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2 | 01945 

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 Hasak 

Art Director 

Samuel R. Deeb 

Copy Editor 

Stuart Foster 

Writers 

Mark Aboyoun 

Joel Barnes 

Joey Barrett 

Charlie McKenna 

Emily Pauls 

Benjamin Pierce 

Ryan Vermette 

Photographers 

Emma Fringuelli 

Spenser Hasak 

Libby O'Neill 

Advertising sales 

Ernie Carpenter 

Ralph Mitchell 

Patricia Whalen 

Design 

Matteo Valente 

Samuel R. Deeb 

INSIDE 

04 What's up 

05 Creature Comforts 

10 Italian Stallion 

14 Chair volleyball 

17 Glover’s Regiment 

19 Signs of the times 

20 The Vijay Way 

23 Magic Hat 

24 House Money 

28 Gillilands 

32 Grab the Bagel 

33 Raimo 

ESSEX MEDIA GROUP 

85 Exchange St., 

Lynn, MA 01901 

781-593-7700 

Subscriptions: 

781-214-8237 

01945themagazine.com 

FROM THE PUBLISHER 

Marblehead 

tails to tell 

TED GRANT 

I’m obviously not unbiased when it comes to this magazine, but I think there are some 

pretty good stories in this edition of 01945. 

High on this list is the cover story about the Family Gilliland. Jason Gilliland has been 

a firefighter in town for four decades and took over as fire chief 15 years ago. His wife, 

Amy, is the civilian dispatcher supervisor, and has worked as a dispatcher for 28 years. 

And about eight years ago, their son Liam decided to follow in his father’s rubber-booted 

footsteps. He’s now a lieutenant in the department. 

Emily Pauls tells their story, the ups and downs of first responders, and what it’s like to 

be part of the family business. 

My favorite story might be the seniors at the Council on Aging forging relationships 

with high-school students through chair volleyball, Zumba classes, and the like. What 

started as a scrapbooking group by a group of high schoolers has now turned into 

Students and Seniors, wherein students take a short walk down from the high school 

during their free time nearly every other week to help seniors stay active, have a few 

laughs, and bond. Ryan Vermette has the story. 

Then there’s the Magic Hat Thrift Shop, attached to Veterans Middle School. It has 

been supporting parent-teacher organizations in Marblehead Public Schools since 2005 

– and has certainly been a magical ride as the shop has donated more than $1.8 million to 

the schools, including two $100,000 donations made last year. Charlie McKenna pulls the 

shop’s story out of the hat for this edition. 

And Ben Pierce tells the tail (get it?) of CC Paws owners Erin and James McCarthy. 

The business is a one-stop shop for dogs and their owners. The McCarthys took over after 

Brooks and Ned Williams founded it nearly 30 years ago, and it now includes services 

ranging from puppy training to the “creature concierge,” a transportation van for dogs. 

There’s also a piece by Emily about the 50th anniversary of Glover’s Regiment, along 

with one of its founding members, Robert Erbetta. He was the fifth recruit of the 

regiment to join in 1974, and now, at the age of 81, Erbetta is still marching strong. Emily 

catches up with him to discuss the regiment’s history, his role, and how it will march on in 

the future. 

And what's an 01945 without a couple of sports stories? Marblehead High track coach 

Nolan Raimo has come “full circle,” or oval if you will, as he was formerly a Marblehead 

track star in his high-school days. Our sports reporter Mark Aboyoun takes a lap with 

Raimo on becoming the head coach in the town he grew up in. 

Marblehead resident and sports agent Sean Stellato and his client Giants quarterback 

Tommy DeVito broke the internet during the NFL season, going viral on virtually every 

social-media platform. Stellato was also recently inducted into the Italian American 

Sports Hall of Fame, and Sports Editor Joey Barrett talks with Stellato about the 

induction, his heritage, and preserving the legacy of those that came before him. 

But the story that touches me – literally – the most is written by Joel Barnes about 

clinical sports physical therapy specialist and personal trainer Vijay Daryanani, the site 

supervisor at two Spaulding Outpatient Centers in town, at the Jewish Community 

center North Shore and the Lynch/Van Otterloo YMCA. Daryanani has worked with 

Spaulding since 1999, and has been the site supervisor for the Marblehead locations for 

10 years, helping patients with orthopedic and sports-related injuries get back on their 

feet. 

I’ve been dealing with an ankle injury that has had me hobbling for about two months. 

If I were a horse, the solution would’ve been to shoot me, but specialists at Sports 

Medicine North suggested I instead consider physical therapy at Spaulding. It’s there 

that I met Vijay and his guys Michael Clem, Blake Forman, Chris Morin, and Bill 

Wyman (not the former bassist of the Rolling Stones). I’ve had PT in the past after knee 

replacements about 10 years ago – including from Joe O’Connor at Advanced Physical 

Therapy in Lynn – and the way I’d describe these guys is miracle workers. 

Of course, that’s not to say they still shouldn’t shoot me. 

COVER A family photo featuring Marblehead Fire Chief Jason Gilliland with his sons Liam, left, and Logan.

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WHAT'S UP 

Friends of Abbot Public 

Library Moving Sale 

What: As the Abbot Public Library prepares 

to move back to its permanent space on 

Pleasant Street, it will be holding a moving 

sale late in March. All books in the library’s 

Sail Away Book Shop will be on sale. The 

Friends of the Abbot Public Library will also 

be holding a raffle. On the final day of the 

sale, you will be able to fill a bag of books 

for just $10. 

Where: The sale will be at the Sail Away Book 

Shop in the basement of the Abbot Public 

Library’s interim location at 3 Brook Road. 

When: The sale will be held from Monday, 

March 25 until Saturday, March 30. It will be 

from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on most days, but 

from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday. 

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Corporation. All rights reserved. 

Wire Tree Art Class 

with Ryan Kelley 

What: Local award-winning artist Ryan 

Kelley will teach those in attendance how 

to create wire trees in any style you like 

on a rock the size of an adult’s closed fist. 

Attendees will have to bring their own rock, 

but the other tools and materials for the 

sculpture will be provided. The class will 

cost $65 for members of the Marblehead 

Arts Association and $75 for non-members. 

Where: The class will be taught at the 

Marblehead Arts Association at 8 Hooper St. 

When: The class will be held on Thursday, 

April 4 at from 7 to 9 p.m. 

Marblehead Arts Association 

Spring Artisan and Crafts Fair 

What: For the Marblehead Arts 

Association’s annual spring fair, creative 

and unique gifts created by local artists, 

vendors, and MAA members will be 

available for sale. The MAA is still seeking 

vendors to participate in the fair. To 

reserve a spot, fill out a vendor/exhibitor 

form, available at https://marbleheadarts. 

org/2024-spring-artisan-craft-fair/. 

Vendors should also submit a $150 check, 

made payable to the Marblehead Arts 

Association, to reserve a spot. 

Where: The fair will be held at the King 

Hooper Mansion. 

When: The fair will be held on Saturday, 

May 11 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on 

Sunday, May 12 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.


CREATURE COMFORTS 

EXPANDS ITS PAW-FERINGS 

THE COUPLE 

BEHIND THE PAWS 

James and Erin McCarthy own Creature Comforts 

and Pawsitively Marblehead. 

Story: Benjamin Pierce — Photography: Spenser Hasak 

Erin and James McCarthy have turned Creature Comforts and Pawsitively 

Marblehead into a one-stop shop for local dogs and their owners. 

CC Paws was founded by Brooks and Ned Williams nearly three decades 

ago. After seven years of working under the couple, Erin purchased the 

business in 2019. 

“I worked for them for a number of years as my part-time job,” Erin said. 

“( James) was doing real estate… We were both looking for career changes 

PAW-FERINGS, continued on page 6


DOGGY PICK-UP 

Dogs line one of the buses CC Paws uses to pick up and drop off dogs that participate in its daycare program. 

PAW-FERINGS, continued from page 5 

and this was all sort of lining up at the 

same time.” 

The “creature concierge,” a van that 

transports dozens of dogs 

at a time to and from the 

company’s doggie daycare, 

is a staple of CC Paws. 

However, Erin shared some 

new offerings her ever-growing 

business has launched as recent as 

the new year. 

In February, Erin used her decade 

of experience in the maritime mammal 

training industry to begin new puppy 

training classes. 

“My old boss from the aquarium has 

partnered up with me,” Erin explained. 

“We’re in our first session right now… 

the next session is pretty much booked 

out for two classes. And then we already 

have interest for our summer session.” 

She added that the aquarium-based 

training does translate well to dogs. In 

MEET SPARKY 

Sparky the corgi 

goes for a walk 

to the front door 

after a ride on the 

bus from daycare. 

PAW-FERINGS, continued on page 8


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PAW-FERINGS, continued from page 6 

some cases, it is the owner who is the 

recipient of the most instruction. 

“A lot of puppy training actually is 

teaching the owners how to do a lot of 

things,” Erin said. “It’s a little bit about 

teaching the dogs, but it’s really more 

about getting information to the owner 

so that they can work on a lot of that in 

their own time at their home.” 

The store portion of the business just 

underwent a redesign, with a notable 

addition of food for both dogs and cats. 

CC Paws has also partnered with fellow 

Marblehead pet business Goodness 

Gracious, with a refrigerator housing 

their handmade pet meals to greet 

customers when they walk in. 

One may think that the McCarthys get 

their K-9 fill at work each day. However 

their dog, Riley, and 2-year-old son keep 

them busy when they are away from their 

puppy empire. 

“He’s kind of like an animal,” Erin 

joked about her toddler. 45 

8 | 01945

SPRING 2024 | 9


Sean Stellato received 

a unanimous induction 

into the Italian American 

Sports Hall of Fame. 

PHOTO | SEAN STELLATO 

STELLATO 

JOINS 

ITALIAN 

AMERICAN 

SPORTS 

HALL OF 

FAME 

I'm so proud 

of my heritage 

and honored to 

preserve their 

legacies. This is a 

great way to do it. 

— SEAN STELLATO 

Story: Joey Barrett 

Photography: Courtesies 

Some people call him 

Jerry Maguire. Others, 

the Italian Stallion. 

And, recently, the 

sharp-dressed NFL 

agent on national 

television. 

He’s a sports agent, father, husband, 

former professional athlete, and, now, 

a member of the National Italian 

American Sports Hall of Fame. 

Marblehead’s Sean Stellato, 

president of SES Sports, was inducted 

unanimously. 

The prized NFL agent joins the 

ranks of sports icons Dan Marino, 

Joe Montana, Vince Lombardi, Joe 

DiMaggio, Mario Andretti, and more 

than 200 others. 

“I’m so proud of my heritage and 

honored to preserve their legacies. This 

is a great way to do it,” Stellato said. “I 

think the narrative is, really, to preserve 

STELLATO, continued on page 12

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ALL SMILES 

NFL agent Sean Stellato, left, is all smiles 

next to New York Giants starting quarterback 

Tommy DeVito at the NFL Honors. 

PHOTO | SEAN STELLATO VIA X 

STELLATO, continued from page 10 

the legacies that came before you.” 

Stellato, who “follows bliss” in a career 

he doesn’t view as work, was recognized at 

a special dinner in Chicago on Dec. 15. 

“(He’s one of ) the sports agents who 

turns budding superstars into legends and 

icons. His tenacity, vision, and work ethic 

are only superseded by his pride in his 

heritage,” Hall President Ron Onesti said 

in a statement. 

He set quarterback records for the 

Salem Witches, the Gunnery School as 

an All-New England postgraduate – “the 

most influential year of my life” – and was 

a star receiver at Marist College, on top of 

three years of professional arena football. 

Stellato, still involved with the game he 

loves, can check off another box. 

“I got a call from the president… and 

I’m extremely grateful. It was one of those 

moments that just felt surreal,” he said. 

“You think about some of the legends 

you look up to that are of Italian descent. 

Who doesn’t know Vince Lombardi?” 

Being a sports agent is an up-anddown 

career, said Stellato, whose everyday 

mission is to service his clients, create 

opportunities, recruit, and “create value.” 

“There’s 1,696 active NFL players, so 

there’s not a lot of fish in the sea. I’ve got 

to assist these guys, help them fulfill their 

dreams, and give back,” he said. “I’ve got 

to deliver for them, but they’ve got to take 

a leap of faith for me. They believe in me 

and know that no other agent is going to 

outwork me.” 

His representatives have included 

Shaun Draughan, Bryan Braman, 

Brandon King, Joe Vellano, Andrew 

DePaola (the highest-paid long snapper in 

NFL history), Chris Manhertz, Ifeatu and 

Obi Melifonwu, Cam Lewis, and DuJuan 

Daniels. Throughout his career, he has 

represented 19 Super Bowl champions. 

“I’ve been doing this for 18 years, so I 

really take great pride in my workmanship 

and ability to deliver for my guys. That 

means a lot to me,” Stellato said. 

Having representatives lift the 

Lombardi Trophy is a special 

accomplishment for his guys, per Stellato. 

“You create a special identity for the 

rest of your life that no one can take away 

from you. It’s so important for those 

guys,” said Stellato, whose SES Sports 

turned 10 this year. 

Tommy DeVito, starting quarterback 

for the New York Giants, showed his 

appreciation. 

Sean is always 

in my corner and 

will do whatever 

it takes to help 

me with my career 

on and off the 

field. He is the 

Italian Stallion 

of sports agents. 

— TOMMY DEVITO, 

STARTING QUARTERBACK 

FOR THE NEW YORK GIANTS 

As did Louisville coach Jeff Brohm, 

who coached Stellato in the AF2. 

“Sean Stellato always played football 

with grit, determination, and that ‘no 

backing down’ attitude – just like his 

ancestors, who immigrated to America 

and fought for the American dream,” 

Brohm said. “Sean continues to take that 

same attitude and share those same core 

values as a sports agent. I firmly believe 

his passion and ability to connect to 

people along with his tremendous work 

SUPER GREET 

GOING VIRAL 

With his top hat and pinstriped suit, 

Sean Stellato went viral on social media 

during Monday Night Football. 

PHOTO | ESPN 

ethic in the sports agency world is second 

to none.” 

If there’s one thing that can come from 

his most recent achievement, it’d be for 

his daughters. Stellato and his “soul-mate” 

wife, Krista, hope daughters Gianna, 

Sophia, Giulietta, and Siena Sicily “know 

they can accomplish anything, but never 

forget their roots.” 

“God has blessed me with daughters. 

I try to be a really strong role model 

for them because I know they can do 

anything they want,” said Stellato, who 

runs a football camp and food drives 

across the North Shore. “I think I’m living 

proof that the same values my ancestors 

brought across the Atlantic have stayed 

the same from generation to generation.” 

He’s also grateful for his parents Pat 

and Gloria, brothers Mike and Eric, 

late grandmother Lilian (“Owa”), late 

grandfather Pasquale, aunt Laurie (who 

is like a second mother to him), nana 

Shirley, late sister in-law Gena, in-laws 

Cathi and John, Gunnery coach Hugh 

Caldara, Pop Warner coach Bruce 

Riccardi, Salem coach Ken Perrone, Prep 

basketball coach John Russillo, college 

coach Jim Parady, Denver Broncos coach 

Sean Payton, speed coach Ron Jones, Joe 

Faro, Gregg Clifton, Al DeFatta, Gus 

Martucci, ESPN analyst Adam Schefter, 

and Bill Belichick. 

“It’s taken a village for me to get to this 

point,” Stellato said. 45 

NFL sports agent Sean Stellato greets New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick after a Super Bowl. 

PHOTO | SEAN STELLATO


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AN AWESOME 

SIGHT 

AT THE COUNCIL 

ON AGING 

Story: Ryan Vermette 

Photography: Spenser Hasak 

A group of Marblehead High 

students took on Marblehead 

seniors in the chair volleyball 

Awesome Bowl. 

Days before the Super 

Bowl LVIII matchup 

between the Kansas 

City Chiefs and 

San Francisco 49ers, 

Marblehead Council 

on Aging seniors and 

students from Marblehead High School 

held a championship of their own. 

Inside the Jacobi Community Center 

gym, students competed against 

Council on Aging members in a 

chair-volleyball match for the highly 

prestigious and first-ever “Awesome 

Bowl” trophy. Using a beach volleyball, 

students and seniors sat on opposite 

sides of the net and played three 

best-to-10 games to determine the 

Awesome Bowl champion. 

The match was highly contested 

and everyone had their game faces 

on. Many of the students brought 

Marblehead High School jerseys to 

wear, and some of the seniors even 

threw some eye black on to show that 

they meant business. 

Chair volleyball was started at the 

COA when Bocce players John and 

Josie Crowley suggested the game after 

playing a match while down in Florida. 

COA Executive Director Lisa Hooper 

then asked Pat Bibbo to look into 

getting the program started, and it was 

an instantaneous hit. 

Students at the high school got 

involved a few months ago after 

a group had started a club called 

Students and Seniors. Originally, the 

club began as a scrapbooking group 

that was brought to the COA, but it 

AWESOME, continued on page 16


IT'S GAME TIME 

EJ Wyman tips the ball over the net 

during the Awesome Bowl. 

Jim Caswell cheers as the COA Red Raiders score a point. 

Freda Cleveland tips the ball back 

over the net. 

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AWESOME, continued from page 14 

has since expanded to playing chair 

volleyball and even doing Zumba 

classes with some of the seniors. 

Students have been coming to the 

COA semi-regularly during their 

magic block, an hour-long free block 

during the school day, which has 

created a positive atmosphere that 

has become contagious for everyone 

involved. 

“They are just so much fun, so polite. 

They're going to win, but they're so 

They laugh, they 

have fun, and they 

give me hope for 

their future. All we 

hear is what the bad 

kids are doing, we 

don't hear what the 

good kids are doing. 

— JOSIE CROWLEY 

it's all smiles 

Pat Bibbo 

cracks a smile as 

he referees the 

chair-volleyball 

Awesome Bowl. 

polite,” Josie Crowley joked. “They 

laugh, they have fun, and they give me 

hope for their future. All we hear is 

what the bad kids are doing, we don't 

hear what the good kids are doing.” 

At the end of the match, Bibbo 

presented the students with a tin cup 

filled with mints and labeled “Awesome 

Bowl” as they laughed with and 

congratulated the seniors on a good 

game. 

Sophomore Sadie Halpern, who was 

one of the students who organized the 

Students and Seniors club, said the 

experience of creating relationships 

with members of the COA has been 

great. 

“It’s just been a great way to have the 

students and seniors in our community 

come together and for students to see 

what the COA is like,” Halpern said. 

“(The seniors) talk about how they 

always ask when we're coming back... 

It's a good thing to look forward to.” 

While the next Awesome Bowl 

championship may have to wait 

until next year's Super Bowl week, a 

rematch between the seniors and their 

newfound friends already seems likely. 

45 

Marblehead High's Sadie Halpern 

tips the ball to a teammate. 

The COA Red Raiders cheer as they score the final point against 

Marblehead High's Scrapbookers in the chair volleyball Awesome Bowl. 

COA Red Raiders team captain 

Josie Crowley cheers after the 

team scores a point.

Glovers Regiment 

LOOKS INTO 

THE FUTURE 


Story: Emily Pauls 

Photography: Emma Fringuelli 

In 1974, Robert Erbetta was the fifth 

recruit of the newly founded Glover’s 

Marblehead Regiment. The regiment 

has now reached its 50th anniversary 

this year and Erbetta, 81, is still a 

participating member. 

“I was a history buff then. The year 

before, I just got off active duty in 

the Navy,” Erbatta said. “I said, ‘Well, 

I was Navy and the founding of the 

Continental Navy took place here,’ so I 

said, ‘Alright, I'm going to reenact.’” 

Glover’s Marblehead Regiment 

is a reenactment group of the 

original regiment that fought in the 

Revolutionary War. On Dec. 25, 1776, 

500 Marblehead men who were part of 

Gen. John Glover’s regiment played a 

GENERATIONS 

The multiple generations 

of Glover's Regiment: 

Aeton Pararas, Bob Erbetta, 

vital role in the successful crossing of 

the Delaware River. 

The regiment has changed a lot 

over the years, Erbetta said. One of 

the biggest changes is an increase in 

accuracy, with newcomers doing a lot 

more research than was done originally. 

To that end, increasing the number 

of members is something the group’s 

members are passionate about so 

they can be as credible as possible at 

reenactment events, Regiment Cmdr. 

Seamus Daly said 

Currently, the group is made up of 

men and women of all ages with the 

youngest member, Luna Lawton, just 2 

years old. Luna is in the regiment with 

her mother, Meaghan Flaherty, and 

father, Collin Lawton. 

On a chilly but sunny Saturday in 

Seamus Daly, and Colin Lawton. REGIMENT, continued on page 18 

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February, members of the regiment 

met at Fort Sewall, dressed in their 

traditional Revolutionary War-era 

uniforms. 

Erbetta still has the original uniform 

that was handmade for him by his 

mother-in-law in the 1970s. 

“I think I have more patches than I 

have original material,” he noted. 

Passersby could see the different faces 

of the group, both young and old, that 

afternoon. As Erbetta recounted stories 

of the past 50 years, Luna was being 

held by her parents. 

Those who join Glover’s Marblehead 

Regiment usually have a special interest 

in history. Some of the adults who have 

joined specifically did so because their 

children wanted to. 

Erin Pararas signed up around three 

years ago when her son Aeton Pararas, 

who was 9 years old at the time, saw the 

regiment at the Memorial Day parade 

in town. 

“(Aeton) said, ‘I need to do that,’” 

Erin said. “So I decided to join along 

with him so that we could make it a 

family affair.” 

Erin portrays a working woman who 

would have been a camp follower, she 

said. 

“Women like me would have been 

wives or just women who were single 

and needed a job,” Erin said. “I would 

have performed tasks for pay such as 

laundry, cooking, supporting the troops 

behind the lines.” 

The regiment is open to anyone who 

wants to join, she noted, and there are 


REGIMENT, continued from page 17 

many roles to be performed. 

Aeton is a powder monkey for the 

group, which means if and when the 

troops run out of cartridges for their 

weapons, he brings extra powder 

cartridges to them on the field. 

Sometimes, he said, he gets the extra 

cartridges from the reenactors who are 

playing “fallen soldiers.” 

The best part of being in the regiment 

to Aeton is being able to meet a lot of 

new people and travel to new places. 

Bryan Ruocco and his 19-year-old 

son, Andrew Ruocco, have a similar 

story to the Pararas’ regarding how they 

came to be part of the regiment. 

When Andrew, who is the first mate 

of the Glover's Regiment landing ship, 

was in the fourth grade, he saw the 

regiment at its summer encampment and 

told his dad that they needed to join. 

Bob Erbetta still wears the original uniform 

handmade for him by his mother-in-law in the 

1970s. 

“He brushed it off and said, ‘Okay, 

son, I'm sure we'll join it,’” Andrew 

said. “Then the next year, I said we're 

definitely joining this and I grabbed 

one of the members of the regiment, 

I brought him over, and (Bryan) was 

forced to sign the paperwork for 

joining.” 

The two have been with the group 

ever since and love it, he said. 

Bryan is a private and a rifleman in 

the regiment. 

“I carry a small firearm called the 

blunderbuss, and I'm dressed as an early 

Glover's Regiment (soldier) before they 

were a part of the Continental Army,” 

he said. 

Teaching people about how life was 

during the Revolutionary War is one 

thing that everyone in the group loves, 

Bryan said. 

Andrew said it is “incredible” to be 

able to preserve history. 

“We do so much work in town to 

make sure that the history of the war 

and the history of the men and women 

who fought in this war is not forgotten, 

and I think that's a wonderful thing,” 

he said. 

But there’s more to it than just the 

history aspect, Bryan added. 

“I think there are a couple of layers 

of the greatness of serving in Glover's 

Regiment,” he said. “There are times 

where we are on and we're portraying 

Glover's Regiment and then there are 

times where we're off where we're still 

in character, but we're relaxed and it's 

just the regiment and we're singing 

shanties and we're having a lot of fun. 

The camaraderie is really a great thing.” 

45


SIGNS OF 

Another 

THE TIMES 



historical museum 

has opened up in the basement of 

Abbot Hall, displaying one of the 

main foundations of Marblehead: 

local businesses. 

For years, the Historical 

Commission has been working 

diligently on a Marblehead Sign 

Museum, where signs of dozens of 

Marblehead businesses are now on 

display for community members to 

take a trip down memory lane. 

Every few months since last 

year, more and more signs have 

been put on display and the 

basement halls are now mostly 

filled with a variety of signs, from 

circular and square, to wooden and 

metal, to rusted and shiny. 

The museum features old signs 

of businesses that are still open, 

like Stowaway Sweets, to a Mobile 

Gas Station sign, which was the 

last gas station open in town. 

Though many of the signs are 

up, the work isn’t done just yet. 

The commission plans to include 

a written piece for each sign, 

detailing its history, and implement 

a TV with a screen running through 

each of the signs to make for a 

more interactive experience. 

If you are in possession of any 

old Marblehead business signs 

and wish to donate them to the 

museum, contact the Historical 

Commission at (781) 639-3425. 45

20 | | 01945 

THE 

Vijay Daryanani 

has worked 

with Spaulding 

Rehabilitation 

for 25 years. 

VIJAY WAY 

Story: Joel Barnes 


Clinical sports physical therapy 

specialist and personal trainer 

Vijay Daryanani said there 

are five fundamental building 

blocks to life: 

“If you remove one of 

those five pillars, you’ve 

adjusted 20%, and then if you take away 

one more of those pillars, well now you’ve 

adjusted 40%,” Daryanani said. 

“That’s not Newton’s Theory of Relativity, 

it’s pretty straightforward when you think 

about it. The night you don’t sleep so well 

you wake up the next day and don’t perform 

so well, right? When you’re thirsty, you can’t 

really exercise as well. If you don’t exercise 

you feel lethargic. If you have a bad meal, 

you don't feel so great. If you don't find time 

to be spiritual and slow down and meditate, 

that also affects you,” Daryanani added. 

They’re all little components, Daryanani 

said, of who we are as humans. 

Daryanani has worked with Spaulding 

Rehabilitation for 25 years as part of the 

Mass General Brigham network. For the 

last 10 years he has also served as the site 

supervisor of the outpatient centers at 

the Lynch/Van Otterloo YMCA and the 

Jewish Community Center. He runs physical 

therapy clinics at the Marblehead JCC and 

YMCA, and also owns a personal training 

business, V Fit Productions. 

He has been working with Spaulding 

since 1999. Daryanani, who grew up in 

Wakefield, is a second-generation American 

whose father is from India and mother is 

from China. 

Daryanani said he always liked sports 

growing up, which led him to pursue 

physical therapy. 

“I was just very fortunate to find a 

profession where I could help people,” he 

said. 

Daryanani was initially a staff physical 

therapist. Shortly after beginning his career 

as a physical therapist, he started V Fit. 

“The passion, which I think is important 

when you’re involved in health care, is 

helping people,” Daryanani said. “I say this 

at least once a day, that I’ve never gone to 

Clinical sports physical 

therapy specialist and personal 

trainer Vijay Daryanani said 

there are five fundamental 

building blocks to life: 

sleep, hydration, exercise, nutrition, and spirituality 

work. I enjoy thoroughly what I do and I get 

an opportunity to impact people on various 

levels. 

“As a physical therapist, oftentimes there 

is a physical ailment, but a lot of times 

we’re able to work with individuals on a 

far deeper level, whether it’s emotionally, 

psychologically, mentally, socially. We get an 

opportunity to really work and completely 

heal someone and help restore their function, 

and they get a chance to be a productive part 

of society,” he said. 

He serves patients as young as 10 years 

old and as old as 99. However, they all share 

something in common: They want to stay fit 

and live active lifestyles. 

Daryanani said he started working in 

personal training because he had time on his 

hands and wanted to give back more. 

“Physical therapy is an intervention, 

but personal training is more prevention,” 

Daryanani said. 

He cherishes the personal relationships 

he has developed over time and said it is 

much more rewarding and enriching when 

he builds these close bonds with clients and 

patients. 

“We’re in a unique environment in 

Marblehead and Swampscott where health 

VIJAY, continued on page 22


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care has such a high priority and individuals 

value those healthcare professionals,” he 

said. “Whether it’s a physical therapist, a 

personal trainer, a yoga instructor, a pilates 

instructor, there’s a lot of deep-rooted 

relationships you develop, so you almost 

become a family. 

“They know my wife, they know my kids, 

we go to dinners with them, we get invited 

to weddings,” he said. “It’s really family, it’s 

really community, so that’s what’s so special 

about what we have up here.” 

Daryanani specializes in orthopedic and 

sports-related injuries. He has a staff of 

10 therapists that service close to 20,000 

patients every year. 

At the Spaulding JCC, his team includes 

Patient Service Representative Jayne Ryan, 

Physical Therapy Technician Bill Wyman, 

Staff Physical Therapy Assistant Blake 

Forman, and Staff Physical Therapists 

Michael Clem and Chris Morin. At the 

Spaulding YMCA, it includes Patient 

Service Representative Eliza Johnson, 

Physical Therapy Technician Stephen 

Badger, Staff Physical Therapy Assistant 

Catherine Roy, and Staff Physical 

Therapists Mary Delaney, Frank Giordano, 

Jennifer Gray, Cathy Millen, Shawn 

Pedicini, and Kristen Woodman. 

He said he finds it gratifying to see 

patients get back on the ski slopes after 

injuries, or to help someone who wants to 

walk with more strength and endurance. 

Typically when he meets with a client for 

physical therapy, he asks what their goal is. 

Based on their answer, Daryanani tailors a 

program specifically for them. 

Daryanani said he will travel pretty much 

anywhere to teach proper form, technique, 

body control, and mechanics. 

“I’m a very mobile person and I phrase it 

as total body solutions,” he said. 

Because of his unique background, 

Daryanani worked for ESPN at the Winter 

strech it out 

Spaulding 

Outpatient Center 

Site Supervisor 

Vijay Daryanani 

demonstrates a 

stretching technique 

on Physical Therapy 

Technician Bill 

Wyman. 

and Summer X Games for 20 years. 

“I was able to work on a greater stage 

with athletes that are performing tricks on 

snowboards, skateboards, and bicycles so my 

background gave me that ability to travel 

to Aspen, Colo. for many years, and Los 

Angeles,” he said. 

Over the years, he has built relationships 

with orthopedic and primary-care 

physicians. A lot of his business comes from 

word-of-mouth referrals. 

Daryanani noted that as the health-care 

landscape is changing, he feels grateful that 

he is able to help the community by giving 

patients access to great physical therapy 

services that allow people to live better. 

“I feel like that’s such an important part 

of health care that’s overlooked,” he said. 

“Through our Mass General Brigham 

system, I’m able to help individuals who 

normally have to wait certain time frames 

to get in to see physicians. We’re able to 

facilitate faster service for them to be seen. 

“Our system has been wonderful and 

we’ve massaged it over time — no pun 

intended — to give people access, and I 

think that’s really a fun part of it,” he said. 

Some tips for his clients and patients 

include setting realistic goals, being mindful 

and present, and putting in the necessary 

time and effort. The most important thing, 

he said, is to feel good physically, mentally, 

socially, and emotionally. 

In doing so, he said people will impact 

others around them more positively. 

Daryanani said that he often jokes about 

the impact that a small number of people 

could have on the wider world. 

If 1% of the 

population was a 

little more patient 

or a little more 

flexible or a little 

more understanding, 

this entire world 

would change. 

— VIJAY DARYANANI 

“If 1% of the population was a little 

more patient or a little more flexible or a 

little more understanding, this entire world 

would change,” he said. 

45

Marblehead 

schools 

pull $100,000 

out of the hat 

a magical check 

Board of Directors Vice President Marianne Dunne, left, and General 

Manager Diane Worth stand in front of a $100,000 check that was 

given to the Marblehead PTO at Magic Hat Thrift Shop. 

Story: Charlie McKenna 

Photography: Libby O'Neill 

Those passing through Magic Hat Thrift Shop 

could stumble upon any number of brand-name 

goods — items from Brooks Brothers, Michael 

Kors, and Fossil were all available for purchase 

when this reporter stopped in — nestled next to 

less glamorous fare in the ever-growing thrift store, which is 

located inside the Veterans Middle School on Pleasant Street. 

Magic Hat, named for the Marblehead Magicians, opened 

its doors in 2005 intending to support parent teacher 

organizations at the town’s schools. The shop was modeled 

after a similar one in North Carolina that Marblehead 

teacher Frances Tully visited during a trip to the state to see 

family. When she returned to Marblehead, Tully convened 

a volunteer group of moms, set up a 501(c)3, spent hours 

researching retail thrift shops, recruiting volunteer legal 

advice, finding a small space in one of the schools, asking the 

community for donations, and building shop fixtures. 

Twice each year, the thrift shop donates a sum of money 

to the PTOs — and, in 2023, that meant two $100,000 

donations, essentially providing each of the five schools 

in town roughly $20,000 — for the second year in a 

row. In all, the hat has poured $1.83 million into 

the schools since 2006. Board of Directors Vice 

President Marianne Dunne said the growing 

HAT, continued on page 26 

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HAT, continued from page 23 

value of the donations — in April 2021, the 

shop donated $35,000 to the PTOs — is a 

direct result of the store’s growing success, 

which has drawn customers not just from 

Marblehead but also surrounding communities. 

“When I first started here 10 or 15 years ago, 

it was really mostly just Marblehead folks and 

schools, and now it's really reached out to other 

communities nearby, Lynn, Swampscott, Salem. 

We have a good working relationship with a 

lot of other people from other communities 

coming in,” Dunne said. 

“Social media definitely helps,” Magic Hat 

General Manager Diane Worth added. “We 

can put some stuff on there, I’ll come in the 

next morning, and (people) are outside 20 

minutes before we open (saying), ‘I'm early, I 

wanted to get that thing.’ It’s good.” 

Magic Hat has grown steadily since 

its inception and now pays six part-time 

employees, including Worth. Both Dunne and 

Worth credited some of the store’s growth to 

the increasing quality of the items donated and 

the markdowns offered at Magic Hat. 

“Social media has really helped us as far as 

donations go,” Worth said. “We have wonderful 

people that save us really nice stuff.” 

Worth said items are typically priced at 

about a third of their value — she offered the 

example of an item that would go for $60 at 

another retailer selling for $20 or $22 at Magic 

Hat. 

“We have really good stuff at really good 

prices,” she said, succinctly summing up what 

she sees as the reason Magic Hat has developed 

a sort of cult following, with regulars who 

arrive when the store opens and stop in again 

before it shuts its doors. 

With limited space inside the school 

building and the store’s popularity only 

growing, Magic Hat has had to limit donations. 

The COVID-19 pandemic forced some 

adjustments to the donation schedule, Dunne 

said, explaining that “people used to come at 

the end of the day on Saturday (and) dump all 

the stuff they didn't sell at the yard sale.” 

“We didn't even look at it. Now we screen 

at the door… we don't have the storage space,” 

Dunne said. 

Inside the store, items are now color-coded 

to streamline the shopping process, Worth 

explained. That effort represents broader 

upgrades made around the store in recent years 

as it has grown. 

When asked what the most popular item 

at Magic Hat is, both Dunne and Worth 

immediately pointed to LEGOs. 

“We love LEGOs,” Worth said, explaining 

that LEGOs are collected in big bins before 

being doled out into storage bags that are 

then sold for around $25 per bag. “They’re 


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Dunne added that 

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books, and Worth 

said those sales 

frequently feature a 

heavy discount since 

the money spent 

would be reinvested 

in the schools 

anyway. 

One of the initiatives Magic Hat 

undertakes each year is working with 

guidance counselors to identify students 

who might need winter boots and 

jackets, and then going through the 

items in the store to see if any of them 

might fit the students in need. 

Magic Hat is only open four hours 

each day, Tuesday through Saturday, 

and closed on Sundays and Mondays. 

Worth said those limited hours have not 

put any damper on the business, with 

huge crowds flocking to the store on 

Saturdays in particular. 

“It works out well. We make the best 

of it,” Worth said. 

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Marblehead Fire Department Lt. Liam 

Gilliland and his father, Chief Jason 

Gilliland, ride side-by-side in Engine 3. 

LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON 

THE GILLILANDS’ 

AS EMERGENCY SERVICE W 



LIFE 

ORKERS 

Story: Emily Pauls 

Photography: Emma Fringuelli, Spenser Hasak, and Courtesies 

HUMOR. THAT IS 

HOW JASON AND AMY 

GILLILAND, AND THEIR 

SON LIAM, BALANCE LIFE 

AS EMERGENCY SERVICE 

WORKERS AND A FAMILY. 

“If you have Thanksgiving 

dinner with us, feel free to choke,” 

Jason said. 

Jason started his career as a 

Marblehead firefighter 40 years 

ago, and has now been the fire 

chief for 15 years. Amy is the civilian dispatch supervisor in Marblehead and has 

been working as a dispatcher for 28 years. 

Liam followed in his father's footsteps and became a Marblehead firefighter eight 

years ago. Now, he is a lieutenant and training officer at the department. 

Although they are in highly stressful positions, all three love what they do. 

For Liam, he appreciates that he is now helping the community that raised him. 

“You want to be there to help them on their worst day,” he said. “We don't want 

anyone to go through that, but if they're gonna go through it, we're going to be 

there to help them.” 

Jason agreed on this point and said everyone who works in public safety wants to 

give back to their community. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be doing the job. 

“In my position right now, I get to do more than be fire chief,” he said. 

In Marblehead, he said, department heads are a team and help each other out. 

“Whoever needs help, we all work together,” Jason said. 

Both Amy and Jason said a great aspect of their work is that there is something 

new everyday. 

As a dispatcher, she said, you never know who or what is going to be on the other 

side of the call. 

Jason said no day is exactly the same as a firefighter. 

“You never get bored of your job,” he said. 

All three have had some intense experiences in their line of work. 

“I've had a kid with a homemade bomb blow up in his hand,” Jason said. 

Both Liam and Jason have delivered babies for mothers who couldn’t make it to 

the hospital in time. 

Amy recalled a time when someone came into the dispatch center, located at the 

Police Department, and handed her a finger they had cut off from their hand. 

When she picks up a 911 call, the most important thing is that she stays calm. 

“I'm not going to let them know the panic, they're not going to hear it in my 

voice,” Amy said. “I'm gonna give them the information. It's not my emergency, you 

just have to take yourself out of it. You're like, ‘This is really bad, but it's not mine.’” 

In terms of fires, one of the biggest Jason responded to was around 2005 in the 

Intrepid Circle condo buildings. The buildings were in the construction phase when 

the middle one caught fire, he said. 

“That was an arson job,” Jason said. “At that point, I was the fire investigator for 

the department so I investigated that. That was 48 hours I think without sleep on 

that one.” 

The Tony’s Pizza fire of 2003 and the Penni’s Market fire of 1994 were two other 

major ones Jason said he responded to. Amy and Jason’s son Logan was born the day 

GILLILANDS, continued on page 30 

KEEPING WATCH 

Marblehead Fire Chief Jason Gilliland, left, oversees the 

burning of the town's Christmas trees with his son Lt. Liam 

Gilliland by his side.


GILLILANDS, continued from page 29 

after the Penni’s fire. 

Liam said that thanks to the residents of 

Marblehead, there haven’t been many big 

blazes during his time at the department. 

“We've had a couple of total losses 

throughout the house,” Liam said. 

“Marblehead is a very neighborly town, so 

I'd say the amount of would-be incidents 

are taken care of by neighbors checking in 

on each other. So not a lot of incidents, or 

many things are put out before they get too 

big.” 

The amount of fires everywhere have 

decreased, he noted, due to fire prevention 

and better technology. 

Technology has also changed the way 

dispatching has worked significantly, Amy 

said. 

“We can find anybody,” she said. “We had 

a woman this morning reporting her car was 

missing. And we're able to check cameras 

to look for the car. We can find anybody, we 

can find anything.” 

There are many challenges that come with 

being a family in emergency service work. 

For Amy, one of the hardest parts was 

when Liam and Logan were kids and Jason 

had 24-hour shifts. 

“It’s hard,” she said. “You get 3 feet of 

snow and I gotta figure out how to start the 

snowblower to clear the driveway because 

he's not coming home” 

Holidays also look different for the 

Gillilands compared to the average family. 

I THINK WE MADE 

THE MOST OF IT 

AND I WOULDN'T 

CHANGE IT FOR 

THE WORLD. 

— JASON GILLILAND 

“We don’t necessarily celebrate Christmas 

on the 25th,” Liam said. “We may celebrate it 

Marblehead Dispatcher Supervisor Amy Gilliland 

highlights the dashboard system. 

a week later when everybody has the shift off.” 

But growing up with two parents in the 

emergency services field was still “exciting.” 

“I think we made the most of it and I 

wouldn't change it for the world,” he said. 

Jason emphasized how great of a job 

being a firefighter is. 

“One of the most important things in my 

mind is you can get a job where you make 

a lot of money and be miserable, or you can 

get a job that you love to do every day and 

make a modest amount,” Jason said. 45 

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SPRING 2024 | 31


David Aldrich delivers bagels to Detective 

Sgt. Sean Brady, center, and Marblehead 

Police Chief Dennis King. 

BAKING FOR GOOD 


Photography: Courtesies 

For more than 16 years, David 

Aldrich has been providing 

assistance to young people 

in the community through 

his Grab the Torch project, 

focusing on values of 

leadership, ethics, purpose, 

and philanthropy. 

Now, after being forced to change his 

approach as a result of the pandemic, he is 

passing the torch to bagel making. 

After 18 months of research and 

studying the art of bagel-making, Grab the 

Bagel was born. 100% of its net operating 

profits go to Aldrich’s scholarship fund 

and licensing fees for kids to take Grab the 

Torch’s cloud-based curriculum. 

His kitchen is currently set up in the 

Jewish Community Center of the North 

Shore with the mission of providing “lifechanging 

experiences and opportunities to 

thousands of high-school students across 

the country.” 

That includes students right here in 

town, where Aldrich brings in student 

interns to help roll bagels while also 

teaching Grab the Torch’s core values. 

Before he began baking bagels, Aldrich’s 

first initiative involved 13 years of summer 

programs for groups of 30 to 35 girls at 

various campuses throughout the country. 

Unfortunately, like everything else at the 

time, the programs were halted due to the 

BAGEL BUS 

COVID-19 pandemic in the spring of 

2020. 

“My program was my mission and my 

purpose in life,” Aldrich said. “It was kind 

of a bummer.” 

After months of isolation, Aldrich felt 

the same way many did back then. 

“To maintain my sanity, I needed to do 

something,” he said. 

So he took up baking, but started small 

with making cobblers anonymously for 

others. A group would come by Aldrich’s 

house and deliver the food to those in 

need. 

Almost immediately, the popularity of 

his baked goods and acts of kindness rose, 

and one day, he decided to expand his 

menu to bagels. He began meticulously 

researching the baking process and 

chemistry behind making bagels. On New 

Year’s Day 2022, he made 25 bagel baskets 

that he gave out to community members. 

The interest and demand for Aldrich’s 

bagels kept growing, and so did his 

ambitions. 

“I thought maybe this is the time where 

I can start a social enterprise and make 

it so I can keep Grab the Torch alive,” 

Aldrich said. 

Thus Grab the Bagel was launched, 

all in honor of Aldrich’s 105-year-old 

godmother, who taught him “the true 

meaning of volunteering, philanthropy, and 

unconditional love.” 

What started out as a random act 

of kindness has turned into “Random 

Acts of Bagelness,” which Aldrich has 

trademarked and now uses as his motto 

as part of an initiative to spread kindness 

throughout the country. 

Living by that motto, he has spread 

“bagelness” throughout the community, 

including bringing bagel trays to officers 

at the police station, serving up breakfast 

at a Marblehead Pickleball outing for 

more than 90 members, and even reaching 

across town lines to bring his product to 

officials at Swampscott Town Hall. 

In a world that is filled with uncertainty, 

challenges, and often a lack of decency in 

the way people treat each other, Aldrich’s 

message is simple: Say thank you. That is 

why he now has the goal of getting bagel 

shops across the nation to participate in 

Random Acts of Bagelness. 

“Nothing could be more appropriate, 

and more fitting, and more necessary of 

doing something good, than right now, in 

our country, and in our global community," 

Aldrich said. “It’s about just saying thank 

45 

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Story: Mark Aboyoun 


In life, sometimes things are 

meant to be, and for Nolan 

Raimo, it’s to be on the sidelines 

coaching Marblehead track. 

Growing up in Marblehead, 

Raimo was involved in all types of 

sports. He was always active and was a 

great athlete. 

Good Food. Good Drinks. Great Vibes 

RAIMO, continued on page 34


RAIMO, continued from page 33 

“I grew up playing baseball, basketball, and 

football. I was a pretty good basketball and 

baseball player and planned to play it for a 

long time,” Raimo said. “I started track in the 

seventh grade out of the blue. My dad was a 

state champion in the hurdles in the ‘70s. My 

mom claimed she did the broad jump in the 

presidential fitness test back in the ‘70s and 

that’s where my genes come from.” 

When Raimo was in the eighth grade, the 

high school team would practice after the 

middle school team, which is when Raimo had 

his first few interactions with then-high school 

coach Brian Crowley. 

“He brought me around the high school 

athletes and had me talk to them about the 

events they do and what the process is like,” 

Raimo said. 

When Raimo got to high school, he wasn’t 

even sure he would run track initially. He 

thought about playing freshman basketball and 

baseball and then maybe transitioning to track 

later in high school. However, that all changed 

after he spoke to his father. 

“My dad was honest and said that I was good 

at basketball and baseball, but I’d be great at 

track,” Raimo said. 

Raimo decided to run track and give up 

basketball and baseball. Between the short 

hurdles, long jump, and triple jump, Raimo 

started to get comfortable competing at the 

high school level. 

Unfortunately, everything went south during 

his sophomore year when his father died. 

“That was a tidal wave of overwhelming 

nature. It kind of empowered me in track, 

truthfully,” Raimo said. “I consider it to be posttraumatic 

growth. I got really focused on track 

once he passed. I found peace and tranquility 

at track.” 

Raimo, with his newfound appreciation for 

track, started to focus on getting better. 

“By junior year, I was competing at the state 

level somewhat competitively,” Raimo said. 

“Junior year, I was a top 20 long jumper in the 

state.” 

The person who was always by Raimo’s side 

was Mr. Crowley. 

“Mr. Crowley was a father figure for me, 

especially after my dad was gone. When I went 

to New Englands, no one else on my team went 

except for Mr. Crowley. He’d go and watch 

and coach me during the events,” Raimo said. 

“He is one of the greatest guys. I would not be 

coaching if it wasn’t for him and the impact he 

left on me.” 

With his results, colleges started to recruit 

him. But he wanted to make sure he went to 

the right school for academics, not just for track. 

“Junior year summer I started to get recruited 

mainly for my jumps and hurdles,” Raimo said. 

“Basically the entire NESCAC (New England 

Small College Athletic Conference) was 

WINTER TRACK TEAM 

Members of the Marblehead winter track team and head coach Nolan Raimo. 

HUDDLE UP 

PROPER TECHNIQUES 

Nolan Raimo, center, huddles 

his team together during practice. 

IT'S ONE OF THE 

COOLEST THINGS 

THAT I CAN 

HELP SHAPE 

THESE KIDS TO 

BECOME BETTER 

PEOPLE. 

— NOLAN RAIMO 

Nolan Raimo teaches 

members of the track 

team about proper 

shot-put techniques.


OVERCOMING THE HURDLE 

Head track coach Nolan Raimo holds the blocks as 

high-school student Alex Hersey trains for the hurdles. 

recruiting me. I had some contact with Ivy 

League schools too. My ultimate goal was 

to get the best education out of my legs. It 

wasn’t about going to the best track school, 

it was about going to the best school where 

I can run.” 

When his senior season came, Raimo 

continued to make a name for himself across 

the country. 

“I was the number three hurdler in New 

England and number two in Massachusetts, 

and although we didn’t have national 

rankings as we do now, I was a top 50 

hurdler in the nation in the 55-meter 

hurdles,” Raimo said. 

Throughout his high school career, in 

honor of his father, Raimo raised more 

than $28,000 dollars for different charities 

when he took part in the decathlon and 

pentathlon from his sophomore year to his 

senior year. 

With all the success Raimo had at high 

school, he decided to commit to Williams 

College, where he was immediately hit with 

a reality check. 

“I came from being an elite student at 

Marblehead and one of the best athletes and 

I felt like I was the king of the world. Then 

I showed up to Williams where 50% of the 

school were valedictorian or salutatorian 

of their high school and were significantly 

better athletes than me,” Raimo said. “I was 

definitely a small fish in a big pond.” 

Raimo would go on to win Rookie of 

the Year his freshman year and then Most 

Improved his junior year. As a senior, Raimo 

admitted he matured and wanted to be the 

best person he could be. 

“I was a captain senior year at Williams 

and took a big maturity step. I did 

everything I could to be the best person 

I could be on and off the track. I stopped 

drinking for seven months and I invested a 

lot into myself,” Raimo said. 

Raimo ran the 400-meter hurdles that 

year and qualified for nationals with a 53.56 

time — something he’s still proud of to this 

day. 

After graduation, he thought he had his 

work career planned out. 

“I figured when I got a job I’d work in 

finance for the first part of my career and 

then maybe switch to teaching/coaching 

in the second stage of my career, maybe in 

my mid-40s when I was more financially 

secure,” Raimo said. 

His plan took a turn when he received a 

phone call from an old friend. 

“Mr. Crowley reached out to me when he 

was stepping down from coaching. I had a 

full-time job down at Putnam in Downtown 

Boston as an internal investment specialist. 

I remember for two months I stared at the 

application thinking ‘Am I really going to 

quit my full-time job to coach high school 

track?’” Raimo said. “I luckily decided 

to take it with the help of my mom, my 

partner, Emma, and other people who 

nudged me to take it.” 

“When I wrote my cover letter to become 

the coach, I said ‘If I could impact kids, 

even if it’s just fractionally, like how Mr. 

Crowley impacted me, I would be so proud 

of myself ’,” Raimo added. 

Raimo is entering his fifth year coaching 

at Marblehead and said he has applied some 

of the lessons that Crowley taught him. 

“Mr. Crowley is a lifelong hero to me. 

What I do at track now, not necessarily 

what he taught me track-wise, but what he 

taught me about caring for people,” Raimo 

said. “For someone who lost their father and 

who was in an abyss, to have someone like 

him behind me and kept pushing me meant 

everything.” 

What Raimo is enjoying most is being 

a mentor to these high schoolers and 

providing a healthy culture for them to 

thrive in. 

“I’ve loved every moment of coaching 

here. I couldn’t stop coaching. I’m going 

into teaching now because a lot of jobs don’t 

work with coaching. It’s like a rush or a 

thrill, I love doing it and I love doing it here 

at Marblehead,” Raimo said. “I love being 

able to coach the kids in addition to helping 

them learn about life too and being like a 

mentor to them.” 

“When you see them come into high 

school as 14-year-olds, it’s a whole new world 

for these kids. I think we build a great culture 

here so when they come to practice they’re in 

an environment where they feel comfortable 

no matter their skill level,” he added. “It’s one 

of the coolest things that I can help shape 

these kids to become better people.” 45


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Bill Willis and Christine Tierney are real estate brokers affiliated with Compass, a licensed real estate broker and abide by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. *Source: MLSPin Single Family Sales by Volume, Marblehead, 

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