PEABODY — U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton recognized five constituents across the 6th District as nominees for the 2024 Peter J. Gomes Service Award, at Peabody City Hall Tuesday night.
Peter J. Gomes Service Award was created in 2016 by Moulton to honor his late mentor, Reverend Professor Peter J. Gomes, by recognizing constituents for their service and community contributions.
Gomes was a preacher, teacher, and leader where Moulton went to college and inspired him to join the United States Marine Corps and later join politics, Moulton said.
“He influenced countless students with his wit, his wisdom and his commitment to service. A commitment that he worked hard to instill in all of us,” Moulton said. “I was one of those students, and to this day, he remains the most important mentor I’ve ever had in my life.”
The five nominees for the award are “people who put their neighbors first,” he said.
“Service could take a lot of forms, but at a fundamental level, these honorees tonight are volunteers who are making a difference every single day in the work that they do,” Moulton said.
The five nominees for the 2024 Peter J. Gomes Service Award were Steve Becroft of Salem for his work with Healing Abuse Working for Change (HAWC), which provides access to justice and support for victims of domestic violence; Phil Crawford of Lynnfield for founding and his continued work with A Healthy Lynnfield (AHL), substance abuse prevention community organization; Amanda Gonzalez of Salem for her work coordinating an annual Plummer Youth Promise gift drive for 45 foster children; Sue Hines of Newburyport for her founding and her continued work with the 1st Lt. Derek Hines Soldiers Assistance Fund, which advocates for soldiers and raises money for their families; and Larry O’Keefe of Peabody for his work with the Special Olympics in the community for more than 25 years.
“Many of the honorees have not only strengthened their communities, but have also served to inspire so many others to join them in their service,” Moulton said.
Moulton awarded this year’s Peter J. Gomes Service Award to Becroft for his work with HAWC.
Crawford said shared the growth of AHL since it began in 2017.
Part of AHL’s mission statement is education and awareness, he said. The coalition works with Lynnfield Public Schools and the community to educate and raise awareness with the goal of empowering residents to make their own positive choices everyday
“It sounds like a simple thing. It’s not,” Crawford said. He said the community has worked together with AHL to help it grow and continue to achieve its goal.
O’Keefe said he first became involved with the Special Olympics when he joined his son, who has Down syndrome, at an event.
He and his son worked together to grow the Special Olympics program in Peabody to include golf, powerlifting, flag football, soccer, basketball, and track and field teams, he said. O’Keefe’s other sons and now grandchildren are involved with the program too.
“This is something that I love. It makes me feel good” O’Keefe said.
“We hope to highlight the incredible service that goes on every single day in communities that my team and I are proud to represent,” Moulton said.
