Jamaica Plain People

Jamaica Plain’s Abby Maiello Boxing in Haymakers for Hope’s Belles of the Brawl for Dana Farber

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Jamacia Plain resident Abby Maiello will be taking a shot at knocking out cancer by fighting in the annual Haymakers for Hope Belles of the Brawl charity boxing event. On Tuesday, December 7th at the House of Blues Boston, Maiello, along with 25 other brave individuals residing in the New England area, will be stepping into the squared circle at this year’s event to raise money for Haymaker’s beneficiary, The Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Haymakers opens registration to everyday professionals in the Greater Boston area who have never boxed and want to practice the sweet science in front of a sellout crowd at the House of Blues to literally fight for a cure. Participants get matched at local partnering gyms where they go through 4 months of intensive training with the culmination being a live fight night at the House of Blues. Since inception, Haymakers has raised more than $14.5 million.

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From the Community

Boston Children’s Chorus Film Environmental Justice Themed Opus at Arnold Arboretum

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More than 90 members of Boston Children’s Chorus recently gathered in the Leventritt Shrub & Vine Garden at the Arnold Arboretum to film this year’s Opus Nuovo Now is the Time focused on environmental justice against the scenic backdrop of beech and maple scenery. “We think that as a place to showcase the beauty of the natural world, the Arboretum is second to none," said CC Executive Producer Robbie Jacobs. "We were able to capture the distinctive New England fall colors as the backdrop for sharing our message and [were] delighted to partner with our ecologically minded friends at the Arboretum to share this critical message about preserving the environment for generations to come.”

Singers lip-synced during the film and recorded their voices later on their phones to accompany the visuals. More details about the production process can be found on the Arnold Arboretum's website.

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From the Community

St. Sebastian’s Jamaica Plain Students Receive Honor Roll

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St. Sebastian's School is proud to announce the Honor Roll recipients for the first quarter of the 2021-2022 school year. Recipients of these academic awards fall into three categories: High Honors, maintains an A- or above in all subjects; Honors with Distinction, maintains a B or above in all subjects; Honors, maintains a B- or above in all subjects; Effort, for marks of 1 or 2 in all subjects; and Superior Effort, for marks of 1 in all subjects. The following Jamaica Plain students earned honor rolls:
Michael J. Kalinichenko, Grade 11, Honors with Distinction
Maxim D. Kalinichenko, Grade 9, High Honors
Luis E. Sosa Espinal, Grade 9, Honors with Distinction

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From the Community

Dukakis Sends Gov. Baker Letter Urging Leadership for Franklin Park

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Former Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis recently delivered a letter to Governor Charlie Baker calling for leadership and a coordinated vision as it relates to the redevelopment of the Shattuck Hospital site in Franklin Park. In the letter, he outlined how the Commonwealth’s decision to redevelop the site contradicts the Baker administration’s stated priorities “for open space, climate resilience, and natural resource conservation.”
Governor Dukakis states that, “rather than engaging community members and thinking holistically for the neighborhood and Greater Boston’s needs, the Commonwealth has decided to move forward with a plan to demolish the outdated building, which sits on parkland, and lease the land to a private developer.”
Shattuck Hospital, now slated for demolition, currently occupies 13 acres of parkland, a site that was taken from the community in 1949 and, over the years, has joined other sites that reduced Franklin Park’s free and public green space by roughly 200 acres. Now, the Commonwealth proposes a new plan: a 99-year lease for a private developer to build housing for the formerly homeless. Housing for the formerly homeless is extremely important; however, the Commonwealth did not evaluate alternative sites, conduct a feasibility study, involve the many of the communities around the park, nor provide any state funding for the new facilities. This new plan requires numerous legal waivers, and the housing, if all goes according to plan, may take five years to build and does not include supportive services in the latest proposal.

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From the Community

Community Servings Aims for ‘Record-Baking’ Year for Pie in the Sky Fundraiser

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Community Servings, a Jamaica Plain-based nonprofit provider of medically tailored meals and nutrition services, recently announced the launch of its 29th annual Pie in the Sky, the community bake sale-style fundraiser that helps feed chronically and critically ill neighbors across Massachusetts. Whole Foods Market is returning as the presenting sponsor and will donate proceeds from select pie sales in stores ahead of Thanksgiving. “We’re planning for a ‘record-baking’ Pie in the Sky thanks to the generosity our sponsors, bakers and volunteers,” said David B. Waters, CEO of Community Servings. “Together, we’ll not only help address the increasing need for nutritious food among our community’s critically and chronically ill, but will make Thanksgiving dinner even more meaningful for thousands of families across Massachusetts.”

The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic couldn’t stop last year’s Pie in the Sky. With streamlined baking, boxing and touchless delivery of more than 7,000 pies from Community Servings’ kitchen and Hyde Park-based Boston Baking Inc., and the sale of thousands of pumpkin and apple pies at Whole Food Markets across Massachusetts, Community Servings raised over $640,000 in 2020.

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