School supplies drive named for late city worker

LYNN – An annual drive for school supplies got a new name this year in honor of its biggest supporter, the late Ralph Cronin.”City Hall has been doing this drive for eight years now, and each year Ralph was our biggest contributor,” said Cathy Rowe, from Lynn Housing Authority and Neighborhood Development, who heads up the project. “He would come down to the city clerk’s office with bags and bags of school supplies for our kids. He really cared about them.”The deputy tax collector died in February at age 67 while cross-country skiing with his wife, leaving colleagues, friends and family members stunned.The clerk’s office offered to host the annual drive once again this year, and City Clerk Mary Audley and her staff decided to name it the “Ralph Cronin School Supply Drive,” Rowe said. The staff also rewarded anyone who donated with a Richie’s Slush.Rowe said whenever she brought the members of the Curwin Circle Youth Program to City Hall, Cronin always took the time to talk and joke with all of them, asking them about the fun things they did during the summer. It was his favorite fundraiser of the many that the clerk’s office holds, she said. It was because of that dedication they decided to rename the drive, she added.Rowe also said that City Hall employees truly stepped up to the plate this year bringing forth its largest donation to date.”We were able to provide filled backpacks for over 50 Curwin youth ages 5-18,” she said. “We are so grateful for all the generous people in City Hall, and we really missed Ralph this year joking with the kids in the City Hall foyer.”Ralph is not the only Cronin, however, to take The Curwin Circle Youth Program/LHAND under his or her wing. Rowe said it also has a special relationship with City Collector Fred Cronin and Mary Cronin, who works in the Veterans Office, Ralph’s siblings.”This year they donated a ton of school supplies along with their brother Gordon and sisters Margie and Geri,” she said.Geri, who owns About Face Day Spa, donates her time to the kids every year as well, Rowe added. She said this summer Geri came to Curwin and spent the whole day doing arts and crafts with the kids.”It’s such a great family, and this was a nice way to remember Ralph and all the good he did for so many people,” Rowe said.