Tech football players win prestigious award

LYNN – For more than two years Lynn Tech football players have been volunteering at least once a month at a food bank based at Connery Elementary School. On Thursday, they were recognized for their efforts at the ninth annual Chain of Giving event hosted by the Greater Boston Food Bank with its prestigious Nally Award.?It is an unbelievable honor to have this award bestowed to our team,” said Tech English teacher and defensive coach Jason McCuish, who incorporated volunteering into the football program. “We have been a part of this great cause for a long time, and the football players deserve all the credit for Tech receiving this award.”Members of Tech?s SkillsUSA program were also recognized for their efforts.?We are pretty excited,” said Tech principal Diane Paradis. “[We] congratulate members of both groups for a job well done.”The Nally award is named after Betsy and Dan Nally, siblings from Westwood who began an annual turkey drive in 1996 to ensure that families in need would have turkeys at Thanksgiving. The award, in the shape of a dinner plate, is given to a group of young volunteers who demonstrate a commitment to their community by offering service above and beyond the call. On Thursday, the Nallys presented the award to four students who represented Tech?s efforts, Nelson Barrios Alen Cangalovic, Justin Lewis and Devin Phean.?The kids from Tech are great, and they should feel really proud about all the good they have [done] and continue to do,” said GBFB spokeswoman Catherine Drennan. “To be playing a part of ending hunger is such a great notion.”The GBFB?s mission is “to end hunger in eastern Massachusetts. Our objective is to distribute enough food to provide at least one meal a day to those in need.” The Chain of Giving kicks off the holiday season for GBFB. “During this event we all formed an actual chain, and started loading turkeys off a truck into a freezer for Thanksgiving,” Drennan said. “We will donate about 87,000 turkeys on Thanksgiving.”The event can be inspiring. Paradis said her students knew they would be responsible for making up any school work they missed while attending the event. That caveat didn?t deter them.?It was an awesome feeling being invited today, and actually being a part of the chain,” Lewis said. “This was such a great event to be at, and hopefully I will be a part of another in the near future.”