Welch Always Did the Right Thing
Dear Editor,
As someone who knows East Boston well. I remember visiting cousins at the Maverick projects when I was about 5 years old, riding back and forth across the harbor by ferry boat for two cents. Today’s East Boston has been and continues to change. Some for the good and some for the not so good.
However, what hasn’t changed are the women of this community. Thinking back I can think of many ladies over the years who have stood up and spoken out in defense of this community. Never afraid to say their piece. Some were even known to have stopped trucks by simply yelling at them.
This past weekend one of those women never afraid to stand up and speak out when needed was honored over at the Greenway as the greenway was renamed in honor of Mary Ellen Welch. I met her many times and while sometimes holding opposing views, I always respected how she stood up for the neighborhood she called home.
I agree with her niece Carrie Welch-Palmer who stated, “It’s a nice recognition for somebody who worked hard every day for her community.”
Some people reside in a neighborhood but others live in and for their neighborhood because it is home. She has been missed and will always be remembered as someone never afraid to do the right thing.
Sal Giarratani