MELROSE –– The Melrose Alliance Against Violence (MAAV) would like to thank everyone who came out to join us for the 8th annual White Ribbon Day Ceremony. The event, held on Friday, March 7 at Melrose City Hall, called upon people of all ages to stand up and speak out against gender-based domestic and relationship violence.
Melrose High School guidance counselor and MAAV Student Action Board advisor, Joe Parrillo, began the ceremony by welcoming the crowd and spoke of his students’ dedication to being part of the solution as he introduced MHS senior Sid McQuaid and MHS Junior Sidney Trzepacz who led the crowd in taking the White Ribbon Day pledge, a call to unity to do our part to end gender-based violence.
MAAV Board of Directors President, Joe Guarino then welcomed MVMMS Wellness teacher and MHS coach Paul Capaldo, who in his role at the middle school, has become a community partner and advocate of MAAV’s work. In particular, he helps to bring our Healthy Relationship programming to the 8th grade each year. Paul briefly shared some thoughts on his work with the students and paid tribute to the memory of his friend and MAAV champion, Joan Bell.
Former MAAV Board member Charlie Melia finished the ceremony by thanking all those whose participation contributed to the success of the event as well as thanked Mayor Jen Grigoraitis, District Attorney Marian Ryan, Representative Kate Lipper-Garbedian, and Police Chief Kevin Faller for their attendance and continued support.
High winds forced the ceremony to move inside so following the closing, MHS Band drummers, Malcolm Dillon and Eoin Godfrey led the crowd out to the flagpole for the raising of the White Ribbon Day flag by Student Action Board member Maddie Bolduc.
Organizers would like to offer a special thank you to Mayor Jen Grigoraitis and her team for their continuous support of this event and for offering a citation from the City commemorating MAAV’s 30th anniversary during the ceremony.
Additionally, they thank the MPS Staff for their participation and extend a special thank you to Raj Das of ED Photography and MMTV for respectively capturing great images of the day.
For more information about MAAV, visit www.maav.org or contact MAAV at 781-662-2010 or info@maav.org.
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The mission of the Melrose Alliance Against Violence is to raise community awareness of domestic and teen dating violence and to promote programs that work to reduce violence and encourage healthy relationships. MAAV programs include community awareness activities, education, and prevention programs in the schools, including mentoring and peer leadership programs, as well as information, support, resources, and referral services for victims, family members, and the community at large.