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Honoring Community Change-makers
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Greetings!
On Thanksgiving, we will gather with friends and family to celebrate and reflect on what we are thankful for. This year, the Lenny Zakim Fund is thankful for our community leaders and change makers, who over the year have worked tirelessly to create equity and provide opportunity in their communities.
We express our gratitude for leaders like Dominic Avellani, founder of the Community Educational Center of the North End and East Boston. His life's work was to insure the principles of the American dream were available to tens of thousands of new Americans. And for Mayor Menino - who, as a dedicated and inspired leader, transformed Boston into an inclusive city and welcomed the voices of all.
We pay tribute to memories of Domenic Avellani and Mayor Menino; they are deeply missed, but their legacies, like that of Lenny Zakim, live on. Thanks to each and everyone for all that you do and for your generous support.
Warmest regards,
Susan Rothman, Board Chair
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Remembering a Community Hero
Dominic Avellani was a force of nature - his personality, his passion and his commitment were all larger than life. He founded and served as the Executive Director of the Community Educational Center of the North End and East Boston, an institution in his neighborhood. His programs, he bragged, were, and would always be, community supported - never receiving any government money and tens of thousands of new Americans learned English, prepared for citizenship, GEDs and vocational exams at his East Boston Center.
The recipient of the very first Lenny Zakim Fund grant. Dominic and Lenny had a very special relationship and the Center named a classroom in Lenny's honor. Lenny Zakim Fund staff, board member and volunteers attended the dedication of the Lenny Zakim classroom and were frequent guests at his graduation - wonderfully happy events, that frequently involved invitations for impromptu speeches. His importance to the Fund and the lives he touched cannot be summed up any better than how founding Board Member Rob Sherman eulogized him -- "Dominic-and his legacy-will forever be bound up with the LZF. Our first grantee - and the best example I could ever imagine of the kind of person and organization that we would want to support. He was a treasure and a life force."
We are forever grateful to have been his partner. Thank you, Dominic and the Avellani family.
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Moving Forward in Sync
LZF Celebrates Its Fall Institute!
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Board Institute Chair Elaine Sager kicks off the Institute
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On Thursday November 6th, seventy-eight representatives from fifty-two Lenny Zakim Fund Grantee organizations gathered to learn how to move their organizations forward in sync.
The Fall Institute, a unique learning opportunity offered to grantees and members of the LZF community, was lead by Reid Fishman, the President of Connective Strategies, and Dr. Michael Maginn, president of Singularity Group, Inc. Through the hard work of the Institute Committee and the commitment of donors like you, the gathering proceeded, inspired by the theme; "You and Your Organization: Moving Forward in Sync".
The session focused on avoiding burnout, managing stress, and providing nonprofit leaders with tools to manage people better. One attendee remarked "Inspirational. Educational.", commenting further "presented in a way for us to implement what we've learned". Attendees applied what they learned in discussions with their peers following skits, creative problem solving, and small group activities facilitated by Mike and Reid.
Among this collection of professionals in the non-profit field, networking and collective problem solving were incredible bonus outcomes of this event. One attendee commented on this, summing up the experience well in saying "[I'm] inspired by the wealth of experience and leadership in the room".
Thank you and the Sager Family Foundation for making the Institutes, and all other technical assistance for our grantees, possible. A special thank you to Hat Trick Photography for documenting the event so beautifully.
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Honoring a Great Boston Leader
The Lenny Zakim Fund joins everyone in mourning and honoring Tom Menino. Mayor Menino was no stranger to the Lenny Zakim Fund and our programs. Speaking at an Institute, he had this to say about Lenny -- "Lenny was able to build bridges to the diverse communities this city and these bridges are stronger today than ever before."
Whether the issue was summer jobs for youth, stopping illegal guns, neighborhood revitalization, homelessness or homophobia, Tom Menino was always on the frontline with Boston's community organizations and citizens confronting injustice and social and economic inequity. Our gratitude and admiration go to Mayor Menino for his work and his legacy. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family. To watch the video of Mayor Menino speaking at one of our Institutes, please follow this link.
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Running the 2015 Boston Marathon for Team LZF
Pam Sargent shares in her own words why she's running the Boston Marathon a second time for The Lenny Zakim Fund.
 Having served as a body and lifestyle transformation specialist and personal trainer for the past three years, I understand the importance of fitness and training required to reach one's athletic goals. Shortly after taking on the General Manager position at The Place in Boston, I was asked if I wanted to run in the 2014 Boston Marathon through the Lenny Zakim Fund. I jumped at the chance to part take in which would surely be one of the most amazing events in sports history for the city of Boston.
After signing up, I knew I had my work cut out for me. The training and fundraising were equally as grueling, and through the help of friends, family (and many people who I didn't even know) I exceeded my fundraising goal and was able to get myself over that finish line!
This year, I was asked to be a part of team LZF for the second year in a row and I couldn't be more honored. The Lenny Zakim Fund is an amazing charity and I look forward to fundraising and representing for this great cause- "making a difference, one person at a time".
This year, Pam will be one of three LZF runners. If you're interested in running for Team LZF, please visit the link below. Please support Pam's run at this link.
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Interested in running?
LZF have one more bib!
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Shout Outs and Congratulations!
LZF Grantees and Community Members do some pretty amazing things. Check out some of the highlights below!
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Support LZF through Amazon Smile while you shop for the holidays!
 Did you know that you can support The Lenny Zakim Fund when you shop? With Amazon Smile, Amazon will donate .5% of your purchase to a charity of your choice. To designate LZF as the recipient of your Amazon Smile purchases follow these easy directions: - Visit smile.amazon.com and log in with your regular Amazon account information. If you don't have an account, follow the directions to create an account.
- It will then prompt you to select a charity of your choice. Simply search for The Lenny Zakim Fund and voila!
- Start shopping!
Remember to always use Amazon Smile for your Amazon shopping needs and support LZF! |
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PS--This email has been sent to a general list. Apologies if this does not apply to you.
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