By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — The Select Board unanimously voted on Oct. 14 to present the Daniel Townsend Award for Excellence to a former Finance Committee member who has had a longstanding history of volunteering in town.
The Townsend Award recognizes residents’ volunteerism. The award is named after Daniel Townsend, who perished on April 19, 1775 in the first battle of the Revolutionary War.
Select Board Chair Phil Crawford said four residents nominated three volunteers for the Townsend Award: Former Finance Committee member Jack Moynihan, current Finance Committee member Sarah Kelley and current Veterans Memorial Chair/Recreation Commission member Joe Connell, who also served a term on the Select Board.
Former Select Board member Chris Barrett, who first proposed creating the Townsend Award in 2017, nominated Moynihan for the award. He stated in his nomination letter that Moynihan previously served on the Finance Committee and chaired the Comprehensive Housing and Planning Committee.
“A dedicated and lifelong resident of Lynnfield, Jack’s contributions to our community span over multiple decades,” stated Barrett in his nomination letter. “He has not only achieved remarkable success in his professional life, but he has consistently given back to the town of Lynnfield in countless ways, embodying the very essence of what it means to be a true community leader.”
Barrett also noted that Moynihan has volunteered for civic organizations such as Lynnfield Rotary and the now defunct Lynnfield Couples Club.
“As the co-owner of Moynihan Lumber, he has been a longtime supporter of local student-athletes, sponsoring and highlighting their achievements on an annual basis,” stated Barrett. “Jack’s dedication to the next generation of Lynnfield residents is a testament to his belief in the importance of community support for our youth.”
Barrett stated that Moynihan has been “a steady and reliable presence in our town, someone who we could always count on to show up and give back.”
“His efforts have played an essential role in the success of Lynnfield, and he has truly been a constant force for good in our community,” stated Barrett.
Barrett concluded his nomination by stating, “Jack Moynihan is the embodiment of what the Daniel Townsend Award for Excellence represents.”
“His leadership, generosity and tireless dedication to the town of Lynnfield make him an ideal candidate for this prestigious honor,” stated Barrett.
Recreation Commission member Crystal Lavino and School Committee Chair Kristen Grieco Elworthy nominated Kelley for the Townsend Award.
“Sarah has become a steady presence in our town —someone who quietly steps forward whenever there is a need and inspires others to do the same,” stated Lavino in her nomination for Kelley. “What stands out most about Sarah is her willingness to roll up her sleeves. She doesn’t look for recognition; instead, she looks for the gaps and fills them.”
Elworthy stated that Kelley “exemplifies the spirit of volunteerism and community leadership honored by the Daniel Townsend Award for Excellence.”
“Through her numerous contributions, she has significantly enhanced the quality of life in Lynnfield and demonstrated her commitment to making Lynnfield the best possible place to live,” stated Elworthy in her nomination for Kelley. “Through her efforts, many initiatives in Lynnfield have grown a wider base of support, and she’s been instrumental in helping engage younger Lynnfield residents in the town’s processes and projects.”
Veterans Memorial Committee member Tom Bogart nominated Connell for the Townsend Award “primarily for his work on Lynnfield’s new Veterans Memorial.”
“Mr. Connell was the driving force behind the Veterans Memorial, which was dedicated on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, 2024,” stated Bogart in his nomination. “After many years of tenacious effort and meticulous planning, our new Veterans Memorial finally came to fruition. Joe was the catalyst of the committee that was tasked with building the project by Lynnfield’s Select Board. He was the heart and soul as well as the brains behind the effort that produced this magnificent memorial.”
Bogart also praised Connell’s work on the Select Board, the Strategic Planning Committee and the Recreation Commission.
“Joe’s selfless work was nothing short of inspiring,” stated Bogart. “He is a force multiplier who is a one-man army. He is a tremendous leader.”
Crawford said he views the Townsend Award as a “lifetime achievement type of award for people who have given their all, volunteered and stepped up above and beyond to benefit the town.”
“Some of the prior winners have been some of our most well-known residents,” said Crawford. “This is a nice award that we came up with eight years ago.”
Crawford expressed his support for presenting Moynihan with the Townsend Award.
“Jack has been a tremendous asset to the town,” said Crawford. “He was on the Finance Committee. You can’t say enough about Jack.”
Crawford said Connell and Kelley “have done a lot for the town in more recent years.”
“Joe does a tremendous amount of work around the town as a volunteer,” said Crawford. “Sarah has done a lot of work with the schools and has been on several boards herself. Everyone has done a lot for the town. Even though I admire what Joe and Sarah do, they haven’t nearly had the time and experience that would warrant a Townsend Award. We look for people who have done decades of contributions, although not everyone awarded has done that. I think Jack Moynihan really does personify what the award is about. I would recommend Jack Moynihan for the award this year.”
Select Board Vice Chair Alexis Leahy said Moynihan, Kelley and Connell are “three very different candidates who are making a big impact in a lot of different ways.”
“We have two people who are a little bit more recent, but are making the impact in ways that I know are not always recognized,” said Leahy. “I was very much up in the air between Sarah and Jack. I am less familiar with Jack’s contributions and I am much more familiar with Joe and Sarah’s having been in the town 13 or 14 years. I wouldn’t want either of them to think theirs was overlooked because of their more recent impact.”
Select Board member Dick Dalton said he understood Leahy’s viewpoint. He recalled that late Selectman Bob Weiss received the Townsend Award posthumously.
“Probably 90 percent of the people in town don’t remember who Bob Weiss was,” said Dalton. “He founded L.I.F.E. (Lynnfield Initiatives for Elders, Inc.). That is something that actually brought national attention to Lynnfield for that accomplishment. There are individuals like that who have had a lifetime of service. With Sarah and Joe in the last 10 years, they have been outstanding. There is no taking away from that, but I lean towards the people who I don’t want forgotten. In Jack’s case, it has been 50 years of him being a model citizen. His wife Hilda is the same. She is always by his side. They do things and they never seek any publicity. They do so much good over the course of the year. Jack is involved in Rotary and is a driving force behind so many of the good things that Rotary does. You can see why he is the CEO/owner of a very successful business because when he puts his mind to something, he just gets a lot done and does it right. I have the greatest respect for Jack.”
Dalton said he “looked up to” Moynihan and was impressed with his leadership when he first moved to Lynnfield.
“Jack was right up there with the Dave Drislanes and the John Smiths and the people who have won this award,” said Dalton. “He was a counterpart to them. I am going to cast my vote for Jack.”
Leahy said she did “thoroughly enjoy reading about (Moynihan’s) efforts with the Partridge Island project.”
“When you talk about a lasting impact, that is something that is very relevant,” said Leahy.
Crawford concurred with Crawford’s viewpoint.
“Jack is very quiet,” said Crawford. “He doesn’t look for any notoriety. I think he does a wonderful job with everything he does. He runs a lot of these things and becomes the chairman. He is very behind the scenes otherwise.”
After the discussion, the Select Board unanimously voted to present Moynihan with the 2025 Daniel Townsend Award for Excellence.
Moynihan thanked the Select Board for naming him as the 2025 Townsend Award recipient in an email sent to the Villager.
“When retired Assistant Town Administrator Bob Curtin notified me of the Select Board’s decision to be named this year’s Townsend Award recipient, I responded by saying: ‘Thank, you, I am humbled to be recognized for this year’s Townsend Award. To join such a distinguished group of past recipients, many I looked on as mentors as well as friends, is an honor that I cherish.’”
Moynihan added: “My service to the town brought me in contact with some of the finest people I have ever had the privilege of knowing or working with. That alone made me realize that I received much more than I was ever asked to give.”