Swampscott ‘themed days’ raising cash, morale

SWAMPSCOTT – Town workers and officials are indulging in a little office fun for a cause during the holiday season, beginning with Crazy Hat Day, held last Wednesday.Personnel Manager Nancy Lord, who was sporting a Mickey Mouse wizard hat from “Fantasia,” said employees will take part in a few themed office days for small fee, adding up to a donation that will be made to My Brother’s Table. On Wednesday, employees paid $1 to wear a fun hat and $2 to abstain.Lord said Crazy Hat Day will be followed by a few more theme days. The staff emailed ideas to her such as Slipper Day, Hawaiian Day, New England Teams Day, and an Ugly Holiday Sweater Day. The themed days will complement other fundraisers like a bake sale, and a gingerbread house contest that will take place Dec. 10 through Dec. 14.Lord said she hopes to continue the novelty. “I’d like to do it beyond the holidays. It gives us something fun to do,” said Lord, as she posed for a photo with Administrative Assistant Maureen Shultz, who was wearing a large felt Saint Patrick’s style top hat, complete with red-orange beard.A favorite among the staff was Retirement Office Administrative Assistant Jeanne Darcy in her umbrella hat. Darcy said she’s actually made use of the hat, like when she went to Canobie Lake Park last year and it started raining. Darcy said she earned some laughs from the wide-brimmed, multi-colored umbrella-turned-hat. “But it kept my hands free!” she said.Town Planner Peter Kane got into the season with a roasted turkey hat that he borrowed from Darcy, and Connie Hayes wore a cap with large 3-D butterflies attached. Even Town Administrator Thomas Younger got in on the fun, wearing his daughter’s large foam Vineyard Vines whale hat from Martha’s Vineyard, and even brought a spare, a Saint Patrick’s Day felt like Shultz’s.Kait Taylor can be reached at [email protected].