01940 Winter 2025

WINTER 2025, VOL. 8 NO. 4
She knew
this edition
would be good

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WINTER 2025 2024 | 1
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2 | 01940
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
Chief of Staff
& Art Director
Sam Deeb
Creative Director
Spenser Hasak
News Editors
Elizabeth Della Piana
Sophia Harris
Writers
Joey Barrett
Chris Carrigan Brolly
Amanda Lurey
Jackie Manno
Elizabeth Della Piana
Anne Marie Tobin
Photographers
Spenser Hasak
Advertising Sales
Ernie Carpenter
Sam Deeb
Ralph Mitchell
Patricia Whalen
Magazine Design
Matteo Valente
INSIDE
04 What’s up
06 Pumpkins by the dozen
12 House Money
15 In the Spirit
20 Trio of titles
22 A pilgrimage
26 Focal points
32 Science in every stitch
ESSEX MEDIA GROUP
85 Exchange St.,
Lynn, MA 01901
781-593-7700
Subscriptions:
781-214-8237
01940themagazine.com
LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER
Psyched up
for this edition
TED GRANT
If you told me a few months ago that this issue of 01940 would include a psychic medium,
I would have said, I didn’t see that one coming.
But here we are.
You might not believe in psychics, but the story of Joanna Kiriaki Alexander, written by
Amanda Lurey, is one that truly uplifts your spirits. On the surface, it’s about a woman who
discovered she could communicate with the other side. At its heart, it’s about somethings we
can all relate to: rediscovering purpose when life takes a sharp turn and reconnecting with the
loved ones we’ve lost.
Alexander’s story is more than crystal balls and speaking to the dead; it’s one of healing. It’s
about finding light in unexpected places.
Alexander isn’t the only one who tracked down that unexpected place where the light
shines a little brighter. For Dennis and JoAnne Rogers, it appeared thousands of miles away,
along the ancient pilgrimage routes of Spain. Join Chris Carrigan Brolly to learn about the
couple's eight-day walk on the Camino de Santiago, a journey of reflection and faith.
The trip showed the couple that the world is still full of good people, and if that doesn’t
make you a little warmer this winter, I’m not sure what will.
Chris also takes us on a journey where light means bright bulbs, the sun streaming through
windows, and the color coming from freshly painted walls.
Emily Field, Nancy Rich, and Laura Healey of Main Street Homes have found a place where
inspiration meets imagination in their Carriage House studio, where their creativity can freely flow.
Oh, and if you’ve ever thought, “What my pool house really needs is a Guinness tap,” these
are the folks to call.
Speaking of new, bright, and shiny spaces, though this one comes without the Guinness,
the Lynnfield Fire Department has one worth celebrating.
After decades of working in an outdated station, these everyday heroes finally have a
headquarters built for the future. Chris takes us inside the new facility, showing off the
spacious building, enhanced safety measures, and, yes, an actual fire pole. It’s a story of progress
and giving something back to the people who protect our community.
Continuing the theme of progress, Elizabeth Della Piana steps into the world of Leslie
Chang, who is working on two kinds: the scientific and the artistic.
By day, she’s immersed in oncology drug discovery, the kind of work that demands focus
and patience. By night, she channels those same qualities into a different type of work: bead art.
Chang spends her evenings threading thousands of tiny, colorful beads into intricate
landscapes and jewelry. Her work reminds us that science and art can share the same rhythm:
precision, persistence, and purpose.
At Lynnfield High, not one, not two, but three girls teams captured Cape Ann League
titles this fall — just the second time in school history. The girls soccer, volleyball, and
field hockey squads combined for 45 wins, with the field hockey program winning its first
conference title in more than a decade. Joey Barrett and Anne Marie Tobin take us through
the numbers, highlights, and moments.
Jackie Manno takes us to the doorstep of our final story, which is covered in pumpkins.
What started as a reputation for having “the house with all the pumpkins” has grown into a
business that brings color and cheer to doorsteps across Lynnfield.
Sofya Cooper, the founder of Front Door Festive, has turned seasonal decorating into
a full-blown local movement. From carefully sourced Pennsylvania pumpkins in the fall to
wreaths and garlands in the winter, Cooper’s work shows that a bit of creativity and a lot of
pumpkins can make any home brighter.
Each of these stories ties into the theme of discovering warmth in these chilly months,
from finding faith in faraway places to creating beauty right here at home.
Here’s to a warm, inspired, and brightly lit winter season. I can see it coming.
COVER: Joanna Kiriaki Alexander, who grew up in Lynnfield, discovered she had a spiritual gift after her grandmother passed away when she was 20.
STAFF PHOTO: Spenser Hasak

Serving your Real Estate needs
in Lynnfield & the North Shore
WINTER 2025 | 3
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4 | 01940
WHAT’S UP
Harlem Wizards Tricks
Hoops & Alley Oops!
What: The World-Famous Harlem
Wizards want to invite you and the
whole family to join them for a night of
tricks, hoops, and alley-oops! Be sure to
purchase a ticket in advance.
Where: 275 Essex St, Lynnfield, MA
01940, Lynnfield High School
When: Sunday, Nov. 16, 5 p.m.
Vino Flora Worskhop
What: Join Davio’s Lynnfield and
Asusena Texada to learn to make your
own floral arrangement. Using a Davio’s
wine bottle and freshly cut flowers,
create your own arrangement.
Where: 1250 Market St., Lynnfield, MA
01940, Davio's
When: Saturday, Nov. 22, Noon
IT’S NOT JUST A WINDOW,
IT’S A PEACE OF MIND
For over 115 years, people have relied on Andersen. With over
100 million windows installed, no other windows are in more
homes than the Andersen® 400 Series. With its innovative blend
of craftsmanship and style, Andersen products rate #1 in quality
and performance*.
Learn more at andersenwindows.com/400series
*2022 Andersen brand surveys of U.S. contractors, builders and architects.
“Andersen” and all other marks where denoted are trademarks of Andersen
Corporation. ©2022 Andersen Corporation. All rights reserved.
Lynnfield Rotary 16th
Annual Turkey Trot
What: Gobble Gobble! Lynnfield Rotary
and the Julie Routhier Foundation
are proud to sponsor the 16th Annual
Turkey Trot. This fun community tradition
brings us together while raising funds
to support our Lynnfield resident High
School graduating seniors. Thanks to
your participation, last year we were
able to award four scholarships and
local community service projects! For
more details, check out the flyer below
— we hope to see you there!
Where: 617 Main St, Lynnfield, MA
01940, Lynnfield Meeting House
When: Sunday, Nov. 23, 8:30 a.m.

ELLEN CRAWFORD
| Premier Realtor
WINTER 2025 | 5
Recognitions & Designations
Lynnfield's
Top Listing Agent
Top Producer
Top Selling Agent
Luxury Specialist - CHLMS
Specialized in Representing Seniors - SRES
Certified in Representing Sellers - SRS
Certified in Representing Buyers - ABR
“A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue,
but the parent of all the other virtues.”
T - the terrific clients I represent
H - helping others
A - all the wonderful people in my life
N - nice people I work with
K - knowing I’m giving my clients the best service
F - for good health
U - unconditional love
L - loving family and friends
Planning your next move? Call 617-599-8090
ELLEN CRAWFORD
THE REALTOR THAT GIVES BACK
Ellen Rubbico Crawford
Premier Realtor ®
ellencrawford18@gmail.com
617.599.8090
A PERCENTAGE OF EVERY TRANSACTION IS DONATED BACK TO THE COMMUNITY

6 | 01940
Sofya Cooper owns Front Door Festive and specializes
in pumpkin and seasonal designs on doorsteps.
Pumpkins by
STAFF PHOTOS: SPENSER HASAK
the dozen
FRONT DOOR FESTIVE TURNS
DOORSTEPS INTO FALL DREAMS
STORY BY MAGAZINE STAFF
JACKIE MANNO
S
ofya Cooper of Front Door Festive is leaving
her clients’ homes more beautiful than when
she left them — pumpkin style.
Cooper, a full-time benefits consultant
and mom of three, has the reputation of having
“the house with all the pumpkins” in her Lynnfield
neighborhood. So in 2024, she started Front Door
Festive: a seasonal outdoor decoration company that
specializes in abundant, playful pumpkin designs and
winter holiday displays.
“Those comments stuck with me, so I decided to
turn it into a business,” Cooper said.
To clarify, Cooper doesn’t decorate the pumpkins;
she decorates with pumpkins.
“I’m still working on my elevator pitch as to what
Front Door Festive is. Sometimes people ask me if
I’m going to carve every individual one. No, that
would be insanity,” Cooper said.
Clients can choose from three different designs,
ranging from $300-$900, to get pumpkins of all
shapes and sizes. Winter holiday decor packages
include custom planters, wreaths, and a garland.
Front Door Festive also cuts out the middleman
when it comes to fall decor, cleaning and creating the
items as well as installing them directly to the client's
front doors. Once the season is over, the company
also disposes of the pumpkins by sending them to a
compost facility or using them for animal feed.
“A lot of people tell me they love how the
arrangements look, but they would never have the
PUMPKINS, continued on page 8

WINTER 2025 | 7
YOUR LOCAL LYNNFIELD EXPERT
As your trusted real estate agent, let my passion,
expertise, and integrity be your guide.
MARKET SNAPSHOT
ZIP CODE : 01940
OCTOBER 2025
Single Family
$1.20M Avg. Sales Price 5%
$1.20M
Median List
Price
16%
103.3%
Sales Price /
List Price Ratio
—0%
14
No. of Prop. Sold
17%
1.14
Months Supply
of Inventory
25%
Text me today to find out how this market
data affects your home’s value.
EVELYN LIMBERAKIS ROCKAS
TOP 2% OF COLDWELL BANKER AGENTS WORLDWIDE
Global Luxury Specialist
W: EvelynRockasRealEstate.com
E: Evelyn.Rockas@NEMoves.com
C: 617.256.8500
The property information herein is derived from various sources that may include, but not be limited to, county records and the Multiple Listing Service, and it may
include approximations. Although the information is believed to be accurate, it is not warranted and you should not rely upon it without personal verification. ©2025
Coldwell Banker. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker logos are trademarks of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. The Coldwell Banker® System
is comprised of company owned offices which are owned by a subsidiary of Anywhere Advisors LLC and franchised offices which are in- dependently owned and
operated. The Coldwell Banker System fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act.

8 | 01940
PUMPKINS, continued from page 6
The sky’s the limit
with the pumpkins.
Sofya Cooper
energy to do it themselves. It’s a lot to go to the store,
buy the pumpkins, and lug them home,” Cooper said.
She added, “(Front Door Festive) is meant to take a lot
of thinking and doing off of the homeowner’s list to make
things a more seamless process for them. And I recognize
that it's an investment, but you get six to eight weeks of
joy at your home.”
Cooper originally got the inspiration after seeing a
similar concept in Texas. While there are a handful of
similar pumpkin-arranging services in the Massachusetts
area, Cooper stands out with Front Door Festive by
sourcing high-quality pumpkins from Pennsylvania
farmers.
This fall, she went to a produce auction and picked
out every single batch herself over the span of 10
hours. Selections included the proverbial, round, orange
pumpkins and lesser known varieties such as blue dolls,
pink dolls, snowballs, and Colorado sunrises.
Cooper has delivered pumpkin arrangements to 66
North Shore homes in 2025, with most of her clientele
from last year returning. A large portion of her customer
base is currently in Lynnfield, spanning a wide range of
ages.
“The community connection and crossing paths with
people I otherwise wouldn’t have is really nice. Seeing
that there is interest from a span of generations has been
PUMPKINS, continued on page 10
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10 | 01940
PUMPKINS, continued from page 8
a highlight,” Cooper said.
Cooper enjoys the seasonal
aspect of the business given her busy
full-time job and family life. While
she took a week off of work this
year to retrieve the pumpkins, she
mainly juggles Front Door Festive on
nights and weekends. Her husband
supports her with managing storage
and inventory, while friends and
neighbors volunteered in the early
stages.
“Having a full-time career, the
appeal is that I get this burst of
creativity, and then I can wait and
do it again next year, so I’m always
fresh,” Cooper said.
However, pumpkin arrangements
don’t come without their obstacles.
Cooper described squirrels as Front
Door Festive’s "archnemesis" and
said that weather and home setups,
such as excessive stairs, can make the
process trickier.
“I’ve learned that it’s very hard to
reverse a trailer in a pickup truck,”
Cooper said.
Cooper also learned to push herself
outside of her comfort zone with the
marketing aspect of her business,
such as putting herself out there on
social media, approaching people, and
arranging booths at fall festivals.
“I haven’t really tried to advertise
my services like this since my
babysitting days as a teenager,”
Cooper said.
She added, “But it’s been amazing.
It took a leap of faith to put
myself out there. It felt like such a
departure, and people have been so
supportive whether they book, follow,
or tell their friends. It's been really
heartwarming to get the support of
people I know and don’t know. The
amount that it's taken off, it's been
really rewarding.”
As for the trajectory of Front Door
Festive, Cooper envisions sticking
with the pumpkins and winter
holiday niche. She also has her eye on
expanding the business by supporting
more orders, creating more storage
space, and growing the team by
employing more drivers.
“The sky’s the limit with the
pumpkins,” Cooper said.

WINTER 2025 | 11
IS A NEW HOME ON YOUR
CHRISTMAS WISH LIST?
CALL ME, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO WAIT FOR SANTA!
617-678-9710 / debbiemillersells.com / 624 Salem St., Lynnfield, MA 01940

12 | 01940
HOUSE MONEY
PHOTOS COURTESY OF MADORE PHOTOGRAPHY

WINTER 2025 | 13
3 Russell Road
SALE PRICE: $1,760,000
SALE DATE: Sept. 17, 2025
LISTING PRICE: $1,798,000
TIME ON MARKET: 110 days
to closing
LISTING BROKER:
Debbie Caniff, Coldwell Banker
BUYING BROKER:
Debbie Caniff, Coldwell Banker
LATEST ASSESSED
VALUE: $1,609,800
PROPERTY TAXES: $16,999
PREVIOUS SALE PRICE:
$900,000 (12/2012)
YEAR BUILT: 1990
LOT SIZE: 1.94 acres (84,432 sq. ft)
LIVING AREA: 4,387 sq. ft.
ROOMS: 12
BEDROOMS: 4
BATHROOMS: 5.5
SPECIAL FEATURES:
This meticulously maintained home
sits on nearly 2 acres of wooded and
landscaped property. Built in 1990,
this home has an open floor plan with
a spacious chef’s kitchen with island
seating. A generous dining area
abuts the kitchen on one side and
a fireplaced family room on the
other. The family room and kitchen
both have access to a super-sized
deck which includes a large
retractable-screened sitting area. A
cathedral ceiling sun room and a wet
bar area round out the main floor.
Upstairs there are four bedrooms
with en-suite baths. Property also
features a three-car garage and a
large, unfinished basement with
walk-out access to the yard.
Source: MLS Property Information Network.

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STAFF PHOTOS: SPENSER HASAK
WINTER 2025 | 15
Joanna Kiriaki Alexander is
a psychic medium and reiki
master teacher.
In the
Spirit
HOW JOANNA KIRIAKI ALEXANDER INHERITED
HER GRANDMOTHER’S GIFT FROM THE AFTERLIFE
STORY BY MAGAZINE STAFF
AMANDA LUREY
W
hen
late grandmother.
Joanna Kiriaki Alexander
was 21 years old and a student at
North Shore Community College,
she began having dreams of her
She explained that, when her
grandmother died, she began wearing
some of her jewelry. One night, as
Alexander was sleeping, she encountered
her grandmother in a dream, and she was
wearing a necklace that Alexander had not
taken off since her grandmother’s death.
“She walked into the room, and she
was wearing the cross she gave me in the
dream,” Alexander recounted. “I said,
‘How are you wearing the cross? I’m
wearing the cross.’”
She said she woke up from that dream
PSYCHIC, continued on page 16

16 | 01940
Spiritual symbols line the reiki studio of Joanna Kiriaki Alexander.
PSYCHIC, continued from page 15
rather confused, understandably so.
Alexander explained that she was on a
path to become a police officer; she had
a 3.9 GPA, but she kept having those
“visitations” from her grandmother.
She said it felt like she was living “in
a movie.” She added that, shortly after
the dreams began, she burnt her thumb
and went to the school nurse one day.
“I walk in the room, and she shuts
the door behind her, and she was like,
‘You have a gift.’ She was talking to
me about my loved ones in spirit. She
started talking to me about all sorts of
stuff, and I was like, ‘This is so strange,’”
Alexander remembered. “But what was
strange about it was that there were
multiple people doing that to me.”
Alexander said the constant outsider
input nudging her to practice her gifts
led her to where she is today, now 36,
as a psychic medium.
She explained, “I’m a natural
medium. A medium is a person who
can communicate with an individual’s
departed loved ones. That was involuntary
for me… A psychic is a person who
operates off the six major clairs, which
is clairvoyance, clairsentience, clairgust,
clairtangency, so on and so forth. And
they are so in-tune with their emotions
that they can feel and experience the
emotions of others.”
She added, “Being psychic isn’t
necessarily like I’m predicting that on
June 12, you’re gonna win the lottery,
right? It’s not like that. It’s just being
able to feel and sense things so deeply
and clearly about a person, place, or
thing — without even knowing a thing
about any of those things.”
She said, from that point when she
was 21, her “whole life started changing
day by day.”
“I’d be at school the next day, and I’d
be in a class about domestic terrorism
or homicide — because that’s what I
wanted to do: homicide — and I’d be
listening to the professor talk, and I’d
see stuff around her,” Alexander shared.
She said, “It became so anxiety-provoking
I’d have to ask people. People started
being like, ‘How did you know that?’
And I’d act like they already told me
because I didn’t want to encroach on
people emotionally, and I also didn’t
want to look nuts.”
She quickly added, “I don’t care if I
look nuts now, but the more and more
I did it, and people were like, ‘Yeah,
that’s something,’ I decided that I was
going to do readings.”
Alexander didn’t charge at first,
but she said her grandmother’s spirit
encouraged her to charge for her
PSYCHIC, continued on page 18

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18 | 01940
PSYCHIC, continued from page 16
services because she felt it was her
granddaughter’s “purpose.”
“I believe that her death wasn’t in
vain,” Alexander said of her beloved
Yaya. “Of course everyone dies, but
after she died, it’s like she passed me
this psychic torch, and if she didn’t die,
I wouldn’t have this awareness.”
Toward the end of her educational
career, Alexander decided, “I’m
absolutely getting hands, knees deep
in this work.” She then got certified
in Reiki, which she explained was “an
ancient, Japanese healing technique
that is designed to help treat a person
physically, spiritually, mentally, and
emotionally.” Alexander then also
started volunteering in hospice and
continued to do more and more psychic
medium work.
“My whole life shifted,” Alexander
said. “I remember my dad wanted me
to take the civil service exam, and my
school advisor called him and said, ‘No,
your daughter has a gift.’”
Alexander later wrote a feature in
that advisor's book “because she had a
near death experience with cancer,” and
then she began teaching her own night
courses at North Shore Community
College: spiritual awareness part one
and spiritual awareness part two.
When asked what it felt like to
receive a message, Alexander asked,
“Have you ever experienced having an
unprovoked thought?”
She continued, “It’s just like that.
And sometimes when I’m doing a
reading or connecting with the person’s
loved one, the type of blissfulness that
comes into my heart, it’s so joyful.
Sometimes I get really emotional.
I don’t cry as much in sessions
anymore, but you just feel the love
and nurturance that step in through a
departed loved one — because the only
thing that spirit cares about is love.
They’re not here to tell you ‘Oh my
God, why are you wearing that?’ or ‘You
should buy this house.’”
Alexander added that she typically
doesn’t receive messages about worldly
events, but there was one that stuck
with her.
“I don’t care about sports at all,”
Alexander explained. “I was lying in
bed, and my grandmother in spirit
woke me up. She just said, ‘Send Reiki
or prayers to the marathon runners.’
And I remember being like, ‘Why?
Are they gonna be thirsty?’ But I did
a prayer, and I went back to sleep, and
then I was at my friend’s house later in
the day, and my dad texted me saying
bombs were going off at the marathon.”
She added, “That was once that
I had something catastrophic show
up because that would be really
premonitory. That happens to me
sometimes. My strengths are dealing
with the dead, delivering their
messages, being their messenger, being
their advocate. My thing is to tell
people that there’s an afterlife more
than impending doom.”
She said she felt that, if the psychic
medium in question is actually gifted,
“I think they serve as healers, as some
sort of chaplains in a way. They’re
restoring people’s faith in humanity
and people’s faith in an afterlife
by proving things with evidential
readings.”
Alexander emphasized that she
“could be exhausted and still love doing
it because it’s helping someone else,
and it brings validation to the fact that
the afterlife exists
and that we’re all
here for a reason.”
She continued,
“It’s not to have a
slamming 401(k).
Who (cares)?
You could die
tomorrow. Love
is the only real
thing.”
For anyone
interested in
booking with
SCAN TO BOOK
WITH ALEXANDER
Alexander, visit her Instagram account
@JoannaKiriaki or this link: book.
heygoldie.com/Psychic-medium-
Joanna-Kiriaki.

WINTER 2025 | 19
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STAGING BOOSTS SALE PRICES BY UP TO
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Complimentary staging provided.
Call for more info.
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20 | 01940
STAFF PHOTO: SPENSER HASAK
TRIO OF TITLES
to defend.”
STORY BY MAGAZINE STAFF
The Pioneers finished the regular
JOEY BARRETT AND ANNE MARIE TOBIN
season 13-2-3, ranked No. 6 in the
N
MIAA’s Division 3 power rankings, and
ot one. Not two. Three.
went on a seven-game winning streak with
It was quite the female sports
six coming on the road.
season at Lynnfield High. The girls
“It's a testament to the youth programs,”
soccer, volleyball, and field hockey
Vermont said. “We have a lot of athletes,
varsity teams captured Cape Ann League
so we have depth not just in any one sport,
championships during the fall. The last
but across the board, which is what you
and only time LHS girls teams pulled off
can see this fall.”
a three-peat was 2014.
On the hardwood, it was the volleyball
The squads were coached by Mark
Vermont (girls soccer), Brent Ashley
team’s first league title since 2020 and
(volleyball), and Kerri Doherty (field
16th since 1998.
hockey).
One word to describe Lynnfield’s
The girls soccer team shared the Kinney
regular season: dominant.
Division title with Newburyport and
The Pioneers finished 18-2 (13 sweeps;
clinched with a 5-0 win against Pentucket. 9-0 at home) and won their last 10
It was the Pioneers’ second CAL title in matches. Their only defeats came on the
three years and 17th since 1993.
road against Reading Memorial and North
“The girls were very excited to win it,” Reading.
Vermont said. “We had to win out in the Across all of Massachusetts, Alexia
league because North Reading had tied Vaquerano (256 kills) and Audrey
Hamilton-Wenham. They were a point Manning (268) finished top 15 in
behind us, so we had to win out and we hitting percentage and top 20 in kills.
did — so, that was great for the girls who Elliana Moretti led the Pioneers in digs
really wanted to win it.”
(341), Milana Labkovich in blocks (76),
Look no further than the dynamic trio Manning in serving aces (57), and Carina
of Giada Antidormi, Kaylee Barrett, and DeLeo in assists (317).
Ava Damiani. From multi-point games to Ashley believes the girls’ success boils
hat-trick celebrations, it was a rarity when down to “a newfound confidence within
the trio didn’t take over a game.
female sports in the building this year,”
“It’s been a really long time since we’ve as well as a commitment to time in the
had a balanced attack like this,” Vermont weightroom.
said. “I keep telling them it’s really hard “They're becoming two- and three-sport
THREE LHS GIRLS
TEAMS TAKE
CAPE ANN LEAGUE
athletes, and they’re choosing to take part
in sports-leadership events to grow their
athletic mental health and resiliency,”
Ashley said, “and what I don’t think gets
talked about enough: We're lucky to have
incredibly-strong women role models in
the building for our student-athletes.”
As for field hockey — undefeated
against CAL opponents — it was the
program’s first league title since 2014 and
sixth since 1989.
Bridget McGee (9 shutouts) was a
brick wall between the pipes, while the
majority of the offense came from Izzy
Fiorentino (13 goals), Lauren Mattia
(7 goals, 15 assists), Sophie Morgese (8
goals, 12 assists), Nola Maney (3 goals, 5
assists), Cameron Munion (8 goals), Mia
Capodilupo (8 goals, 3 assists), and Grace
Allen (5 goals, 2 assists).
The well-rounded, consistent Pioneers
(14-1-3) started 5-0, lost just one game
in regulation (Monomoy), won 13 games
via shutout, and scored six or more goals
four times.
“There’s something special about this
group I just can’t explain. These kids care
and aren’t done yet,” Doherty said. “It's
been a great fall for women’s athletics at
Lynnfield High. Three CAL titles – love
that for this school.”

PHOTO: JAMIE HAYMAN
WINTER 2025 | 21
PHOTO: JAMIE HAYMAN
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22 | 01940
STAFF PHOTOS: SPENSER HASAK
JoAnne and Dennis Rogers
recently completed The Camino
de Santiago, a pilgrimage to
the Cathedral of Santiago de
Compostela in northwestern Spain.
8 DAYS, 72 MILES,
AND COUNTLESS BLESSINGS
LYNNFIELD COUPLE FINDS PEACE AND PURPOSE ON THE CAMINO DE SANTIAGO
STORY BY MAGAZINE STAFF
CHRIS CARRIGAN BROLLY
D
ennis and JoAnne Rogers, a
retired couple from Lynnfield,
recently engaged in a tradition
more than 12 centuries old:
the pilgrimage along the Camino de
Santiago, also known as the Way of St.
James.
Pilgrimages were a major part of life
in Medieval Europe. Often the only
opportunity people ever had to travel
more than a few miles from where
they were born, pilgrimages back then
were a church- and ruler-sanctioned
journey from home to important holy
sites across Europe. In many places
across the continent, peasants were not
even permitted to travel without good
reason, and one of the only reasons
considered good enough was to make a
pilgrimage.
The Camino de Santiago is a group
of major pilgrimage routes that all
JoAnne Rogers holds her Credencial de Peregrino, which acted
as a passport thorought The Camino de Santiago pilgrimage.

lead to the cathedral of Santiago de
Compostela, in a city of the same name
in Galicia, Spain. It is built over the
tomb of the apostle St. James, who is
said to have brought Christianity to
the Iberian Peninsula.
The Rogers' trip took them along
what's called Camino Francés, or the
French Way, which was traditionally
the most popular since a majority of
medieval pilgrims made their way from
or through France. Their trip began in
Sarria, Spain, and took them 72 miles
along the French Way to Santiago de
Compostela over eight days of walking.
According to the Rogers, most
pilgrims carry a "passport" — known
officially as a "credencial" — which
they get stamped at their lodgings
along the route. The passport serves
as proof that the pilgrims arrived at
Compostelo via an official route within
a certain amount of time. That entitles
pilgrims to a "compostela," the official
certificate showing that the person
completed their pilgrimage.
According to Pilgrim Travel, “the
Catholic Monarchs” Isabella I and
Ferdinand II of Spain (married in 1469
and ruling through to 1516), built and
funded official "hospitals" along the
Camino de Santiago, which provided
accommodation to pilgrims as they
made their journey. In that time, a
compostela would entitle pilgrims to
three days of free accommodation at
the Pilgrim's Hospital in Santiago
de Compostela. Today, the Pilgrim's
Hospital is a hotel, but it carries on
this tradition by providing free food
to a limited number of compostela
carrying pilgrims each day.
The Rogers booked their trip
PILGRIMAGE, continued on page 24
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received from a couple they met on
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24 | 01940
PHOTOS: Joann and Dennis Rogers
During Mass inside the Cathedral
at Santiago de Compostela.
Dennis walks the
pilgrimage along the
Camino de Santiago,
also known as the
Way of St. James.
A church that serves
pilgrims along the
Camino de Santiago.
PILGRIMAGE, continued from page 23
through a travel agency that specializes
in this exact pilgrimage, and the agency
took care of porting their belongings
between their accommodations each
day. The agency also offered a car
service if they found they were unable
to continue for the day at some point
along the walk.
"I guess that gave me the courage
to say, 'OK, I'm gonna do this,'" said
JoAnne Rogers, who may not have
otherwise done so due to a prior knee
injury. They didn't use the car service,
but knowing it was there made the
challenging trip seem more doable.
While they traveled, they met
people from all over the world and
heard their stories.
"People travel for different reasons,"
said JoAnne Rogers. "Some people were
trying to find God. Other people were
trying to have God find them, help
them find their way. Other people did it
for the physical challenge. There were a
variety of reasons people chose to go."
She went on to say, "I want to say it
was a microcosm of society, but it really
wasn't because everyone was extremely
nice to each other, which is something
that's lacking in society right now."
Their trip was also a time of
reflection and peace, eight days of relief
from the neverending 24-hour news
cycle over which they were able to
focus on the people around them and
their own thoughts and prayers.
"It is sort of a solitary undertaking,
you know, walking all that way," said
JoAnne Rogers.
Dennis Rogers added, "Except when
the school kids show up, en masse, and
just flew by you!”
JoAnne Rogers continued, "I felt
the majority of people were there to
find their way. If I could describe one
thing I think it gave everybody, it was
hope because you kind of looked at
humanity and said, 'You know, there
are a lot of good people out there;
there are a lot of people who reach out
and are willing to help.’”
They also prayed the rosary and
often walked in silent contemplation.
Dennis Rogers dedicated each day of
their trip to prayer for different people
in their lives, including the two couples
they traveled with, JoAnne Rogers'
99-year-old mother, and Dennis
Rogers' late brother, who passed away
last year. When they attended mass at
the end of their journey, he offered up
those dedications and prayers.
The end of the Way is the Cathedral
of Santiago de Compostela. The
cathedral holds a pilgrims' mass
each morning, noon, and night. The
noon mass the Rogers attended was
extremely crowded, they recalled.
"Everybody just flops down on the
cement," said JoAnne Rogers. She
added, "The plaza's just filled with
enthusiasm. You can feel it; the energy
in that space is almost palpable." The
cathedral can seat more than 1,200
people, but according to JoAnne
Rogers, the aisles were overflowing: "It
was packed every time!"

WINTER 2025 | 25
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26 | 01940
Focal
points
HOW MAIN STREET HOMES IS REDEFINING INTERIOR DESIGN
STORY BY MAGAZINE STAFF
CHRIS CARRIGAN BROLLY
PHOTOS: @marinaporl via instagram
S
ince 01940 last covered Main
Street Homes, quite a bit
has happened. Not only did
it create its new studio, the
Carriage House, and brought on a
new partner, but it also added new
services to its lineup. The team is
expanding their sights and looking
toward the future as their business
grows.
MSH is a Lynnfield-based
interior design firm focused
primarily on home design, though it
occasionally does commercial spaces
as well.
"It's not all your 'traditional
beautiful homes,'" said Emily Field,
co-founder. "We really have done
some pretty cool stuff."
From recreating an Irish pub in
someone's pool-house to designing
and remodeling MSH’s own studio
into a dual-purpose workspace and
example of its work, the company
has a host of projects in its portfolio.
The new studio, the Carriage
House, is right on Main Street in
Lynnfield. It has become an integral
part of MSH’s process, storing all
materials and samples in a clean
and organized way — as one would
expect from professional interior
designers.
As Nancy Rich said, "Now we can
say, ‘No, you come to our studio,'
where before, where else could we
have done this and have it make so
much sense on so many different
levels?"
Field met Rich in 2007 when she
contacted Rich about moving to
Lynnfield. Rich was working as a
From left, Emily Field, Nancy Rich,
and Laura Healey in front of their
new studio the Carriage House.

WINTER 2025 | 27
It's not all your 'traditional beautiful homes.'
We really have done some pretty cool stuff.
Co-founder Emily Field
realtor then, and the two struck up a
fast friendship when Field bought the
house right next door to Rich. Over
time, the two discussed interior design,
and one day they "just jumped into it
organically," said Rich. At first, they
took on one client, and things grew
from there.
Last year, the duo became a trio
when they brought in Laura Healey as
a third partner. Healey previously had
her own home design firm. She started
off with nurseries and children's rooms
and moved up to full-blown home
interiors. She met Field, and they
DESIGN, continued on page 28
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28 | 01940
DESIGN, continued from page 27
became friends, with Field acting as
a sort of mentor as Healey grew her
business. Eventually it just made sense
to bring her into the MSH fold.
As Field described it, "Since Laura
came on board, we've had this kind of
reinvigorated energy. … We've really
tried to bring our company to the next
level over the past year."
Gone are the days of purely focusing
on full-service "soup to nuts" design
services — though of course they still
do that, too. Now they have expanded
their offerings to include "studio
hours," flexible "design concierge,"
and new construction and renovation
consultations.
MSH’s new studio hours are
exactly what it says on the tin: hourly
appointments that anyone can sign-up
for in order to get professional interior
design advice without needing to
contract the firm for a whole project.
Imagine a client has a certain piece
of furniture, Field said, maybe "a sofa
that they owned or purchased; they
could come in here and pay by the
hour, and we can help you pick out a
wallpaper or a drape that coordinates.
Then we could order it, but they handle
the execution of everything."
While a client of this service
wouldn't get the coordinated help of all
three women, it's an affordable way to
pick their brains and make use of their
expertise.
Design Concierge is one step up, still
flexible but more hands off than the
"soup-to-nuts" offering, perfect for a
hands-on client who needs some help.
With this plan, MSH would provide a
custom floor plan, including a revision
if needed, and a curated sourcing
list for the client to order from. This
service is also perfect even for those
outside of the Boston area since it
can be done fully remote, though of
course customers can still opt to visit
the Carriage House for an in-person
meeting.
The new construction and renovation
design offering goes even beyond
the full-service design offering by
partnering with homeowners and
builders to "ensure your new build
or renovation is cohesive, functional,
and beautifully executed from start to
finish.” That means picking fixtures,
consulting on layouts, and all manner
of other design input that they do best.
Field, Rich, and Healey each bring
something a little different to the
table. Rich has a strong construction
planning and project management
background, and Field has always had
a flair for the creative. Healey really
expanded their reach, bringing in a new
aesthetic. All three have a great eye for
design, of course, but each woman has
her own strengths that come together.
As Rich said, "We each have a little
bit of a different role within Main
Street Home. We kind of know what
our strengths and our weaknesses are,
and we let each other kind of flourish
in that… It's nice to know that you
have someone else to work off of and
grow with."
On the topic of that Irish pub, to
hear Emily tell it: "It was the husband
that was driving that ship, too. This
is what he wanted, and it was very
specific… But we also needed to make
it functional for a pool house, right? So
like, you can't have real leather chairs
with a wet butt on it. You know? So it
was like trying to bridge that gap."
The pictures tell the success story of
that project.
According to Field, "Going
forward, I think we're really trying to
be a bigger presence in this market,
partnering with the right brands and
trying to get in the right publications,
so we really can broaden our reach and
watch this grow."

STAFF PHOTOS: SPENSER HASAK
WINTER 2025 | 29
HOME OF THE BRAVE
NEW LYNNFIELD FIRE STATION PUTS FIREFIGHTERS FIRST
STORY BY MAGAZINE STAFF
CHRIS CARRIGAN BROLLY
The new Lynnfield Fire Department
Headquarters is a "huge step
forward from where we were," said
Capt. Chris Caveleri.
The old station at the top of the hill
was a single floor — a little more than a
garage bay — that was originally designed
for a primarily volunteer fire department
in the early 1960s. Back then, LFD
firefighters weren't in the station 24 hours
a day, so there were no dedicated sleeping
quarters or office facilities.
When the old station was designed,
there were no women in the department,
"so as women became members of the
The ribbon is cut at the new Lynnfield Fire Department Headquarters.
FIREFIGHTERS, continued on page 30
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30 | 01940
FIREFIGHTERS, continued from page 29
fire department, there were really no
accommodations for them to have any
privacy," said Caveleri.
Back then, LFD didn't provide EMS
service, either, so the old station just
wasn't well equipped to store all the
supplies and equipment needed.
There was little in the way of
decontamination facilities, and as the
risks of carcinogens from both the
fires — soot and smoke from burning
plastics, treated wood, and everything
else a fire produces — and from the
agents and materials used to extinguish
those fires became better known, that
became a greater and greater concern.
As the department expanded
and became a full-time service, the
facilities were not quite up-to-snuff,
but according to Caveleri, "as members
of the fire service do," the LFD made
it work.
They converted part of the garage
bay to be sleeping quarters, living with
the hustle and bustle — and the engine
exhaust and fire contamination. They
converted one closet to store EMS
supplies and fit another with a "gear
cleaner and extractor.” Gear was stored
out in the open, and would get hosed
down after use.
The new building has everything
the old one lacked. The apparatus bay
is larger and more well equipped, with
exhaust extractors and enough space
to fit two engines, a ladder truck,
and ambulances. There are living
quarters with a fully equipped kitchen,
day room, and bedrooms. There is a
dedicated EMS supply and equipment
storage. The building is even separated
into a contaminated versus clean
area to limit the exposure firefighters
have to the carcinogens inherent to
the job. And, of course, there are
accommodations for female firefighters.
The new facility also has dedicated
training areas, providing the LFD with
Firefighters applaud Chief Glenn Davis as he praises the work they do
and the completion of the new Fire Department Headquarters.
the ability to take their skills to the
next level in-house rather than limiting
them to training when and where they
can at other municipal buildings in
town or at neighboring departments.
Now they can train any time, even
between calls, without needing to
pre-plan and dedicate entire blocks
of time that might be interrupted by
calls. They can even host neighboring
departments for drills and other
organizations, such as search and
rescue, for confined space rescue
training.
The training facility has a dedicated
standpipe system separate from the
building's actual fire suppression
system and dedicated windows for
ladder entry training. There is a bailout
training setup — all firefighters are
issued a 50 foot bailout rope and
descender device to enable them to get
out of buildings when other paths are
blocked — and a manhole/confined
space simulator for rescue training.
There are even reinforced steel eyelets
for rappelling in the training stairwell.
The dedicated decontamination
area is fully kitted out with multiple
industrial-sized gear washers, an
industrial dryer, and a decontamination
shower for pre-washing dirt and soot
off of gear as well as dedicated showers
for deep cleaning after a call. The
gear storage area is located next to the
decontamination space rather than
having gear racks in the apparatus bay.
There is even an "airlock," keeping
the clean side of the facility separated
from the contaminated side, and a
positive pressure system that prevents
contaminated dust and debris from
wafting into the clean side.
The living quarters are spacious and
communally focused. The kitchen and
day room is large enough to hold all the
firefighters on-call for "family dinners,"
and the bedrooms are large enough to
be comfortable without distractions,
such as TVs, encouraging department
members to spend time together instead
of holed-up by themselves. There is even
a fire pole, both useful and symbolic for
a department that previously had no
need for one in the single story of the
old station.
This new facility is designed to be
future-proof as much as possible, and it
is intended to serve for 75 years, in line
with current standards of department
design. With the dedication of the
fire department, the facility will
serve the community for that time or
longer, keeping the LFD as safe and
comfortable as such a demanding job
allows for over the years to come.

32 | 01940
SCIENCE IN EVERY
STITCH
I took art lessons as a
kid, but I didn’t do any
beadwork. It was painting,
drawing, and sculpture,
but surprisingly, I didn’t
have the patience for it.”
Leslie Chang
I
f
LESLIE CHANG’S
BEADWORK REFLECTS
HER LIFE IN AND OUT
OF THE LAB
STORY BY MAGAZINE STAFF
ELIZABETH DELLA PIANA
you’re someone who has
always wondered if science
and art can meet somewhere
in the middle, the answer
is yes. How did we come to that
conclusion? By sitting down with
Leslie Chang, a woman working
in oncology drug discovery and
bead art.
“I’m a beader and a scientist,
but I was a beader first,” Chang
said. “I’ve always been fairly
artistic. I took art lessons
as a kid, but I didn’t do any
beadwork. It was painting,
drawing, and sculpture, but
surprisingly, I didn’t have the
patience for it.”
Now, Chang does a form of
art and works in a field that both
require an extreme amount of
patience.
“I started beading as a kid and
then on and off throughout my
life, but I became reinvigorated
doing it when I went into a bead
store in downtown Boston,”
Chang said.
She said that she had always
been fascinated by small things,
and most of the beads she works
with are very tiny. She also
saw this tie into science, using
biology as an example, where
she’d be interested in the small
things of nature, like insects,
geckos, and other animals.
“There’s this uniformity
toward being drawn to the
miniature,” she said.
As an adult, Chang doesn’t
just make bracelets. She also
turns images into beadwork,
which can take hours of her time
due to both the planning and
execution processes.
A software converts Chang’s
image of her choosing into
beads; she then uses beads from a
Japanese company called Miyuki
and hand selects the colors that
she wants to match the image.
This alone, before any beadwork
BEADS, continued on page 37

WINTER 2025 | 33

34 | 01940

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Leslie Chang, who has a career in oncology drug discovery, is working
on a beaded tapestry depicting a cancer cell under a microscope.
BEADS, continued from page 32
is involved, can take anywhere
between a week and a month.
She then showed off some of her
pieces, including a colonial house,
an Italian landscape, birch trees, and
Vincent van Gogh's “Starry Night” in
bead form.
Her biggest work took her 70-80
hours as she had to thread one bead
at a time while using a chart to make
sure she was following the color
pattern in a paint-by-numbers style.
Chang said that some pieces can be
a little bit faster because she can pick
two beads up at once instead of one,
but it still takes plenty of time and
concentration.
When asked what her favorite
piece is, Chang said, “My favorite
piece is always the last one I made.
There’s so much heart that goes into
it, and I don’t sell these, but if I mark
them for sale, they’re extraordinarily
expensive because of the time it
takes. They’re really a labor of love.”
When connecting back to her job,
Chang said that she finds similarities
in both spaces, but beading has also
become her way of recovering at the
end of the workday.
“I have to do a lot of pipetting…
We work with 96- and 384-well
plates, and you have to pay attention
to detail and have the ability to
repeat yourself over and over again.
There’s also a lot of critical thinking
involved, and you have to be able to
troubleshoot,” she said.
While Chang’s bead landscapes
and framed pieces are a labor of
love, her bracelets and earrings are
just as important to her, and she’s
found a way to share that through
social media.
As well as her beaded tapestries,
Leslie Chang also creates intricate
bracelets and earrings.
Chang will make posts showing
her working on her projects, and
while she beads, she talks to her
audience about science and her work,
creating a niche audience of art lovers
and science lovers.
“It’s been great connecting with
people. I’ll film myself making a
tapestry, and it’s obviously very
repetitive, but then I’ll talk about the
work I do. Because I work in cancer, I
call it oncology research; it seems to
really connect with people,” she said.
The piece Chang is currently
working on is an image of cancer
cells under a fluorescent microscope,
tying further into her work.
Chang then showed off her
collection of bracelets and earrings
that are hung up in her workspace.
Together on their rack, the bracelets
create their own little tapestry of
beadwork, and Chang also uses real
gemstones to make some of them.
“You can always tell they’re real
gems because they’re sort of irregular,
like this lapis lazuli. This really deep,
rich blue is something you can only
get from a gemstone,” she said.
If you’re in search of handcrafted
bracelets or earrings, Chang’s work
can be found online. You may even
see a piece you’re looking to buy get
created on her social media pages.
To purchase one of Chang’s
pieces, you can visit her Etsy page
called Bay State Beadcraft. To see
the time and effort put into her
work, you can visit her Instagram
page, also under Bay State Beadcraft.

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