Each year, the Danvers Committee on Diversity honors several individuals in the community on the celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday who best exemplify Dr. King's philosophy of a deep commitment to social justice and willingness to take a leadership role in advancing racial, religious and social tolerance.
On Monday, Jan. 20, the committee will once again sponsor the Dr. Martin Luther King Awards Dinner at the Danversport Yacht Club beginning at 5:30 p.m. where the following people will be named Drum Majors for Justice: Rabbi Emily Mathis, retired Danvers police Lt. Carole Germano and Donald Preston, activist for Habitat for Humanity.
Rabbi Emily Mathis
Rabbi Emily Mathis brought her goals of bettering the environment, working for social justice and strengthening the community to the pulpit of Temple Beth Shalom, the Reform congregation in Peabody almost five years ago.
The Reform tradition, to which she subscribes, emphasizes that we are all responsible for repairing the world, in Hebrew, Tikkun Olam. For Reform Jews, Tikkun Olam is not is not a suggestion but a mandate.
"I've always been interested in finding ways to strengthen the social fabric," Mathis said. "I've always been interested in being part of the community."
Rabbi Mathis believes strongly in the power of individuals working together as a team. She is an active member of the Peabody clergy and is involved in many philanthropic endeavors on the North Shore.
One of her goals as rabbi of the temple has been to provide more adult education, further foster civic mindedness and build relationships within the local and broader community.
"Judaism is a way to involve people working together," she said, adding she tries to provide opportunities for people to be engaged in what is meaningful to them. "I want people to sing during Shabbat (Sabbath) services. I want the temple to be warm and welcoming. I want to always be available to people."
Mathis, a proud fifth-generation St. Louisian, grew up in a Jewish household. So when she went to Brown, her family assumed she would identify with Hillel, the Jewish organization found on many college campuses.
Mathis, however, was more interested in being involved in urban educational nonprofits, in childhood and family literacy, and in improving the environment, all of which she began while in high school. There she had been involved in a program that brought city kids and suburban kids together. She even envisioned herself as an inner city school principal helping the under privileged, undereducated and underserved population.
Each year, the Danvers Committee on Diversity honors several individuals in the community on the celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday who best exemplify Dr. King's philosophy of a deep commitment to social justice and willingness to take a leadership role in advancing racial, religious and social tolerance.
On Monday, Jan. 20, the committee will once again sponsor the Dr. Martin Luther King Awards Dinner at the Danversport Yacht Club beginning at 5:30 p.m. where the following people will be named Drum Majors for Justice: Rabbi Emily Mathis, retired Danvers police Lt. Carole Germano and Donald Preston, activist for Habitat for Humanity.
Rabbi Emily Mathis
Rabbi Emily Mathis brought her goals of bettering the environment, working for social justice and strengthening the community to the pulpit of Temple Beth Shalom, the Reform congregation in Peabody almost five years ago.
The Reform tradition, to which she subscribes, emphasizes that we are all responsible for repairing the world, in Hebrew, Tikkun Olam. For Reform Jews, Tikkun Olam is not is not a suggestion but a mandate.
"I've always been interested in finding ways to strengthen the social fabric," Mathis said. "I've always been interested in being part of the community."
Rabbi Mathis believes strongly in the power of individuals working together as a team. She is an active member of the Peabody clergy and is involved in many philanthropic endeavors on the North Shore.
One of her goals as rabbi of the temple has been to provide more adult education, further foster civic mindedness and build relationships within the local and broader community.
"Judaism is a way to involve people working together," she said, adding she tries to provide opportunities for people to be engaged in what is meaningful to them. "I want people to sing during Shabbat (Sabbath) services. I want the temple to be warm and welcoming. I want to always be available to people."
Mathis, a proud fifth-generation St. Louisian, grew up in a Jewish household. So when she went to Brown, her family assumed she would identify with Hillel, the Jewish organization found on many college campuses.
Mathis, however, was more interested in being involved in urban educational nonprofits, in childhood and family literacy, and in improving the environment, all of which she began while in high school. There she had been involved in a program that brought city kids and suburban kids together. She even envisioned herself as an inner city school principal helping the under privileged, undereducated and underserved population.
"I was always interested in being part of the community," said Mathis, who was into natural foods, eco systems and ecology. Brown offered all these things as part of her major in Educational Studies.
"I worked on recycling and composting legislation while I was at Brown," said Mathis, who had grown up with a strong commitment to social justice.
With an open mind and a thirst to learn, Mathis attended Quaker meetings while in college because she found them interesting. And though she initially didn't seek Hillel out, she did meet the rabbi and his family on a different level when she became their trusted baby sitter. For them, Judaism was their way of life and she liked their example.
"It's important to me that there be multiple entries into Jewish life," said Mathis who was also impressed with a new Reform congregation that had opened back in St. Louis, in the heart of the city.
"Central Reform Congregation was committed to social justice and involved in urban issues," she said. "It was openly welcome to gays and lesbians."
Without realizing it, Mathis was experiencing the many parts of Judaism although she wasn't ready to put it together. Then, in Temple Beth El in Sudbury, she discovered something she was lacking, a deep exposure to Torah (Five Books of Moses). It wasn't until she was asked to speak on a panel sponsored by a study group for women at Washington University of St. Louis, that she suddenly realized all her interests would come together if she were the rabbi of a congregation. It would also be a way to combine her love of music with religion. She had studied piano, violin, clarinet and guitar, which she often play during the Sabbath services.
In 2004, at the age of 37, Mathis enrolled in Hebrew College where she graduated in 2009. In addition to her studies in Boston, Rabbi Mathis completed her preliminary rabbinic studies at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in Philadelphia and spent a semester studying at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem. Prior to joining TBS, Rabbi Mathis served as the education director at Tifereth Israel in New Bedford from 1998-2007 and taught both at The Friday School in Providence and Temple Habonim in Barrington, R.I., where she also led a two-year adult bat mitzvah course.
Her 2009 graduation year brought many changes in the new rabbi's life, in addition to the role of rabbi of Temple Beth Shalom. She married her partner, Hali Diecidue, a chaplain at Hebrew Senior Life in Roslindale, and became stepmother to Joita Diecidue. She also had a baby. Nina Diecidue is now 4. Rabbi Mathis made many friends and devotees from the moment she took over the Peabody pulpit so when she was diagnosed with breast cancer after her daughter was born, congregants and other friends took over the meal preparation for her household and even some babysitting.
At a special service honoring Rabbi Mathis and Cantor Jeri Robbins, one of the congregants commented, "There is so much love in this temple. You can feel the love."
Although Rabbi Mathis has done much within the temple community and beyond, she knows there is still more to do.
"This is a tremendous honor but there are people far more deserving who have done more," she said of the Drum Major for Justice award. "I would like to see our congregation building deeper relationships with one another and the broader community."
Carole Germano
From her early days as a reserve police officer in the Danvers Police Department to her retirement in May, Lt. Carole Germano has always been an advocate for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and other sensitive crimes, treating everyone with dignity and respect.
During her criminal justice career, Germano was actively involved in all of the many and varied facets of police work. She established, developed and maintained liaisons with many different types of private and public businesses and organizations to implement community-oriented police objectives. She served as the Diversity Committee liaison, the Jail Diversion Program liaison and the Domestic Violence liaison to the Salem High Risk team, Essex County District Attorney's Office.
"She was always a voice of reason and practicality during discussions," said committee member C.R. Lyons, admiring her contributions to the Diversity Committee. "When she offered an idea or suggestion to improve something, she was personally willing to do the leg work to see that it was completed successfully — such as the addition of student art work to our program."
Germano said she had a passion for law enforcement, even as a young child.
"I always wanted to be a police officer," said the former Danvers cop, who came to the career via a circuitous route. "After graduating from Lynn English High School, I went into the army."
At the end of her active army commitment, when she had risen to the rank of E5 (equivalent to a sergeant), Germano decided to go to Officer's Training School. She then served in the Army Reserves as a lieutenant.
Germano chose to go to Northeastern to study journalism. She also took the police exam and she worked on an ambulance. When a police position opened up before she earned her journalism degree, the then Danvers resident put her journalistic ambitions aside and joined the department. Following a police career path, Germano earned her associate's degree in criminal justice, with academic excellence, from North Shore Community College and continued her education at Salem State while serving as a patrol officer. She was awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice, magna cum laude, before going on to earn a master's degree in criminal justice administration from Western New England College in Springfield. Germano was also an adjunct instructor at NSCC, teaching management and planning and crisis intervention.
After serving as a reserve police officer for two years, Germano was appointed a full-time officer in 1987. She served in that capacity until 1999. In addition to her regular duties, Germano assisted detectives in rape, sexual assault cases and drug investigations. In 2003, she was promoted to detective sergeant, sergeant in 2006 and lieutenant in 2007, a rank she held until her retirement.
Always compassionate, always thorough, Germano also brought an artistic talent to her job. She was trained in Forensic Facial Imaging at the FBI Academy.
The retired officer is proud to have been assigned to work with state and federal agents at Logan Airport following the events of 9/11. Germano said she spent "days and weeks interviewing witnesses and drawing composite sketches."
"These composites assisted federal investigators in identifying the terrorists," she said. "They also helped determine what flight they were on and where they were seated prior to takeoff."
A more pleasant assignment for Carole Germano allowed her to use her artistic skills to design the current patch on Danvers Police uniforms.
Germano has been involved with many community initiatives including the Citizens Police Academy, Danvers Police Explorer's Post, Rape Aggression Defense training, career fairs, lecturing to Women in Transition Groups and lecturing to women's groups on Sexual Assault Awareness.
She has held memberships in the Danvers Police Benevolent Association (where she served as vice president), the Massachusetts Association of Women in Law Enforcement, National Center for Women in Policing, Massachusetts Association of Italian-American Police Officers and the Massachusetts Police Association.
Germano has worked with State Police detectives at the Essex County DA's office on murders and the suspicious Danvers Butchery Fire. She collaborated with the Secret Service on a counterfeiting case and with the Essex County DA's office on the investigation of a serial child molester.
Germano is married to Janis Saulnier, and the couple share their home with their two little white Coton De Tulear dogs.
In nominating Carole Germano as a Drum Major for Justice, C.R. Lyons, referring to the words of Dr. Martin Luther King said, '"If you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice. Say that I was a drum major for peace; I was a drum major for righteousness.' Carole Germano is certainly a drum major — an advocate for justice, peace and righteousness … the ideal recipient for this award."
Donald Preston
Family Promise North Shore Boston opened its headquarters at the Day Center in May 2013 in Beverly as a way to help the ever-increasing number of homeless families in the area. It has been successful in part thanks to people like Don Preston.
Preston's commitment to providing affordable housing goes back to 2000 with his involvement in the all-volunteer grassroots organization known as Beverly Affordable Housing Coalition. Under his leadership, 43 units of affordable housing came about at 325 Cabot St., the city's first "green" residential building. In 2010, the coalition merged with Salem CDC and became North Shore Community Development Coalition.
In 2002, Preston took on the role of president of Habitat for Humanity North Shore. According to Jackie McKenna of the BAHC, who provided information on Preston, Habitat for Humanity recently completed a duplex in Danvers and will be starting a reconstruction of a three-family house in Lynn.
"We have now built 26 homes in our service area and 27 homes in our partner affiliate in Zambia. Don is now looking at Gloucester and Rowley for our next projects," she said.
In 2010, when a fire struck at a facility in Beverly, leaving many victims in its wake, it was Preston who organized a fundraiser for the victims.
Preston was recognized for all his volunteer initiatives on the local and state level "to secure funding for the rehabilitation and building of affordable low to mid-income housing in the city of Beverly and the North Shore" with the 2011 Community Police Partnership award. The reason: "Through improved quality of housing and social services coordinated with the Beverly YMCA, the quality of life in this neighborhood has changed dramatically leading to more secure and safe neighborhoods for all of us. In addition, as the current president of Habitat for Humanity North Shore, Donald has been recognized as a leader in promoting home ownership and strong neighborhoods on the North Shore."
In July 2012, Preston spoke to the Beverly Citizen, Wicked Local sister paper to the Danvers Herald, about a new concept and new program called Family Promise North Shore Boston, headquartered at a Day Center near the Beverly Depot. The idea was to bring local faith communities together to address the rapidly growing problem of homelessness on the North Shore. It held its kick-off fundraiser at Chianti in Beverly. The idea was to have houses of worship provide shelter for families. At the same time, volunteers would work on helping them find more permanent housing, a job and other services.
"It's not a solution, but one more tool to help address the growing homelessness issues," said Preston. "From Rowley down to Lynn, every shelter bed is full. Close to 90 families a week find themselves at the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance in need of services."
The program, he explained, depended on assistance from churches, temples and other houses of worship.
"The family is interviewed and brought to the congregation host of the week to stay for the night," Preston said. "Each week a different house of worship serves as the host."
The idea, he said, was to house homeless families while case workers help stabilize them and get them back into permanent housing and provide them with job skills so they will be able to get a job and be back on their feet.
The program opened its doors on May 12, 2013. Preston serves as a board member and one of the founders. The interfaith coalition has congregation participation in Beverly, Danvers, Essex, Gloucester, Hamilton, Ipswich, Lynn, Saugus, Rowley and several other communities on the North Shore.
In addition to all his work with the homeless, many people also know Preston as the co-owner of Casa De Moda with his wife, Janice.
For his concern for others, for his attempts to better the world for so many people, for helping to feed and house the homeless, Don Preston is certainly a deserving Drum Major for Justice.
MLK Dinner
Danvers High School Chamber Singers under the direction of Alex Grover will return with several musical selections. Also returning will be the Follow Hymn Interfaith Choir with Doreen Murray as its leader.
Tickets are $35 each. To purchase tickets, contact Susan Fletcher or Janell Corning at 978- 777-0001, extension 3095, at the Department of Planning and Human Services at Town Hall.
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