The East Lynn Community Association (ELCA) has officially become the Lynn Community Association, Inc. (LCA).
People from all over Lynn came together to put new playground equipment at Kiley Park
According to the association’s President, Mary Trahan, the organization is dedicated to making Lynn a more beautiful and safe place to live and welcomes all residents to become active participants in the life and well-being of our city and the LCA. “Our mission remains unchanged, which is to promote pride and ownership in the Lynn community through beautification, education, recreation, and neighborly relationships,” says Trahan, “We simply want to ensure that everyone in Lynn feels welcome in our Association.” The association continues to welcome anyone, anywhere, who is interested in improving the quality of life in Lynn, as members.
In 2009, the organization quickly evolved from a group of neighbors who first considered forming a garden club. The group believed that Lynn is a great place to live, has a tremendous inventory of natural resources and beautiful architecture, along with wonderful people who seem to know nothing about one another. As the small group talked, they realized that their interests lie much farther than the boundaries of their own homes and neighborhood. From this conversation about a garden club the East Lynn Community Association blossomed, and was incorporated as a not-for-profit organization in February 2010.
The newly founded group wanted Lynn to be a desirable place for young families to raise their children where the streets are neat, clean, and free of litter; trees and flowers flourish; the parks are fun and safe for children; and the citizens are proud to walk our sidewalks. They aspired to having better public schools, cleaner beaches, and a community that is informed. The organization endeavored to create neighborhoods where people know and care about one another.
The ELCA also started two sub-groups in 2009 – a book club and an eating out club (which visits a different Lynn restaurant monthly) – to make it easy and fun for individuals to gather in small groups and become friends. Both groups continue to meet regularly.
Some of the ELCA’s activities during the last three years include hosting candidate forums for mayoral and at-large councilors, the Clean Sweep to the Sea, numerous cleanup and planting projects in city parks, programs on youth violence and gangs, gardening, recycling, pet ownership, a “State of the City” address with Mayor Kennedy, three community resource fairs, co-sponsoring the 2011 Jobs for Teens resume prep workshop, decorating numerous city intersections with wreaths for the holidays, sponsoring a Lynn event in the Essex Heritage’s Trails and Sails Event, helping with erecting a new playset at Kiley park, and most recently, spearheading collaboration with Centerboard, Communities that Care’s Fun and Fitness Alliance, Girls, Inc., and The Food Project, for a 2012 MLK Service Day collecting school supplies, food, and clothing for those in need, as well as providing volunteer labor at the Lynn Shelter and YMCA for cleanup projects.
LCA’s current board of directors are Mary Trahan (President); Jesse Jaeger (Vice President); Eliana Runyon (Treasurer); Kerry Quintiliani (Secretary); and Directors Bob Connolly, Tyron Hawkins, Douglas Maitland, Duncan Maitland, and Joy Winkler.
There are several easy ways to join the Lynn Community Association. For the computer savvy, you can 1) to go to our Facebook page and click on the Email sign-up and simply fill in your information; 2) send an email to LynnCommunity@comcast.net; or 3) go to our website at http://www.LynnCommunity.org. You can also sign up at a meeting/event or send a letter to Lynn Community Association, Inc., P.O. Box 8066, Lynn, MA 01904.
LCA charges no dues for membership, however donations of any amount are always welcomed to help carry out our programs.
