Grady Saves Brother Virgil's Life

Performs CPR after kitten collapse

A Man For All Seasons

Dickie Donnelly (L) with coworker Steve Collins on Donnelly's last day

Richard Donnelly retires from The United States Postal Service

(Tribute I wrote to my good friend Dickie Donnelly as it appeared in The Arlington Advocate November 25, 2009)

Arlington, Mass. - You may have seen him on a summer afternoon pulling letters from the collection boxes on Court Street.

Or maybe he helped you carry that over-sized Christmas parcel to your car one icy December day. Perhaps he met you at the loading dock to assist with those heavy boxes as you sent your sons and daughters off to college in the fall, then welcomed them home in the spring.

Whatever the occasion or season, if you lived in Arlington during the past 20-plus years, you can bet Richard "Dickie" Donnelly has helped you connect with the people you love; helped you say hello and goodbye, collect and pay bills, and return things you never ordered.

And now, after almost 40 years as a mail handler, Donnelly is retiring from the United States Postal Service.

Donnelly began his career at Boston’s South Postal Annex in 1970, back when the cost of mailing a first-class letter was 10 cents. A dedicated employee, he showed his devotion during the Blizzard of ‘78; as snow piled up outside, and coworkers fled the city, Donnelly finished his shift before catching one of the last trains out, hiking the final leg home in a gale-force whiteout.

In 1988, Donnelly transferred to Arlington where he continued to perform his job at a high level. Distinguished by steady attendance and a team-first attitude, his is a record to be proud of. But there was more to Donnelly than reliability and production.

Every workplace has its go-to person. At the Arlington Post Office, that person was Donnelly. Lose your car keys? Donnelly will help find them. Need an up-to-date weather report? See Donnelly. Need to know if one of your coworkers is in today? Just ask Donnelly, he’ll tell you. With his kind heart and gentle nature, Donnelly was a friend to all who worked with him.

A popular employee is hard to replace, and after several failed attempts by coworkers to get Donnelly to change his mind, it became painfully clear that Richard Donnelly was no Brett Favre. His decision was final. He was retiring. But it gives those who worked with him great comfort to know he will still be out in the community performing his duties as a member and volunteer fundraiser for The Arlington Association of Retarded Citizens and The Arlington Food Pantry. He also plans to improve upon his already impressive bowling game and continue his regular workouts at Fitness First.

So remember, good citizens of Arlington, while you’re putting up those Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and birthday cards you display around the house throughout the year, chances are, Donnelly had a hand in delivering them to you.

And if you happen to see him as he runs his various errands around town, don’t hesitate to say "thanks" because, although he may seem shy at first, you just might end up making a new friend.

And take it from the people who know him best — his former coworkers — Dickie Donnelly is a friend worth having.

http://www.wickedlocal.com/arlington/news/lifestyle/x1682937998/A-man-for-all-seasons-Richard-Donnelly-retires-from-the-United-States-Postal-Service

A little publicity....

Stoneham writer contributes to book on ‘The Boss’

The Stoneham Sun

November 11 2009

By Vladimir Shvorin/Correspondent

Stoneham - Jeff Blout of Stoneham has been listening to Bruce Springsteen since he was a 13-year-old begging his parents to attend a show. Though he didn’t see “The Boss” that night, he made it to many other concerts, and his loyalty, along with his writing, has been showcased in a new book about Springsteen titled “The Light in Darkness.”

“When I first heard about the book, I was unsure on what I was going to write about,” explained Blout. “My parents didn’t let me go to the concert because I was too young. And that’s exactly what I decided to write about because it was a unique angle. At the time, I was just living vicariously and longing to see Springsteen.”

Focusing on the 1978 “Darkness on the Edge of Town” album and tour, the new book from Lawrence Kirsch Communications includes 200 fan photos, original stories and firsthand accounts. All of the content was produced and penned by Springsteen’s followers, leaving no doubt as to how the idea behind the book came about.

“I wanted this book to serve as a souvenir of sorts because of all of the fantastic [Springsteen] concerts and records that I’ve experienced,” explained Lawrence Kirsch, the book’s publisher. “After about 30 years of seeing shows and meeting unbelievable fans in many different cities, I felt that we needed a touchstone so we can say, ‘This is what Bruce does for us, this is what he stands for and this is what he’s all about.’ And it all began when I requested fans to submit their stories for the book.”

For the uninitiated, Bruce Springsteen’s cult-like following may seem startling. His loyal fans, who have been following him across the country since he began touring decades ago, are equally loyal to each other as they are to Springsteen. According to Kirsch, that weighed heavily on his decision to compile “The Light in Darkness.”

“This book was a very community-minded project,” said Kirsch. “I tried to get as many people involved with it as possible. I received many submissions, but we couldn’t publish them all. My feeling is that, every one of the stories that we published was representative of many peoples’ experiences. I questioned whether I’d be able to do a book like this about any other musician or brand of music.”

Blout, who also had an article published in Newsweek magazine, was eager to participate in a project so close to his heart. The rest of the experience, he told, was made simple by Kirsch.

“This is the first story on Springsteen that I’ve ever submitted anywhere,” he said. “Working with Lawrence was a pleasure. I got in touch with Lawrence through [a mutual friend] who’s been to more than 150 shows. And he’s known Lawrence for years. After introducing me, Lawrence let me circumvent the online submission form and make my entry as long as I wanted. The experience was fantastic. It was seamless to work with Lawrence.”

As for a future collaboration, Kirsch and Blout both seem to agree that a fan’s work is never done.

“I’m sure Lawrence has something cooking,” Blout said. “But I’m sure he’s also busy promoting this book right now.”

http://www.wickedlocal.com/stoneham/fun/entertainment/x809130174/Stoneham-writer-contributes-to-book-on-The-Boss

My New Friends

Meet Grady (left) and Virgil