Published December 24, 2019
By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — The season of giving is alive and well at Lynnfield Middle School.
The middle school’s cafeteria was transformed into Santa’s Workshop during the annual Holiday Gift Drive on December 18. The popular town tradition spearheaded by LMS students, families and staff members led to over a thousand gifts being donated to needy families.
Similar to previous years, LMS joined forces with the Department of Children and Families’ Lynn Area Office. Due to the number of gifts collected this year, 17 cars driven by DCF employees were needed to fill in for Santa Claus and his nine tiny reindeer.
Fifth grade teacher Patricia Hazelton, who coordinated the Gift Drive once again, was blown away by the community’s generosity.
“It was an incredible year,” said Hazelton. “It’s so impressive when we all work together. It makes you feel good about where you work and where you live. One of the middle school’s core values is kindness, and clearly that is what we display here.”
FIFTH-GRADERS, from left, Sarah Mitchell, Thayer Sutherland, Olivia Sylvester and Maura Flaws proudly display presents they wrapped during Lynnfield Middle School’s annual Holiday Gift Drive on December 18. (Dan Tomasello Photo)
Middle School Assistant Principal Tom Sallee agreed.
“This was an amazing year,” said Sallee. “There was so much generosity and hard work from all of the students, teachers, parents and the community. This gift-wrapping day is always a great day. It makes me proud to work here.”
The middle school sponsored nine families this year and Hazelton “lost count” of how many gifts were donated. She recalled that DCF social workers held an assembly before the Gift Drive got underway, where the social workers told students about the children and families who would be benefitting from their generosity.
“The social workers gave us a copy of each family’s wish list,” said Hazelton.
Hazelton said some of the Gift Drive’s big-ticket items included 10 individual bikes that were donated to needy children. She said the Considine family donated a television to a needy family and the Brown family donated a couch.
“Glenn Grabau drove the truck that donated the couch,” said Hazelton. “Jake Mallett, Bryan Mallett, Tim Pivero and Ben Sieve delivered the couch.”
Hazelton said the middle school received “a lot of requests for Kindles and Amazon Fire tablets” as well as Earbuds and iPods.
“The teenagers are always looking for video games and movie tickets,” Hazelton added. “Restaurant gift cards were big this year.”
Hazelton said the middle school community also donated necessities such as cleaning supplies, hygiene products and linens to needy families. She said Lynnfield High School teachers Stefanie Marcoux and Jodie Liebowitz helped organize the stocking drive once again.
“The entire high school came through with gift cards, stockings and presents,” said Hazelton.
Hazelton said the Lynnfield Moms Group sponsored a family for this year’s Gift Drive. She also said there were “families in town who took additional family lists for us.”
“We actually had social workers take duplicates of the gifts that were donated so they can help other families in addition to the nine we took on,” said Hazelton.
Seventh-grader Emma Rose said she loves getting involved with the Gift Drive.
“Giving to others makes everyone smile,” said Rose. “The Gift Drive is an important way for help to help others in need. My friends and I always look forward to wrapping the gifts together.”
Hazelton thanked Sallee, Middle School Principal Stephen Ralston and district officials for supporting the Gift Drive. She said the middle school’s faculty and staff, particularly Media Specialist Becky Petrin, helped make the Gift Drive a huge success once again. She thanked the LMS PTO “for putting together the sign up lists.”
“Everything was very smooth this year, which was very nice,” said Hazelton.
Hazelton thanked a number of parent volunteers this year, including Recreation Director Julie Mallett, Kevin Cardinal and countless others for sorting through gifts and organizing them during the Gift Drive. She also thanked Kristin Thomas for creating all of the labels for the gifts.
“There were a lot of parent volunteers this year, which was great,” said Hazelton. “The number of emails I got every time I sent out a request was heartwarming.”
Hazelton said one of her favorite parts of the Gift Drive is watching parents getting involved with the fundraiser for the first time.
“It’s always overwhelming, especially for parents participating in their first Gift Drive,” she said. “They come into the Media Center and see what we do. If it is their first time volunteering, you can see the awe. It’s great.”
DCF Lynn Area Office social worker Bob Comito was amazed by the middle school’s generosity once again.
“The middle school takes unbelievable care of our clients every year,” said Comito. “They really go above and beyond anything we could imagine. The generosity of this community is wonderful.”
