PEABODY — There might not have been any golf, but there were smiles all around Thursday at Salem Country Club as the club found a way to celebrate the accomplishments of six talented high school graduates at a re-tooled Peabody Golf Day.
In a brief ceremony outside the main entrance to the clubhouse, the students (and their families) were center stage as they were introduced as the recipients of this year’s Salem Country Club Joseph O’ Boyle Memorial Scholarship Fund awards.
“We were impressed by the number of applications and it’s a tough decision, as always,” said Co-Chairman Steve Richards. “We are happy to be able to help the kids even in these crazy times of COVID-19.”
In normal times, the event, now in its 26th year, includes a double shotgun golf tournament open to residents and employees of the City of Peabody. But these are not normal times.
“We were disappointed that the golf component of the event had to be canceled, but we still wanted to be able to honor the kids, who are just so talented year in and year out,” said Co-Chairman Bryon Mahoney. “We really pushed to have this ceremony so the kids could have a moment to be recognized, as they are every year, because every year, we see such amazing kids.”
The scholarships are for high school seniors who live in Peabody and have excelled in leadership, athletics, academics, community service and, in some cases, all of the above.
Nora Connor excelled in multiple sports at Bishop Fenwick. A four-year honor-roll student, she was captain of the indoor track team, specializing in hurdles, and also played lacrosse.
Connor volunteered at the St. John the Baptist food pantry, the Beverly Bootstraps thrift store and was a student coordinator at Fenwick for Toys for Tots. She will study Diagnostics Imaging and Sonography at Regis College with the goal of becoming a frontline healthcare worker.
Peabody High’s Megan Doherty has been inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic to become a frontline healthcare worker. She volunteered with the Best Buddies program and was a member of the International Club. She will major in nursing at Endicott College.
“I am very thankful and appreciative and I hope I make everyone proud,” said Doherty. “This scholarship will help me so much because college is so expensive, so I am grateful to have been chosen to receive it.”
Peabody High’s Cody Mason worked as a waiter at Brooksby Village. He sat on the school’s student panel for incoming freshmen. He was active in Massachusetts Educational Theater Guild drama festival and created an introduction to the high school’s television show. Mason will attend North Shore Community College for two years and hopes to complete his studies at Fitchburg State University, majoring in filmmaking/video editing and communications.
Kelly Melin was a member of the Peabody High National Honor Society and girls varsity soccer team. She played on the Powder Puff Football team, was a member of Best Buddies and Helping Committees and numerous other community service clubs. Melin will study early childhood education at Salem State University.
Brendan Mills was right at home at Salem, having played there many times as a four-year member of the Tanners’ golf team, serving as co-captain last fall. He ran indoor track, was on the Math Team and volunteered for Peabody Recreation.
Mills’ hidden talent is darts, having attained top U18 ranking and competing in two world championships, both in England.
Mills will major in mechanical engineering at the University of Massachusetts Lowell.
Amanda Stanton was a member of the Peabody High National Honor Society and Tanners’ softball team. She was in the Wind Ensemble and Concert Band, playing flute and piano. Active in the Best Buddies, International and Community Service clubs, she will study nursing at UMass Lowell.
Co-chairman Mike Tripoli said the decision of the committee years ago to create a “rainy day fund” was key.
“The biggest thing is we put aside money in the early years so that if there was ever a time when the course wasn’t playable for any reason because of something that was out of the kids’ control, we could still give the scholarships,” he said. “We’ve had some nasty rainy days but we’ve always played, until this year, obviously.”
Anne Marie Tobin can be reached at [email protected].
