LYNN — The annual scholarship dinner hosted by the Friendly Knights of St. Patrick returned on Thursday night after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic.
This organization, like many others, experienced the effects of the pandemic as it was forced to halt the events that it relies on to raise money for the scholarships given to students in the city.
This year, however, it was able to bring back its largest fundraiser: the scholarship dinner.
“There’s always something special about the Friendly Knights of St. Patrick parties,” said the organization’s President Bill McDonald. “It goes back to the 1940s and there’s always just something special about it… We’re thrilled to be back together in person.”
At this year’s dinner, George Sonia received the community service award and Ned Shinnick was awarded Irishman of the year.
Born and raised in Lynn, Sonia has owned Lancelot Janitorial on the Lynnway for more than 30 years and is involved in a number of charities and youth organizations, including volunteering and being a board member at My Brother’s Table for more than 15 years.
Sonia also helps run the “Freezin for a Reason” fundraiser, where the group picks a local charity to raise money for; more than $100,000 has been raised for local charities through this initiative over the past seven years.
“George never says no when someone asks for help, whether it’s a monetary donation or just a set of hands to help,” said McDonald. “George embodies the spirit of the Solimine (community service) award in every way.”
Shinnick, who is a Lynn Classical graduate and sergeant at the Lynn Police Department, has family ties to Ireland, as his great-great grandfather, Michael Shinnick, was from Ballycotton, Cloyne, County Cork.
Shinnick joined the Irish American Police Officers Association in 2003 — which performed at the dinner — and started learning the bagpipes in 2004. David Solimine Sr. brought him into the Friendly Knights of St. Patrick, and he is also a member of the Knights of Columbus and the Ancient Order of Hibernians.
“They are two great guys,” McDonald said.
The Friendly Knights of St. Patrick also honored another member this year, dedicating this year’s dinner to John Mihos, an attorney for the Lynn School Department, who died last year.
“John was an active member of the Friendly Knights for over 40 years,” McDonald said. “His son is a member now, so we dedicated it to John, but we don’t get up there and cry in our soup. We have a toast and we have a good time and honor his memory.”
The Friendly Knights of St. Patrick has not been able to host anything since 2019, so McDonald said they are all very excited to be getting back together.
Since all of its fundraising opportunities were canceled throughout the pandemic, the organization turned to technology to continue raising money to give back to the community.
Between email raffles, Venmo and donations via mail, the organization was able to continue fundraising while adhering to COVID-19 guidelines and protocols, but were only able to raise about half of what it usually does.
McDonald’s sister, Kathleen, also created a GoFundMe page last year for the Friendly Knights of St. Patrick as a surprise for her brother, raising more than $7,000 for the scholarship fund.
The organization has raised more than $150,000 for scholarships for Lynn students since 2009.
In 2018, the Friendly Knights gave a $20,000 scholarship to Lynn Vocational Technical Institute graduate Shaneil Nelson, who was living in a homeless shelter in Milford at the time. Nelson is now graduating from the Boston College nursing program.
“We were able to help her a little bit with the $20,000 and that was rewarding to us,” McDonald said.
The scholarships awarded to graduating high-school students in Lynn usually range from $1,500 to $3,000, depending on how much is raised throughout the year.
“It comes from discussions with guidance counselors at the schools and the students’ needs,” McDonald said.
Next year will be the organization’s 75th dinner, so McDonald said they are planning something big to celebrate and hope to raise more money to help the community and give back.
“We’re a Lynn organization,” he said. “We consider ourselves Lynners first, before Irishmen.”
The application for the scholarship can be downloaded from the organization’s website at friendlyknightofst.wixsite.com/website and is due by mid-May.
Donations to the scholarship fund can be made through the organization’s Venmo, @friendlyknightslynn.
