Kelly, Lynch join Dorchester ‘Hall of Fame‘
Above: Lynne Smith donned a very green wardrobe outfitted with a photo of the late Mary Ann Brett during Saturday’s 17th annual Mary Ann Brett Food St. Patrick’s Day breakfast in St. Teresa of Calcutta parish hall. Photos by Seth Daniel
Verbal jabs were aplenty, the bacon was crispy, and the memory of Mary Ann Brett was honored quite well as a large crowd packed the St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish Hall on Columbia Road on Saturday (March 14).
The 17th annual event brought one of the largest crowds in its history to the St. Margaret’s Church basement for a breakfast to raise money for the year-round food pantry, which is named for the late mother of the event’s organizer, Jim Brett.
The fundraiser was a striking success by all accounts and will go far in helping the less fortunate with food insecurity over the coming year. Also on hand were Dorchester Hall of Fame inductees Congressman Stephen Lynch, Ed Kelly, International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) president, and the WORK, Inc. organization. Jim Regan, a dedicated volunteer for the pantry, received the Mary Ann Brett Award. The Master of Ceremonies role was filled by Dan Rea, host of ‘Nightside’ on WBZ Radio.
Jim Brett awards a Chelsea Clock to Work Inc. representative Andrea Mitsch.
Among the dignitaries the room were Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, Mayor Michelle Wu, former Mayor Ray Flynn, state Sen. Nick Collins, state Rep. John Moran, state Rep. Dan Hunt, Clerk for Civil Business John Powers, Councillors John FitzGerald, Ed Flynn, Erin Murphy, Ruthzee Louijeune, former Police Commissioner Willie Gross, and Tuskegee Airman Woody Woodhouse, and St. Teresa’s Pastor John Ronaghan, among many others.
“There is food insecurity all around us,” said Bishop Cristiano Barbosa of the Archdiocese of Boston. “It is a joy that we’re out front on this feeding the hungry in the world and that’s why we’re here today. God calls us to help and to feed the hungry.”
Dorchester Hall of Fame honoree Congressman Stephen Lynch (center) with Emcee Jim Brett and state Sen. Nick Collins.
Congressman Lynch shared that his family actually started out in Dorchester on Edison Green before moving to the “new” housing projects in South Boston – further justifying his place in the Dorchester Hall of Fame. Lynch used most of his time to roll out jokes while imitating President Donald Trump. Imitating the president and riffing on space savers, he noted that the people of South Boston were uniquely in favor of the annexation of Greenland, potentially for parking.
“We can take it for parking Mr. President,” said Lynch pantomiming Trump. “We can even take it peacefully; just fly over there and put out a chair.”
“Edzo” Kelly – a long-time Boston firefighter before his union career – said being in the Dorchester Hall of Fame was a life-long pursuit. He joked that he wasn’t sure of the standards but noted they must include spending a night in the box at C-11, getting caught by your mother wearing dirty underwear in the Carney Hospital emergency room, or waiting for the 1310 bar to open on a Sunday morning.
Ciaran McKenna warms up the fiddle while David Healy hits the notes on the accordion. Seth Daniel photo
“My path probably wouldn’t have gotten off Dot Ave or Fields Corner, but when you look at what the values are in us as Dorchester people – looking out for everyone and fighting for each other – when you transport that out into the world you tend to achieve higher because of what we learn in the City of Boston,” he said. “That’s what happened to me.”
Three high school senior food pantry volunteers were also honored, including Kelly Vo, Myrtle Dean, Victoria Higgins, and Marc Antunes.
John Joseph Fahey of St. Peter’s parish, Father Nicanor, and Brett Food Pantry volunteer Martin Tran. Seth Daniel photo
Savin Hillers Meg Campbell, Bill Walczak, and Don Walsh. Seth Daniel photo
Committee Co-Chair Dr. Larry Ronan, Master of Ceremonies Dan Rea, Peter Rice, and Committee Co-Chair Jim Brett. Seth Daniel photo
Mayor Michelle Wu and baby Mira chat before the breakfast. Seth Daniel photo
