 

at 2,560 pounds. 

Although the fair’s first-place prize went to Steven Sperry of 

Johnston, Rhode Island, Keenan said growing a one-ton pumpkin is 

no small feat. 

“My personal record was 1,943 pounds, and this year was 2,074 

pounds. So yeah, I broke the 2,000-pound barrier, which is sort of 

a big deal. If you can grow a one-ton pumpkin, that’s something 

good. That's a milestone,” Keenan said. 

In preparation for the Topsfield Fair, Keenan spent five months 

nurturing the gourd from a seed — first in his basement, then in a 

makeshift greenhouse he built in his backyard. 

Keenan began growing pumpkins in 2012 from a seed he 

PUMPKIN, continued on page 18


PUMPKIN, continued from page 17 

purchased at the Topsfield Fair, which 

he used to grow his first 952-pound 

gourd. Since then, he has become a 

card-carrying member of the New 

England Giant Pumpkin Growers 

Association and returned to the fair 

each year with a fall fixture fruit of his 

own to enter into the giant pumpkin 

weigh-in contest. 

“This used to be all grass,” Keenan 

said, pointing to the pumpkin plant. 

“We had a little garden over in this 

area, and one year, my son said, ‘Dad, 

let’s plant a pumpkin.’ So we planted a 

pumpkin using a seed that I got from 

one of these guys at the Topsfield Fair 

and took over the whole year. All the 

other stuff that I planted — tomatoes 

and all the standard stuff — it all had 

to be pulled out to make room for this 

giant pumpkin.” 

The fair’s record for heaviest 

pumpkin was set by Jamie Graham of 

Tyngsborough, whose 2022 pumpkin 

topped the scale at 2,480 pounds — 

only 80 pounds lighter than the national 

record of 2,560 pounds. Keenan 

said he will not take a break from his 

pumpkin growing until he hits the 

state record. 

“Just like a runner has a time that 

he would call his personal best, crazy 

pumpkin growers have the same 

personal best. The record in Massachusetts 

now is about 2,500 pounds 

— that’s the goal,” Keenan said. 

In 2017, Keenan donated his 

1,284-pound pumpkin to the Police 

Department. He said after this year’s 

fair, he plans to either donate his 

pumpkin to the town or give or sell it 

to an interested business. 

When asked if he has a secret trick 

for successfully growing massive 

gourds each year, Keenan responded 

that it’s key to balance the plant’s 

water and nutrient intakes. 

“The thing that a lot of pumpkin 

growers do is overwater and over-fertilize,” 

Keenan said. “Less is more. 

Too much water will destroy a plant. 

Leave it alone.” 

Tom Keenan takes a moment to admire the giant pumpkin that he's grown in his backyard. 

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Tom Keenan rests his hand on the giant pumpkin he's grown. 

Keenan makes his way out of the 

sea of vines that lead to his giant pumpkin. 

Tom Keenan unveils the giant vine system that leads to the 

giant pumpkin he is growing for the Topsfield Fair in his backyard.


A 

TWO-SPORT 

GUNSLINGER 

Quarterback Jack Spear 

tosses the ball to the offical 

after a big play. 

STAFF PHOTOS | 

EMMA FRINGUELLI 

JOEY BARRETT 


Whether it be the office, the dance floor, or 

anywhere, some people just like being behind the 

scenes. 

But not 15-year-old Jack Spear, Swampscott’s 

starting quarterback and closer on the baseball team. 

“I’ve been playing sports for so long that I’m used 

to such high-pressure situations,” he said. “I just go


out there and play.” 

The sophomore righthander 

is being modest. He 

doesn’t just play. He excels. 

“He’s working really, really 

hard, and he’s a student of 

the game,” said Swampscott 

football coach and Hall 

of Famer Peter Bush. “He 

understands coverages, he 

understands leverage, and 

he’s a smart kid.” 

Among other opponents, 

Spear has sliced both Saugus 

(14-for-22, 214 yards, 3 TDs) 

and Northeast Metro (144 

yards, 2 TDs) this fall. 

“Those were both very fun 

games,” he said. 

As for his other job – the 

one played on the diamond 

– Spear can still break down 

his 9-4 win against Danvers 

(6 2/3 innings, 7 Ks) from 

earlier this spring. 

“He pitched for the varsity 

baseball team last year,” Bush 

said. “He was given the ball 

at 14-15 years old on the 

mound.” 

Rising above the moment 

didn’t come overnight for 

Jack Spear hands the ball over to Sam Nadworny. 

Spear, who admitted that 

jogging onto Blocksidge 

Field “was scary at first.” 

“I would say, last year, 

it got to me a lot as a 

freshman,” he said. “But, 

I think I’ve changed and 

handled it pretty well.” 

Now, he embraces the 

scenery. 

“I have a lot of pride, just 

putting on the jersey and 

heading out there. You’re 

really the head of the team,” 

Spear said. “The student 

section is very good and a 

great tradition for home 

games. Football has been in 

Swampscott for so long. It 

feels good to have everyone 

behind my back.” 

His goals are to win 

state championships in 

both sports, and – speaking 

like a proud member of 

the Big Blue – to take 

down Marblehead in a 

Thanksgiving game. 

“Last year, when I 

scored a touchdown 

against Marblehead in the 

Thanksgiving game, that was 

one of my favorite moments,” 

Spear said. 

As for how he’ll 

accomplish those goals, Spear 

believes each sport helps the 

other. 

“It’s a two-way street. 

When you throw a football, 

you throw it like a changeup,” 

he said. 

When asked who his 

favorite receivers are, he 

settled with, “Really, anyone. 

Anyone who can catch the 

ball.” Oh, and superstitions 

aren’t his thing. 

“No,” Spear said. “None 

at all.” 

Superstitions or not, it 

looks like Swampscott High 

has found its gunslinger. 

“He’s a sophomore and has 

been thrown into the fire,” 

Bush said. “He’s been great.” 

Quarterback Jack Spear patiently waits at Blocksidge Field while the defensive unit wraps up.


A giant zombie growls at passersby on Stetson Avenue. 

A witch stands watch over the 

spooky display at 84 Stetson Ave. 

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A demon child possesses the yard of 88 Stetson Ave. 

STAFF PHOTOS | SPENSER HASAK 

Step into 

halloween 

on stetson ave 

By Benjamin Pierce 


Every October, homeowners around the country transform their lawns into spooky scenes of ghosts and ghouls. In 

Swampscott, residents need to look no further than Stetson Avenue for the “mecca” of haunted houses. This Halloween, 

the street will be closed off for the first time ever so the young trick-or-treaters can safely have fright-filled fun. 

Bill Roche of 84 Stetson Ave. credits his wife, Nancy, for starting the neighborhood trend. 

“She thinks Halloween should be a national holiday,” Roche said. 

Roche has been decorating his lawn for more than a decade. The paranormal presence has never been higher in 2023, as 

Roche says the decorations have never been more elaborate. 

“Personally, I don’t think we can fit anymore, but this is how it is,” Roche said. 

When there was no longer enough space on the lawn for more creepy characters, Roche had to innovate. A 25-pound 

STETSON, continued on page 24


A demon appears in the 

darkness at 88 Stetson Ave. 

STETSON, continued 

from page 25 

skeleton sits above the portico, 

looking down on potential visitors. 

Roche explained that he expects 

the number of visitors to be very 

high on Oct. 31. 

“If it’s a weekday, we probably 

get 300 kids,” Roche explained. 

“If it’s a weekend, we probably get 

upwards of 500 kids. This is Grand 

Central for Halloween.” 

Nate and Tracy Novello followed 

their next-door neighbors with 

their creepy collection of creatures. 

Their decor is highlighted by a 

life-size animatronic bat creature 

whose glowing red eyes peer into 

trespassers. 

“It’s not a competition. We just 

all want to decorate and put up 

lights,” Roche said. “We help each 

other out too… It's a group effort, 

and it’s really fun.” 

The McCall family of 177 

Stetson Ave. keeps the theme going 

on the far end of the street. Jesse 

McCall explained that he, his wife 

Aileen, and their four-year-old 

daughter Piper have been part 

of “Halloweeny” neighborhoods 

before in Somerville and 

Watertown. He has grown to love 

partaking in the festivities over the 

years. 

“It’s just really fun, people who 

drive by slow down, and the car 

windows roll down, and there are 

kids in the backseat cheering you 

on,” Jesse McCall said. “Everybody 

loves it, and it’s fun to do too.” 

The McCall’s spooky showcase 

features homemade “ghosts.” They 

are designed to look like two 

ballroom-dancing couples in oldfashioned 

clothing. They are made 

fully out of chicken wire. 

“You just kind of stitch it all 

together and shape it,” Jesse 

McCall said. “It took about an hour 

for each person.” 

Like most decorations, the 

homemade ghosts are the most eyecatching 

when they’re illuminated 

at night. A giant skeleton is not 

exclusive to the Roche household, 

as Piper McCall has named her 

twelve-foot friend “Sally.” 

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COCO CLOPTON IS 

A TRIPLE THREAT 

ON AND OFF 

THE FIELD 

By Vishakha Deshpande 


In the world of high school athletics, there are 

standout athletes, and then there's Swampscott 

High School’s 17-year-old Coco Clopton. A true 

triple-threat athlete, Clopton has excelled in field 

hockey, lacrosse, and swimming since her early years. 

Clopton’s love affair with lacrosse began in the 

first grade, and since then, she's never looked back. 

CLOPTON, continued on page 26 

On and off the field, Coco Clopton puts in her all. 

STAFF PHOTOS | EMMA FRINGUELLI


CLOPTON, continued from page 25 

She's equally comfortable in midfield, 

attack, or defense. Her prowess on the 

draw, a critical aspect of lacrosse, is 

a skill she has honed over the years. 

Clopton attributes much of her lacrosse 

knowledge and skills to her older sister, 

who has been a guiding force in her 

life. 

Her strong background in swimming 

and lacrosse laid the foundation for her 

athletic journey. Her family's influence, 

particularly her dad's love for lacrosse, 

made her path clear from a young 

age. She swam from the age of six, 

nurturing her technique and stamina. 

“I think a big part of playing lacrosse 

was my family,” Clopton said. “I was 

born in Maryland, where lacrosse is 

huge. My dad grew up playing it too.” 

Clopton isn't just an ace athlete. In 

the classroom, she is just as impressive 

- a hardworking student balancing 

academic responsibilities and sports 

commitments. She said that the secret 

to her success lies in her disciplined 

routine, which mirrors her sports 

regimen. After school, she dedicates 

herself to rigorous practice sessions and 

games, often followed by early morning 

training. This routine, she believes, 

not only keeps her physically fit but 

sharpens her focus academically. 

“For me, the balance comes kind of 

naturally,” Clopton said. “Sports has 

helped me a lot with my academic 

organization and having a set routine. 

I make it a priority to create time for 

my personal life as well. Being active 

and having that time in my day helps 

me focus.” 

What truly makes Clopton 

a remarkable student-athlete is 

her strong sense of community 

involvement. Being deeply engaged 

in the school community has always 

been a priority for her. Her teachers 

are also her coaches, and she finds her 

teammates in every nook and cranny of 

the school. This passion for community 

has driven her to be part of the student 

council for four years, and she currently 

serves as the president of the Anti- 

Defamation League club. Her fellow 

officers are some of her best friends 

who, like her, are multi-sport female 

athletes. 

Clopton’s leadership qualities shine 

brightly as she captains her teams in 

all three sports during her senior year. 

Her positive attitude and ability to stay 

resilient even after a team loss set her 

apart. She believes that her mistakes 

only fuel her determination to improve. 

“Leadership means not getting 

frustrated and always trying your level 

best,” Clopton said. “When I make 

mistakes, usually my way of dealing 

with it is just doubling down and 

trying five times harder (so) that it 

should never happen again.” 

Support plays a vital role in 

Clopton’s journey, and her parents have 

been her pillars of strength, guiding 

her through the college lacrosse 

recruitment process. She secured a spot 

on the UMass Lowell lacrosse team 

earlier this year. 

Outside of sports, Clopton enjoys 

spending time with her friends, many 

of whom are fellow athletes, whether 

it’s watching movies, going to the 

beach, or hitting the golf course. 

Coco Clopton takes part in a practice relay 

race, carefully bouncing a ball off her stick. 

During the final practice 

of the season, Coco Clopton 

runs the ball down the field. 

Coco Clopton is all smiles as she runs down 

the field during field hockey practice.


By James Bartlett 


Before Nahant became a 

quaint beach town with treelined 

streets and greenery, it 

was desolate and treeless, akin 

to Easter Island. 

“The reason they needed 

trees was because, in colonial 

times, they cut them all 

down,” Nahant Public Library 

Director Sharon Hawkes said. 

The town was originally 

settled as part of Lynn before 

it was incorporated separately 

in 1858. 

According to Hawkes, who 

has done extensive research on 

the history of Nahant, before 

the town featured beautiful 

homes and beachgoers, it was 

TREES, continued on page 28 

The portrait of William Wood from circa 1850. 

PHOTOS | NAHANT PUBLIC 

LIBRARY SPECIAL COLLECTIONS 

72


Lynn was using Nahant as the town 

commons to put their flocks. It made 

it very easy to keep them safe from 

wolves. Now we worry about coyotes. 

In those days, it was wolves. 

— Nahant Public Library Director Sharon Hawkes 

TREES, continued from page 27 

used for something very different: 

cattle grazing. 

“You could only get onto the island 

of Nahant at low-tide by sandbar,” 

Hawkes said. 

Because of Nahant’s remote location 

and limited access, the land was 

perfect for protecting livestock. 

“Lynn was using Nahant as the town 

commons to put their flocks. It made 

it very easy to keep them safe from 

wolves,” Hawkes said. “Now we worry 

about coyotes. In those days, it was 

wolves.” 

To make the island suitable for 

grazing, the island's trees were all 

chopped down in the 1650s, and the 

livestock mainly inhabited the land in 

the century that followed. 

By 1800, the island came to be 

inhabited by three families: the Hoods, 

the Breeds, and the Johnsons. 

These families began to welcome 

people to the island for rest and 

leisure, usually having visitors stay at 

their homes or Nahant's first hotel, 

Bass Point. 

Among the visitors to Nahant was 

Boston merchant William Wood, 

who enjoyed the island except for one 

factor. 

“People are starting to come and 

say, ‘It’s really beautiful … except the 

sun is beating down and the wind is 

whipping,’” Hawkes said. 

Wood, who Hawkes described as an 

out-of-the-box thinker, hatched a plan 

to bring trees back to the island. 

According to Hawkes, in 1819, 

Wood collected books that would 

be made available for town use and 

held in a stone schoolhouse near the 

library’s current location on Pleasant 

Street. 

“He hit up all his friends, and just 

about anybody else he could think of, 

to donate books,” Hawkes said. 

"The first complete map" of Nahant featured individual tree plantings.


HEATHER GOODWIN 

IS A SELF-PROCLAIMED 

sea hag 

— AND PROUD OF IT! 

By Charlie McKenna 


The lifelong resident of Nahant has spent most of her 

career in art, working first as a silversmith before launching 

“Sea Hag Studios” during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sea 

Hag Studios is an embrace of Goodwin’s upbringing in 

town, where her dad worked as a fisherman, and the art 

Goodwin now creates prominently features reclaimed wood, 

lobster traps, ropes, and anything else she finds herself 

drawn to. 

“I've made this connection with people when it comes to 

the sea and the materials I use,” Goodwin explained while 

standing in her studio, surrounded by massive piles of ropes. 

Sea Hag Studios started when Goodwin lost her studio 

SEA HAG, continued on page 30 

Heather Goodwin shows off a sea spirit 

that she created out of reclaimed wood. 

Heather Goodwin is a Nahant-based artist who specializes in 

creating pieces out of reclaimed materials. 



Nahant artist Heather Goodwin 

creates a wooden seagull. 

SEA HAG, continued from page 29 

space during the pandemic and 

found herself searching for a way to 

continue creating art. The first pieces 

she made were small trees crafted out 

of driftwood. With the silversmithing 

business shuttered, Goodwin started 

to sell the trees — and from there, she 

never looked back. 

Now, Goodwin crafts all sorts of 

things from the studio adjacent to her 

home. Wooden sculptures of a “silly 

seagull,” a cardinal, and, just in time 

for Halloween, skeletons line a wall of 

her studio with others in various states 

of completion, littered about several 

workstations. 

“It's very simple things that are 

sentimental to a lot of people. I don't 

think there's anything better than a big 

red heart,” Goodwin said. “Just silly, 

happy, fun, sentimental things.” 

“I do try to connect with people 

because these are the things that I love 

too,” she added. “I’ve just been lucky 

that way. I kind of just keep it simple. I 

don't get too fancy with my work.” 

When Goodwin started selling her 

art, which she does primarily through 

Etsy and other social media sites, she 

found that just like her, many other 

residents of the North Shore had an 

attachment to the sea. In fact, much 

of the materials Goodwin uses in 

her art are things she finds by simply 

walking around the beach — whether 

it be buoys, driftwood, lobster traps, or 

anything else she is drawn to. 

The process is fairly straightforward, 

Goodwin says. When she finds 

something she wants to use, Goodwin 

tends to work pretty quickly once 

struck with an idea. When this reporter 

dropped by her studio she was crafting 

a palette into a sculpture of the town 

wharf and joked she had begun working 

on it at an hour that her neighbors may 

not have been a fan of. 

For Goodwin, making “weirder 

things” is just as fulfilling as making 

something she knows will sell. While 

she says the driftwood trees are her 

most popular item, she has a particular 

fondness for the skeletons as a lover 

of Halloween, with her birthday right 

before the spooky holiday. 

“I tend to start thinking about 

Halloween probably way too early, like 

summertime,” Goodwin says. “The 

skeletons kind of came out of nowhere, 

and they became popular.” 

Goodwin explains that she tries 

to keep her art accessible, and using 

recycled materials allows her to 

keep the pieces she creates relatively 

affordable. (For example, nothing in 

Goodwin’s Etsy store is listed for more 

than $100). 

“Anybody can have something special 

that can last a lifetime,” she says. 

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A snowman made with reclaimed materials.


Examples of Heather Goodwin's handmade artwork. 

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Sew Envious owner Karlene Ball creates coffee koozies on her sewing machine. 



S EWAs envious 

a 

A Christmas tree 

made from discarded 

fabric created by 

Sew Envious owner 

Karlene Ball. 

BY RYAN VERMETTE 


kid, Karlene Ball was constantly 

being dragged to the fabric store by her mom. On the 

weekend’s, they would hop over to Joan’s in Saugus to 

pick up materials for sewing, with Ball often sighing 

and rolling her eyes, trying to get out of the store as 

fast as possible. 

There are many “grown up” things that young 

kids find uninteresting, or “lame,” and sewing was 

definitely one of those for Ball. Despite that, being 

around it all the time, she learned how to sew pillows, 

clothes, and gifts for friends and family. 

And as she got older, she stuck with it. She 

continued to improve. She made more crafts. And 

then got to a point where she was fully enjoying it, 

which led to the creation of her own sewing business 

12 years ago that she runs from the comfort of her 

own home. 

Ball is now following in the footsteps of her 

mother, who passed away a few years ago. She often 

SEW, continued on page 34


SEW, continued from page 33 

thinks about her and everything 

she taught Ball when putting 

together her crafts. 

“If she could see that I’m doing 

these fairs and I’m teaching a 

class, she would be just so proud,” 

Ball said. 

She also joked that she is 

“pretty much turning into her.” 

Ball labeled her operation 

Sew Envious, where she makes 

everything from makeup bags, to 

quilted key fobs, and even Baby 

Gifts. Sewing for her started out 

as a simple hobby, crafting gifts 

to give away to friends and family. 

Interest started to rapidly grow in 

her work and she began attending 

craft fairs in schools and churches 

in town. 

“I kind of started really getting 

into it and learning how to make 

bigger and better things,” Ball 

said. 

Though she works out of her 

home, her work is now featured 

in two shops: Coastal Creations 

in Swampscott, and The Perfectly 

Imperfect Gift Shop located in 

Topsfield. This year, Ball will be 

a coordinator for Swampscott’s 

fifth annual Hand Made by 

01907 Artisan Craft Fair, which 

will feature 19 different vendors 

at the ReachArts building on 

Nov. 11. 

Ball has participated as a 

vendor in the craft fair since its 

first year and has helped organize 

the event for the last four. 

As an artisan herself, Ball 

has enjoyed the opportunity 

of getting together with other 

vendors to help push the shop 

local movement. 

“The events really show that 

there’s a lot of artisans and 

creative people in the town of 

Swampscott,” she said. “I think 

it’s really cool to be able to say all 

of the vendors in this event are 

your neighbors.”

A coffee cup koozie created by Sew Envious owner Karlene Ball. 


A hand-sewn bag created by Karlene Ball, owner of Sew Envious. 

A custom-embroidered 01907 bag by Sew Envious.


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781-599-SHOW

01907 Winter 2023

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