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GENERATIONS OF GIVING
GENERATIONS OF GIVING
July 30, 2025 @ 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
We are busy planning next years events. Please check back to see more information on our upcoming events. Until then you can view last years information below.
Sponsored by Atria Merrimac Place. Yankee Homecoming is proud to announce the four individuals we are recognizing at this year’s Generations of Giving Volunteer Recognition Ceremony. The ceremony will take place on July 31st at the Newburyport Council on Aging, 361 High Street, Newburyport, Ma. 01950, at 4:00pm. Light refreshments are provided by Atria Merrimac Place. The public is invited to attend. Please join us in recognizing the four individuals below. They have all strived to make our lives a little better, here in the Newburyport Community.
If you have questions please contact Paul Bushey at [email protected]
Thank you to everyone who nominated an amazing volunteer, and for all of you who dedicate so much of your time to volunteering!
Emily Alford started volunteering when she was only three years old by helping to serve meals at the Salvation Army with her grandparents and at Old South Church. As she got older she became more involved in various volunteering opportunities with the Old South Church. She has helped out at different events the church hosts, working in the childrens nursery, and she currently volunteers preparing and serving meals for Sunday Sandwiches.
In high school she joined the Interact Club and was a part of the National Honors Society. Through these organizations she volunteered to help with blood drives, collected necessities for local food pantries, and helped raise money for various causes and charities. Every summer she spends time working the Garden Tour and various Yankee Homecoming events such as the, golf tournaments, and car shows, and the Lion’s Club road race.
Since attending St. Michael’s College in Colchester, Vermont, her passion for volunteering has not slowed down and she is currently a Core Team Leader for Middle School Mentors through the Mobilization for Volunteer Efforts (MOVE). Every week, through MOVE , Emily spends time with at-risk girls in grades sixth through eighth from the local school district doing various activities and supporting and guiding them in different capacities. Her favorite part of these Tuesday get-togethers is when they all sit down to eat dinner together and talk about the highs and lows of their week. Through MOVE she also helps raise awareness and answer questions about the importance of voting and educates people on how to register.
At college she also works as a Sports Communication Assistant, serves on the Committee for Community Engagement, is currently the Class of 2027 Vice President, and serves as a peer tutor for her major. In her free time she enjoys baking, hanging out with friends, practicing Spanish on Duolingo and is always up for some competitive fun.
Emily was born and raised in Newburyport and, graduated from Newburyport High School in 2023. As an incoming sophomore at Saint Michael’s College, she is majoring in Digital Media, Communications, and Journalism with minors in International Relations and Political Science.
Jim Brown started driving for NEET (Northern Essex Elder Transport) in March of 2021. Many of his first rides were to clinics for 1st and 2nd COVID shots. He now drives for many surrounding towns, including Amesbury, Newburyport, Merrimac, Salisbury, Rowley, Newbury and Byfield. He enjoys talking to riders and hearing their life stories. To date, Jim has driven over 15,000 miles and logged just shy of 1000 hours.
Jim was nominated by Dori Sawyer, Administrator for NEET. In nominating Jim, Dori states, “We get many kudos for Jim and his efforts, from our riders, other drivers and the communities he serves. He is a compassionate and friendly voice, often driving the same people, who have come to rely on him as their only source of transportation for their frequent medical appointments. He goes above and beyond to assist them and listens patiently to their stories”.
After Jim and his wife Cindy moved to Merrimac in the mid-1990’s, they decided to get involved in the local community, joining the recycling committee and helping organize local Household Hazardous Waste events, as well as leaf collection events.
In early 2022, Jim also started volunteering at the Amesbury Council on Aging (COA). There he serves as a receptionist/greeter, helps at special events, occasionally does handyman jobs for seniors and delivers groceries for a weekly COA/Our Neighbor’s Table collaborative program.
In February of 2015, Jim retired from his software engineering career. After retiring, he took a CNA training course at Whittier Tech and shortly thereafter, he started working at Elizabeth Calsey House in Amesbury as a nursing assistant, retiring n 2020.
Jim was born and raised in Amesbury, one of four children. He graduated from high school in 1974 and undergraduate school in 1978. Over the years, Jim has lived in several eastern Massachusetts towns, including Waltham, Acton, N. Chelmsford and 27 years in Merrimac. He married his wife Cindy in 1991 and they currently reside in Newburyport.
Coming to Newburyport (NBPT) in 1985, Jeanette Isabella soon became an enthusiastic community member. Her work life included time at Harvard University and Administrator of MIT’s Drama and Dance Programs where she was a positive role model for students in her program. Jeanette volunteered at NBPT’s YWCA working on various programs aimed at the empowerment of women. She helped develop, wrote the workbook for, and executed plans of action in a segment of the Welfare to Work Program helping hundreds of women set and achieve stated goals so as to positively re-direct their lives.
Opening Slenderizers, an exercise shop, she developed her skills as a hypnotheratist, motivational speaker, and author of Someday is Here! Thirty Days to Personal Renewal, Spiritual Growth and Enhanced Creativity, helping countless numbers of people grow and develop in the areas of self-love, optimism, and the benefits of positive affirmations, often working on a pro bono basis. Though retired, Jeanette continues to be invited to speak to groups in and around the Greater NBPT area.
Appointed by Mayor Sean Reardon, Jeanette is a member of both NBPT’s Council on Aging Board of Directors (BOD) and the Commission of the Emma L. Andrews Library and Community Center. Since its inception in 2011, she has served with the Greater NBPT Ovarian Cancer Awareness group; in 2016 she established the Jeanette Isabella Painting Restoration Fund at NBPT’s Custom House Maritime Museum; and she is president of Newbury’s Friends of the Council on Aging BOD. This spring, nominated by Senator Bruce Tarr, and selected, Jeanette was an honoree of the YWCA of Northeastern MA Tribute to Women Award for Community Achievements. Jeanette’s past volunteerism includes The Theater of NBPT (treasurer), president of both The Actors Studio of NBPT and Salisbury’s Friends of the Council on Aging BOD. She volunteered for many years with the Yankee Homecoming Committee (she met her husband while volunteering at the YH Hot Dog Stand in l989!). Jeanette recently joined The Alliance of Climate and Environmental Stewards (ACES) team and she attends City Council and other municipal meetings as a citizen actively involved in the City of NBPT which she loves.
Of her many accomplishments and joys, Jeanette is most proud of her children, Donna and Nicholas Mitrano and her lovely daughter-in-law, Catherine.
Linda Kelly has been volunteering at Our Neighbor’s Table (ONT) in Amesbury for the past eight years, providing nutritious meals to guests. During Covid, Our Neighbor’s Table was able to continue serving meals on a takeout basis, with a limited crew. Linda was an integral part of this limited crew that, “kept things going”. Linda relates that it wasn’t as personal as when they came in for a take-out meal, but Linda and the limited crew were there every week helping people get through. The entire crew was ecstatic when they went back to serving the guests in-house. Quoting Linda, “They are very special people and the staff at ONT, work very hard to make sure we put out a good, hearty meal. We also make it a point to treat each guest with respect and dignity. That’s something we all deserve, and we have fun with all our guests! I love Wednesdays! It’s the best day of the week. It’s the day ONT serves our guests. It’s always a good day.”
Nominated for this recognition by Amber Pittenger, Meals Manager at Our Neighbor’s Table, Amber wrote, “Linda is a weekly volunteer at ONT’s community meal on Wednesday evenings. Over the years she has established many caring relationships with our meal guests – so much so that we have given her the nickname “Mayor of the Meal” . She makes our guests feel special and cared for.”
Linda lives on Lake Attitash in Amesbury in a cottage she has lovingly rehabbed, along with her husband Kevin, whom she met on the beach at Salisbury State Park. She worked at Polaroid Corp for over 20 years in customer service, working with people and helping them with whatever issues that arose.
In addition to her volunteer work at ONT, she has a long history of volunteering for Yankee Homecoming, serving one year as Co-General Chair and another year as Event Chair for Old Fashioned Sunday.
Linda is an avid traveler, having sailed the Caribbean Sea, sailing from Marathon Florida to Beverly MA. Linda also traveled solo across the country, hauling a 1940 Scottie trailer.
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