Winthrop Showed Up for Pride
Dear Editor,
The Winthrop Community had a very successful 2023 LGBTQ+ Pride month. By and large, we are making significant strides in working towards inclusion. There is much work to do, but progress and change are well underway. My husband and I started the Winthrop LGBTQ Pride + group in 2021 as a vehicle in which to create unity and support for LGBTQ residents and allies alike. It has been something for which we are incredibly grateful and proud of.
Winthrop’s Commission for Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Relations (CDICR) is an integral part of our community’s fabric and can serve as both a strong voice and leader on issues pertaining to racial, social justice, diversity and equality. It has the ability to position itself on the forefront and it should. Many towns and cities around Winthrop have vital Human Rights Coalitions and they are doing incredible things in their communities, and they are successful.
We would like to publicly acknowledge Winthrop Town Manager Anthony Marino, Senator Lydia Edwards, the Winthrop Town Council and of course, the many amazing residents throughout the community who advocate for social justice and unity, and celebrate our diversity. Senator Edwards was the catalyst behind the Pride Potluck event, which was amazing and in its second year. The Winthrop LGBTQ Pride group and Bike Winthrop teamed up to create the very first “Pride Ride†for our community. Big thanks goes to Winthrop resident Tara Streetman for initiating the idea for the Pride Ride and the folks at Bike Winthrop: Julia Wallerce, Bob Carroll, Janet Langley, Chris Aiello, Sarah Jane Fourness, Kim Witthaus and other members of Bike Winthrop for helping to make the Pride Ride happen.
Town Manager Marino and the Winthrop Town Council were instrumental in ensuring a Pride flag would be flown and proudly displayed in accordance with the newly created flag ordinance. And once again, overwhelming support came from Senator Lydia Edwards.
Additional thanks goes to the Winthrop Police Department (Terry Delehanty and John Goodwin) for providing us with police escorts to ensure our safety during the two-mile Pride Ride. We had a great time and look forward to next year’s ride, which we hope to make even bigger and better.
Winthrop is a community full of wonderful people with kind and caring hearts. That kindness and commitment to celebrating our diversity has never shined so bright!
Happy Pride and Many Thanks,
Scott Mahoney-Wright
Fred Wright
Winthrop LGBTQ Pride +
Thank You Winthrop
Dear Editor,
My family and I continue to be overwhelmed by the support the town has shown our family. We lost our dearest Thomas last July 13, just two days after his nineteenth birthday. Thomas struggled with mental health issues for most of his adolescence. There were surely many bright spots in his life and he was doing well right up to his sudden passing, which made his loss devastating for us and for all those that knew him.
From the lowest of lows, our family has regained some sense of stability as we move forward. Every day remains a battle as we continue to mourn Thomas and consider what might have been. Despite our tremendous grief, there has been one consistent bright spot since the day Thomas passed, and that’s the love and support not only from those closest to us, but also from acquaintances and even strangers. Trust us when we tell you that any negative connotations associated with living in a small town pale in comparison to the love and support we received then and continue to feel daily.
The Winthrop Police and Fire departments did anything they could to help us navigate this tragedy and did so with compassion. The packed church on the day of the funeral consisted of many friends, but also included many folks we didn’t know but consider friends now. The safety net that the Winthrop Public School system has provided Thomas’ brother Teddy has been essential in Teddy’s educational progress in a time of despair. The high school athletic teams that teddy was once a part of continue to be a backbone for Teddy as he moves forward.
An additional bright spot to emerge from our family’s tragedy has been the Thomas W. Bailey Hope Foundation. This is a foundation that family and friends created to keep the memory of Thomas alive. The mission of the Foundation is to provide a scholarship to any student that has been affected by mental health issues in their young lives. There were many worthy applicants, and we would have given them all a scholarship if we could have. The hope is that the scholarships that are awarded allow these students to pursue higher education and perhaps contribute, alongside the foundation, to help address the mental health issues that impact our children and the larger community in the future.
On Saturday, June 24, we held a fundraiser for the foundation at the Winthrop Golf Club. Beth, Teddy, and I agreed to this reluctantly, at the urging of my longtime friend Chris Shea. Chris had the vision and drive to put together what must be considered a truly successful event, on many levels. We raised awareness of the foundation, we generated funds for the foundation to continue to give out scholarships in the years to come, and despite the solemn purpose, we provided an atmosphere where laughter was heard from the first tee shot at 7:00 a.m. until the Beatles cover band faded out on Hey Jude at 11:00 p.m. Thanks Chris, we couldn’t have done this without your passion and vision.
There were many volunteers and donors that are too numerous to mention individually here – family, friends, and businesses. Stop me on the street some day and I’ll be happy to list them all, although, none of the names would be a surprise to longtime members of this community. They are the usual folks that rise to the occasion whenever called. I do need to mention the significant donation the Gene Distasio Scholarship has made to our foundation. The Distasio Scholarship was funded by the Oceanside Big Band and Jazz Fest that was directed by the Roy family over many years. Like our fundraiser last week, the funds raised there were from the community at an event where laughter and music were paramount. That donation helped us establish an early foothold and allowed us the opportunity to offer up a significant scholarship this past May. Special thanks go to the Distasio and Roy families. We can’t thank you enough.
So, as I wipe another tear from my eye while considering all that has happened since last July 13, Beth, Teddy, and I would like to again offer a heartfelt Thank You to this town for all you have done for us. At this point, all we can do is try to give back to the community that has given us so much already. If this past weekend is any indication, we are in good hands.
And please remember to hug the ones you love and when you do, try to remember Thomas smile for those of you that were familiar with it.
Thank you, Winthrop, you should be proud of yourself.
If you would like to contribute to the Thomas W Bailey Hope Foundation Inc. you can Venmo @twbhope
Tom, Beth & Teddy