The Fenway Civic Association held its 61st annual meting on Wednesday, March 22, at 1325 Boylston St. Tim Horn, president of the board of directors of the board-driven, all-volunteer, member-supported nonprofit organization, offered opening remarks and recalled how for last year’s virtual meeting, he participated from Austin, Texas, while visiting his parents there. Horn recounted some of the group’s many successes over the past year, which included hosting numerous community meetings and events, such as the return of the Fenway Porchfest on July 9 – an afternoon of free music performed outside of people’s homes and in other public spaces that the Fenway Civic Association again sponsored in partnership with two other neighborhood nonprofits, the Fenway CDC (Community Development Corporation) and the Fenway Alliance. Additionally, Horn pointed to the ongoing success of Fenway Cares – a program that the Fenway Civic Association and myriad other neighborhood nonprofits, along with area businesses and other organizations, launched in the immediate wake of the pandemic to combat food security in the neighborhood. The program has since grown in response to the ongoing demand in the neighborhood. Horn thanked Northeastern University for handling food deliveries for Fenway Cares; Rep. Jay Livingstone, who helped secure state funds for the program; and the Red Sox Foundation, which donated $40,000 towards the program’s $42,000 annual operating cost. Besides outlining the group’s objectives for the coming year, which he said remain largely in line with those from this past year, Horn said the Fenway Civic Association will also continue to strive to raise awareness that the neighborhood is much more than the ballpark. “People do forget we’re a neighborhood, and that’s what we’re here to remind people of,” he said. Horn introduced the group’s board slate for ’22, including himself as president; Matthew Brooks, vice president; Sheri Olans Wright, 2nd vice president; Karen Wolff, treasurer; Alex Sawczynec, assistant treasurer: John Bookston, secretary; Mary Jo Plymm, 1st assistant secretary; and Kathy McBride, 2nd assistant secretary. Horn thanked Sawczynec, the only departing officer, for his service to the organization. Sawczynec will soon be leaving the Fenway, Horn said. Board members for ’23 were also announced, who were all returning, except for Willied Hessein, who will be replacing Sawczynec as assistant treasurer. Hessein moved from Florida to the Fenway to attend Suffolk University in 2014 and fell in love with the neighborhood, said Plymm, who introduced the incoming slate of board members. The Fenway Civic Association also has three standing committees, including Licensing, chaired by Wolff; Membership, chaired by Fredericka Veikley; and Parks and Open Space, chaired by Marie Fukuda. Peter Sougarides serves as the group’s business manager. Elected officials on hand for the meeting included Sen. William Brownsberger; Sen. Lydia Edwards; Rep. Dan Ryan; Rep. Livingstone; District 7 City Councilor Tania Fernandes-Anderson; District 8 City Councilor Kenzie Bok; and City Councilor at-large Ruthzee Louijeune. Sen. Edwards and Rep. Ryan are both new to representing the Fenway due to recent restricting.
Boston Massachusetts Newspaper
