THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2020 Testing Item Santa 1,2,3 ... lights up (and not many hope more in Lynn) By Elyse Carmosino By Thor Jourgensen ITEM STAFF ITEM STAFF LYNN — A modest line of cars celebrat- For many, the Christmas ed the grand opening of Lynn’s new Ex- season is the most won- press Testing Site Wednesday, as the city derful time of the year, became one of just four Massachusetts with holiday music play- communities to host a state-funded Ex- ing on the radio, and shar- press COVID-19 Test Site. ing time with family and Located at the Blossom Street Extension friends. parking lot — also known as the Lynn Fer- It’s also a hectic time of ry Terminal — the Stop the Spread drive- the year — even with the through facility will remain open through pandemic shifting shop- at least March 31 and is run by Project ping to online orders. Beacon, a company that specializes in As frustrating as those high-volume, appointment-only testing. staples of the holiday Although meant to replace two of Lynn’s season may be, they are free testing locations, Mayor Thomas M. merely blips on the radar, McGee said the site, which is open to all something that at the end Massachusetts residents, will actually ex- of the day is hardly worth pand Lynn’s testing capacity with the goal losing any sleep over, of performing up to 2,000 tests a day once when compared to the struggles and fears facing the site reaches full capacity in early Jan- the most needy among us. uary — a number McGee estimates will be Item Santa is intent on ITEM PHOTO | OLIVIA FALCIGNO nearly double the amount currently ad- ministered in the city daily. providing the help needed The Lynn Ferry testing site sees very few cars on Wednesday afternoon in to ease a single mother’s Lynn. TESTING, A3 worries and bring happi- ness and smiles to the sea- son. This is your chance as Item Santa wraps up the 2020 season to send your Health Center administers donation and to help Item Santa lend a helping hand to people who are strug- rst round of Moderna gling. By Guthrie Scrimgeour was authorized for use by the United Every donation counts ITEM STAFF States last Friday, after it was shown and every contribution to to be effective at preventing the vi- Item Santa lights a can- The shot took less than ve sec- rus in a study of 30,000 volunteers dle of hope for someone onds to administer, but it will save aged 18 and older. It also strongly facing economic hardship, Anna Perez from months of stress protected older adults, who are most as well as medical, mental and worry. vulnerable. health, addiction or family Perez, a dentist at the Lynn Com- It differs from the P zer vaccine challenges. munity Health Center, was the rst which was also recently released in A single mother of two, person in Lynn to receive the new that it doesn’t need to be stored at who reached out to Item Moderna vaccine, which has been ultra-frozen temperatures. Santa, is struggling to shown to be 94 percent effective at even buy a Christmas “We just decided that P zer was preventing COVID-19. too complicated,” said Kiame Mah- tree. She works part time “You know, I didn’t feel a thing,” she and has to pay bills while aniah, the LCHC Chief Executive said. “But my arm feels very good, Of cer. “The Moderna vaccine was trying to set aside a lit- and I feel comfortable. I didn’t know ITEM PHOTO | OLIVIA FALCIGNO tle money to buy gifts for more user-friendly.” I was going to be the rst person. I The Lynn Community Health Center started vac- her children. Her nances LCHC received its rst round of have no words to say how much I ap- mean spending a lot on vaccines Tuesday. Geoff Pechinsky, cinating its employees on Wednesday afternoon in her kids during the holi- preciate the opportunity.” Lynn. From left, LCHC nurse Francisco Espinal gets days is not an option. The two-dose Moderna vaccine MODERNA, A3 vaccinated by LCHC nurse practitioner Marita Gove. “I feel less than a moth- er,” she writes. “I feel like I failed my children. I just want Christmas to come Lynn eld Library helping those with dementia Tillie’s and go.” No one should have to By Anne Marie Tobin ing on “how to better serve our pa- at the Lynnfield Public Library family write or say those words ITEM STAFF trons who live with various forms want to do our best to help every- at any time of year, es- of dementia such as Alzheimer’s. one access valuable resources in LYNNFIELD — The Lynn eld pecially during a season “I’ve started working this past Massachusetts.” grows in meant for celebrating joy. Library is closing out 2020 with Porter said she began her re- several new programs, expanded year on something that is very Even the slightest do- important, making the Lynn- search at the Public Library Asso- nation to Item Santa can Front Door Service Hours and an Peabody field Public Library a demen- ciation Conference in February of help bring that hope to a announcement that the library is tia-friendly library,” Porter said. 2019. Recently, she attended the family or individual strug- working toward the creation of a Dementia Friends Symposium, By Alex Ross “More than five million Ameri- gling to make ends meet. “dementia-friendly” library. “Let’s Talk about Dementia and FOR THE ITEM Assistant Director Abby Porter cans and 50 million people world- HOPE, A3 said she has been attending train- wide live with dementia and we LYNNFIELD, A2 PEABODY— Billy Murphy’s rst child, a daughter named Mad- From left, Laura ison, was born last In Swampscott, it’s Spathanas and month, eight weeks Diane O’Brien early. She’s in great from the Anchor health, but Murphy Stop & Shop & donate Food Pantry; has been splitting his and Stop & Shop time between the hos- By Elyse Carmosino representatives announced the store associate pital where the baby is ITEM STAFF grocery store chain donated Rhonda Barker, (Maddie doesn’t want $2,000 to Anchor Food Pantry manager Andrew to come home until her SWAMPSCOTT — The Mar- — also based in Swampscott — Ziner, and store nursery is fully painted blehead and Anchor Food to help the organization pur- associate Alana “blush pink,” he jokes) Pantries have something to chase products and gift cards Gray. and Tillie’s Farm, celebrate this holiday season for its Winter Gift Bag distri- where he’s worked thanks to generous employees bution, while the Marblehead since he was 14. at Swampscott’s Stop & Shop. On Tuesday, Stop & Shop SWAMPSCOTT, A2 TILLIE’S, A5 Opinion First, we stop the dying. A4 STOP THE SPREAD. FOLLOW THE RULES. LOOK! North Shore philanthropists STAY WEAR A MASK NO MORE THAN WASH YOUR HANDS make the holidays a little brighter for Northeast Arc professionals. A8 Sports Marblehead girls hockey on FEET APART IN AN INDOOR10 GATHERING pause after positive COVID test. B1 OBITUARIES ..............................A2 LOOK! .......................................A8 DIVERSIONS .............................B5 HIGH 51° VOL. 142, ISSUE 15 OPINION ...................................A4 SPORTS ................................ B1-2 CLASSIFIED ...............................B6 LOW 49° POLICE/FIRE .............................A5 COMICS ....................................B4 BUSINESS ................................B8 PAGE A8 $1.50 A2 THE DAILY ITEM THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2020 OBITUARIES Mary T. Randazzo, 101 Lynnfield Library is helping PEABODY - Mary Theresa (Cutrone) Randazzo, age 101 of Peabody, who formerly was a those with dementia longtime resident of Lynnfield, died peacefully on Sunday De- LYNNFIELD cember 20, 2020. She was From A1 the wife of the late Walter Ran- Culture,” which Porter dazzo and had a second mar- described as eye-open- riage to the deceased Francis ing. Carroll. The event was spon- Born in Boston and raised in sored by Dementia Medford, she was the daughter Friends Massachusetts of the late Joseph and Linda (DFM), a Dementia (Pesatore) Cutrone. She at- Friendly America initia- tended Medford Schools. tive. Porter advises pa- Mary was a loving, devoted, trons to take a DFM one- and generous wife, mother, hour training session grandmother and great grand- to become a Dementia mother and everything she did Friend. Participants will was for her family. limine Funeral Home, 426 learn five key messages She is survived by 3 sons; Broadway (Rte. 129), Lynn about dementia and a John Richard Randazzo and his followed by a funeral mass bit about what it’s like wife, Leslie of Englewood, Flori- at 11:00am at Our Lady of to live with the condi- da, Ronald Walter Randazzo of the Assumption Church, Lyn- tion, to help turn a new Pelham, NH, and Robert An- nfield. Burial will follow in understanding of demen- thony Randazzo and his wife, Willow Cemetery, Lynnfield. tia into practical action Jody of Salem, MA, a daugh- Due to current COVID-19 that can help someone ter, Denise M. Carroll and her restrictions services will be with dementia living in husband, Thomas of Lynnfield, private. In lieu of flowers, the community. To learn and many grandchildren, great donations may be made to more or sign up for a grandchildren, nieces and Care Dimensions, 75 Sylvan training session, visit nephews. She was also the St., Suite B-102, Danvers, https://dementiafriends- sister of the late Peter, Arthur, MA 01923. Directions and ma.org/. Pat Cutrone, Anna Laurentano guestbook at www.solimine. Porter also said “Memo- and Lena Petrone. com ry Cafes” are great events Service Information: Her for those suffering from ITEM PHOTO | ANNE MARIE TOBIN funeral will be held on Tues- dementia to connect with day December 29, 2020 from Several new programs are being introduced at the Lynnfield Library caregivers, friends and in order to create a “dementia-friendly” space.