Events show heart of the Hub is in helping others
Boston is well-known for its pioneering efforts on behalf of the sick, needy and downtrodden — so it should come as no surprise to anyone that when it comes to honoring our fallen heroes, taking care of the less fortunate and raising money for local special needs kids, our city rallies together like few others.
After all, Boston offered the nation’s first settlement houses for the poor and hungry and the first dropin centers for the homeless, and the city’s generosity and support for early outreach programs like the Salvation Army and the Catholic Charities is welldocumented. For many of us, giving back comes as second nature.
We grew up watching our neighbors standing outside the supermarket, church or bank while holding a can to raise money for a worthy cause.
The Jimmy Fund supported kids with cancer, the Knights of Columbus helped those with special needs, the McCourt Foundation benefited medical research and our churches provided money to the victims of famine and AIDS in Africa. And no matter how tough times got for our families, they always felt proud to contribute.
Most importantly, they didn’t do it for attention or praise — that was the last thing on their minds.
And, I’m pleased to see, that historic and noble spirit is still very much alive in Boston. Those looking for evidence should look no further than two events held in the Hub last night.
Teamsters Local 25’s 10th annual Gala for Autism drew many concerned and generous supporters to the Boch Center Wang Theatre, where money raised went to programs benefiting local children with autism — including sports programs for special needs kids.
Every year I get to see the joy that the Challenge League brings to the 200 young boys and girls who play baseball in the South Shore league on Sundays. The only people happier than the kids on the field are their proud parents watching from the stands. After the summer months, the program moves right into soccer, where every kid wins and all of the children are warmly welcomed to participate.
As the gala was taking place, the South End’s J.J. Foley’s Irish Pub and Restaurant opened its doors in support of our Massachusetts Fallen Heroes. The annual event has become so popular that Boston sports celebrities love to stop by and bring along an item to auction as a way of showing their support for our heroic wounded veterans.
Boston is often recognized as the birthplace of American democracy and independence, the center of America’s great hospitals and universities and the home of world championship sports teams. But for me it will always be the “City of Neighborhoods,” where people still care and look out for one another.