A crowd of more than 500 people packed into the Lawrence Elks Club on Andover Street on Friday, March 28th for the Valley Patriot’s 21st Anniversary BASH Scholarship and Award Night.
Readers of The Valley Patriot raised more than $67,291 by the night of the event to help six local high school students pay for college. After nearly a thousand dollars of late donations that came in after the event the grand total of scholarship donations reached an all time high of $68,075. 
(Because of late donations the final amounts each student received were slightly higher than the amounts on the giant checks in the photos.) 
The Valley Patriot’s 21st Anniversary BASH also bestowed four awards to six individuals for their commitment to the community. 
A complete list of donors for each scholarship is listed at the bottom of this page.
THE DAN COADY MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP –
N. ANDOVER’s BRAILYN MCGUIRE
POST BASH TOTAL $13,280
The Scholarship was started 7 years ago by Al Veilleux in memory of Dan Coady of Coady’s Towing in Methuen.
In 2018, one of our readers, Al Veilleux donated $500 to start a scholarship in memory of Dan Coady Jr. who was killed in tragic accident on Rt. 495 just a week before our annual BASH that year.
Each year Al asks that we keep the Dan Coady Memorial Scholarship going for students who attended the Thomson Grammar School in North Andover where at least one of Dan Coadys children attended at the time. Al’s goal was to keep this scholarship going every year in the hopes that Dan’s children will be able to receive this scholarship when they graduate from High School. Three years ago Dan’s oldest son Patrick received this scholarship in the amount of $7,390.
 
This year’s scholarship recipient was North Andover High School’s Brailyn McGuire who attended Thomson Grammar School. She topped our scholarship drive, taking home $13,280. Dan Coady’s sister Nicole Cameron held several fund raisers throughout the year and headed the Team Coady efforts to raise money for this scholarship.
Brailyn McGuire has a weighted GPA of 4.41 and has received A’s as a final grade during her time at North Andover High. She is in AP and Honors classes, and a member of the school’s chapter of the National Honor Society. She is also the president of the French Honor Society. She sang in the choir for all four years at NAHS and is also co-lead of the American Cancer Society On Campus Club, which has raised over $10,000 for cancer research.
She plans to major in computer science but has not committed to a college, although she has already been accepted to 10 schools and says she is currently leaning towards Endicott College and UNH.
EUGENE SMITH – JOHN RATKA MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP LAWRENCE HIGH’s JAYHRONNIE FERRAN
POST BASH TOTAL $11,506
This scholarship was started by Chris Eldredge of the Lawrence High Alumni Association in 2012.
In 2018, Korean War Veteran Eugene Smith of Military Connections donated $1,200 to change the scholarship requirements to include a student in the JrROTC.
When hero veteran John Ratka passed away in 2019, we added his name to this scholarship as he helped us raise funds for this scholarship every year before his passing.
This year’s recipient is Lawrence High’s JrROTC Commander Jayhronnie Ferran.
His family came to the U.S. from the Dominican Republic. Jayhronnie was born and grew up in Lawrence with a passion for computer science to create applications to make everyday tasks easier.
He founded two robotic teams through JrROTC and the Youth Development organization, spends his summers attending classes at Phillips Academy in Andover to get ahead of his regular course classes, and has maintained a 3.0 grade point average.
Jayhronnie says he wants to join the ROTC program in college and graduate as a second lieutenant for the United States Army.
He has been accepted at Merrimack College, UMASS Boston, The Virginia Military Institute, Roehampton University, Bowling Green State University, and recently completed the ASVAB military assessment test with a score of 83.
WHITTIER TECH SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT NATALIE DELANO
POST BASH TOTAL $10,570
This scholarship was started seven years ago by Al Veilleux, an alum of the Whittier Tech.
This year’s recipient is Natalie DeLano who lives in Haverhill and is going into nursing school this fall at Salve Regina University in Newport, RI.
She has received honors and high honors for all 4 years of high school, and her involvement with the National Technical Honor Society is something to be proud of, with a current GPA of 3.89 and a rank of 40th out of 307 classmates.
She has also been a part of the early college program at Northern Essex Community College since her junior year. She has even taken extra winter intersession classes and will be adding on an extra public health course to her class schedule this spring semester.
She is currently a part of the co-op program working as a Certified Nursing Assistant at the Elizabeth Calsey House in Amesbury.
She has served as the freshmen and sophomore class president, as the Health Assisting committee student representative, and currently serving as a two-year state officer of SkillsUSA Massachusetts.
Natalie has totaled 179 hours of community service, achieving the silver standard of the Presidential Volunteer and Service Award. She currently has 91 hours of community service volunteering for the Haverhill Public Library, Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School, Methuen Village, Tough Warrior Princess, SkillsUSA MA and the Festival of Trees.
DAN STRANGE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP – CECILIA GEYER
HAVERHILL HIGH
Post Bash Total $9,750
This scholarship was originally named for Michelle Deluca but when Secret Service Agent and Valley Patriot BASH Committee Member Dan Strange passed away several years ago, this scholarship was renamed for Dan as the man who helped us raise money for this scholarship every year.
This year’s recipient is Haverhill High School’s Cecilia Geyer.
Cecilia is enrolled in the CTE Honors Program for Biomedical Science. She is routinely on the HHS Honor Roll, typically in the top tier. She has an internship at Lawrence General Hospital and has been accepted at several colleges. She is leaning toward Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI where she plans to study medicine and theology.
Cecilia has been an active member of Girl Scouts for 13+ years.
She had earned her Girl Scout: Bronze Award (2018), Silver Award (2021) and is currently wrapping up her Gold Award project (focusing on teen engagement with the Haverhill Public Library).
The Gold Award is the highest award in Girl Scouts. She was also selected to serve as a delegate to the Girl Scout National Conference in 2023 (kind of the equivalent of Congress for GS).
She is a member of the: National Honor Society, Foreign Language Honor Society, and the Science Honor Society.
Cecilia has served as a Junior Counselor at Camp Luther, located in Three Lakes Wisconsin.
PHIL GLENDYE SPECIAL NEEDS RECIPIENT ABBY MENDES OF METHUEN HIGH
Post Bash total $8,941
Initially this scholarship was started by Valley Patriot publisher Tom Duggan for a special needs student at Lawrence High School in honor of the late Phil Glendye. Glendye was a special needs teacher and ran the Special Olympics every year.
Since we already had a Lawrence High Scholarship, this year the Phil Glendye scholarship was opened up to students in area schools looking to become a special needs teacher like Phil.
Methuen’s Abby Mendes received this scholarship to the tune of $8,600.
Abigail (Abby) Mendes is a senior at Methuen High and will be attending Fitchburg State University. She will be studying Special Education for children with mild to severe disabilities.
Abby is one of our recent TMF volunteers who came to feed the homeless in Lawrence multiple times over the last year which put her at the top of our scholarship nomination list.
Abby started cheering for Methuen Pop Warner when she was 10, but during a routine was hit in the head by another teammate and sustained a concussion that gave her severe migraines and setbacks over the next five years.
Abby was put on an IEP to help her with her studies and struggles for a few years to be able to concentrate and keep her grades up. She never gave up and continued to study hard in school supporting her team on the sidelines even though she couldn’t participate.
After several attempts by doctors, they were finally able to relieve her of the chronic pain from the injury which allowed her to try out for the Methuen High School cheer team and today no longer required an IEP.
Abby was selected captain of the team for her senior year last fall, which made her proud and confident that the accident didn’t take away her future. It was this experience that made Abby want to be a special needs teacher.
GR. LAWRENCE TECH SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT THOMAS KOTAS
Post Bash Total $8,928
This scholarship was started ten years ago by former Methuen Councilor Jessica Finocchiaro who also served on the Gr. Lawrence Tech. Board. Each year Jessica screens dozens of applicants and is tasked with choosing the winner.
Thomas Kotas is a senior in the Carpentry program at Greater Lawrence Technical school. He currently ranks 11th in a class of 423 and maintains a 4.24 weighted GPA while taking the most rigorous academic program available, including all Honors courses and dual enrollment classes.
Beyond academics, Thomas is an active member of the GLTS community. He has been a standout athlete on the boys’ soccer team, serving as varsity captain since his sophomore year. He has led his teammates as a three-time CAC All-Star and the team’s top goal scorer in his senior year.
Additionally, he serves as a member of the Carpentry Advisory Board, collaborating with educators and industry professionals to help shape the curriculum.
Through the co-op program, he works as a carpenter’s apprentice at BlackDog Builders, applying his technical skills in a professional setting.
Looking ahead, Thomas plans to pursue a degree in civil engineering. He resides in Methuen with his father, Tomas Kotas.
EDMUND LO SCHOLARSHIP SALEM, N.H. $5,100 DONATED
Each year during our Valley Patriot BASH scholarship drive we also raise money for the Edmund Lo Scholarship in honor of Salem, N.H. JrROTC graduate who lost his life in Afghanistan. The Lo scholarship is given out in May at the Lo family fundraiser. The Lo family attends our BASH each year to receive a check from our readers to help them honor Edmund.
This year the Valley Patriot had a whole new team for our 21st Anniversary BASH and held the event at a brand-new venue: the Lawrence Elks Club.
We want to thank our committee members this year who went above and beyond what any previous committee has been able to do. They sold tickets, sponsorships, and solicited scholarship donations.
This year’s committee members were:
Nancy Gorman, Michael Gorman, Michael Jimenez, Veronica Castro, Laurie Cantwell, “Intern Girl” Carlota Castillo, Kerri Bruner, Jill Stackelin, Chris Eldredge, Eric Melanson, our new emcee Doug Mercurio, Rick Bellanti, Danielle Allen, Bob DiMauro, Steve Tomaselli and his wife Carol, Joyce Tomaselli, and Gracemarie Tomaselli, , Stephanie DeSantis, Randy Carter, Dee O’Neill, Stephanie Maniatakos, Anne Clegg, & Scott Wood.
For a list of donors to each scholarship see page 20. For additional photos and a breakdown of all the awards given out at the annual BASH, please see pages 14,15, and 19.
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!
Our business sponsors help us pay for the expenses of running our event so that 100% of every scholarship donation goes directly to the students on our BASH program. Without our sponsors this event could not continue and as such we ask that our readers PLEASE  patronize their businesses and thank them for helping our community.  
Callahan Heating Plumbing, Andrea McCann, RAG Associates, F.H. Cann Associates, Nam Knights Merrimack Valley, Martineau’s Towing, Joey Viel, Francoise Hanley, State Rep. Frank Moran, Borrelli’s Deli, Ron Tony Giordano, Jay Gee’s Ice Cream, Untamed & Chang’s Tai Kwon Do, Forever Young Solutions, Billy Evans, Laborers Union Local 175, Gold Standard Cleaners, The Punishers, Steve Zanni, Coady Towing of Methuen. ◊
 
DONORS TO EACH SCHOLARSHIP 
DONORS TO THE DAN COADY MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT BRAILYN MCGUIRE
There were 102 donors to our Dan Coady Scholarship totaling $13,280.Donating to our scholarships were:
Ryan Foisy, Marcie Marie, Sarah Catalano, Ed Johnson, Nicole and Team Coady, Julie Wright, Chris & Nicole Gallant, Gayle Linton, Marie Thibodeau, Anonymous Donor, Erik Savoia, Anonymous Donor, Tracy Swiniarski, Stephen Strykowski, Alexis Kelly, Al Apperti, Gina Giangregorio, Sarah Marino, John Conides, Kimberlyanne Provencal, Lindsay Fargen, Anonymous Donor, Bobby Jackson, Anonymous Donor, Chris Chenard, Stacie Brown Matthews, Karen Whittaker and Mike Mammola, Michelle Logomasini, Mark Linton, Mark DiSalvo, Gary Bernard, Christaina Lynn, Daniel Ford, Alexis Holmes-Kelly, Patrick Ord, North Andover VFW, Greg Morris, Zeb Gilligan, Chris T, Nicole Lemay, Gayle Linton, Angle Velez, Larry Taz Savoia, Katie Cook, Anne Marue Gagnon, Kathleen Gallant, Aimee Sullivan, Michelle Power, Eddie Miller, Dina Redmond, David Lemay, Gary Kalip, Connor Moury, Danielle Jean, Michelle DeLano, Ruth Ploski, Marc Sheehy, John Gaffney, Maureen Doherty, Anonyous, Kimberly Brown, Don & Susan Riccio, Emanouil Inc, Romano’s Pizza Methuen, Anonymous Donor, Jeff Moreau, Anonymous Donor, WALMART, Matt Seed, Jillian Dubman, Bobby Sheehan/Sheehan’s Towing, Mark and Julie Brady, Larry Taz Savoia, Joyce & Bernard Mullen, Dana Somers, Ian Elliot, Anonymous Donor, Stephanie Nadeau, Joel Desileets, Deanne Milone Bunanno, Dave Goulet, Joey Cafiso, Karen Toto, Angie O’Brien, Anonymous Donor, Kylee Provencal, Al Veilleux, Elizabeth Hannay, Rachelle DeSantis, Deborah Gilmartin , Madison Miller, Stephen Hilton, Tara Krch, Coady Towing, St. Alfio Society, Greg Morris, Christine Alefantis, Amy Mcguire, TJ’s Heavy Hauling, Ross Blecker, Lawrence Elks #65, and Mike Cyr.
DONORS TO THE EUGENE SMITH – JOHN RATKA MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT JAYHRONNIE FERRAN
There were 58 donors to this scholarship including: Eugene Smith, John Ratka Memorial Scholarship, Gino Barone, F.H. Cann, Artie “T” Demoulas Foundation, Dave-ID Consoli, Rte 110 Convenience Hasmukh, Yockabely Suarez, Kaylin Abade, Brian Durkin, Lawrence Vietnam Memorial, Bonnie Lowe-Caruso, Arlene Charest, Frank Bertolino (Salisbury Lions), Octavien Spanner, Bonnie Rogers, John Curtis, Al Apperti, Kane and Denise Peaslee, Tom Branco (IMO Shirly Branco), Crystal Blanchard, Lynn Parino, Kevin Drouin, Anonymous, Tim McGuire, Charlie Baker, Anonymous, Sheriff Kevin Coppinger, Stephen Brien, Estela Reyes, Dave Garofalo, Anonymous, Jessica Yazmin Padilla, Jessica Xamier Ferran, Jayne Beaton, Gary Bernard, Jim B, Fidelina Santaigo, Jonathan Guzman, Jeff Driscoll, Don & Susan Riccio, Anonymous, Mayor Brian DePena, Mike Delaney Jr., Sobeida Dominguez, Dave Elias, Jeovanny Rodriguez, Francisco Urena, Coady Towing, Jeanely Pichardo, Jen Lynch, Jay Croteau, Manny Gonzalez, Rep. Estela Reyes, State Representative Francisco Paulino, Juan “Manny” Gonzalez.
DONORS TO THE PHIL GLENDYE MEMORIAL SPECIAL NEEDS SCHOLARSHIP WINNER ABBY MENDES
There were 71 donors to this scholarship including: 
Christine Prescott, Shannon McDonough, Hoppy & Ellen Curren, Lucie Fallon, Zaka Shafiq – AFC Urgent Care, Ryan DiZoglio, Larry & Eileen Giordano Methuen Karate, Andrea McCann, Paula Drelick, Jessica Finocchiaro, Kamil Castillo of Grieving Youth of The MMV, Nick DiZoglio, Geoff Fulgione, Ryan Hamilton, Al Savastano, Judy Flagg, Christine Dionne, Frank Surillo, Jana Zanni Pesce, Al Apperti, Richard Beshara, Joel Deslites, Yahaira Rosa, Anonymous, Dan Seaman, Tim McGuire, Philippe Thibault Architects, Charlie Baker, Paul Dunphy, Sheriff Kevin Coppinger, Laura Messner, Anonymous Donor, Alejandro Frias, Pavel Payano, Estela Reyes, Lawrence Boosters Club, Stacie Cashman, Paul Lambert, Gino Barone, Joe Viel, Francoise Hanley, David Garofalo, Dave-ID Consoli, District Attorney Paul Tucker, Don & Susan Riccio, Connie Carrol, Shawn Ferris, Gino Barone, Anonymous, Mike Delaney Jr., WALMART, Michelle DeLano, Danny & Brenda Michaud, Linda Soucy, Martha Tatro, Lynn Lovasco, Jessica Kalil, The Kalil Family, Joel Desilets, Lucille Beland, Janet McLennan, Al Veilleux, Francisco Urena, Tara Krch, Coady Towing, Lucille Fallon, Methuen Mayor DJ Beauregard, Lee Blacom, Neil Brinson, Jen Maroun, Joe Finn.

DONORS TO THE WHITTIER TECH SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT NATALIE DELANO
There were 59 donors to this scholarship:
Steve Spaulding, Megan Tierney, Christine Prescott, Zaka Shafiq, AFC Urgent Care, Ed Johnson, Dirty Water – The Punishers, Nicole and Chris Gallant, Doug Mercurio, Lenny Mirra, Scott Wood, Jessica Finocchiaro, Nick DiZoglio, Ken Willette, Gary Mannion, Ryan Hamilton, Mike Dee, Jana Zanni Pesce, Anonymous, Tim McGuire, Charlie Baker, Mike Gagliardi Laborers Local 175, Anonymous, Judith Zaino, Nikki Funaro, Joseph Hoebeke, Shannon Broski, Estela Reyes, Katie Cook, Shannon Broski, Dee O’Neil, Steve Spaulding, David Cormier, Danielle Mulholland, Kathryn Fournier, Cindy Franzone Ryan, Heather Karafotias, Sarah Anderson, Richard Cuomo, Brett Murphy, Richard Early Jr. From Early Contractors, Don & Susan Riccio, Kara Kosmes, Anonymous, Sharon Moran, Kevin Drouin, Anonymous, Cash Donations Team Whittier, WALMART, Scott Mendes, Natasha Kellogg, Ron Berthium, Al Veilleux, Bryan Gosselin, Maureen Lynch, Shawn Reagan, Al Veilleux, Brad DiCenzo, Tara Krch, Coady Towing.
DONORS TO THE DAN STRANGE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT CECILIA GEYER
There were 74 donors to this scholarship including:
Ken DeLuca, Chief Jim Riter, Zaka Shafiq, AFC Urgent Care, Ed Johnson, Dee O’niel, Debbie Deschene, Michael Agricola, Ryan Hamilton, Rafael Santana, Rhonda Poirior, Anonymous, Dan Seaman, Tim McGuire, New England PBA Jerry Flynn, Juliann Enman, Senator Pavel Payano, Laurie Cantwell, Patrick Ord, Jeffrey Wallens, Anonymous, Katie Cook, Crystal Green, Paul Lambert, Gino Barone, Ellen Martinez, Michelle DeLano, Joey Viel, Joel Desilets , Ron Tony Giordano, Wally Arsenault, Dave-ID Consoli, Cara LaBelle, Haverhill Lions Club, Sullivan Insurance, Mark Kingman, Gillane Melvin, Don & Susan Riccio, Dee O’niel, Anonymous, Richard Rosa (Haverhill School Committee), Kelly Townsend, Anonymous, Guy Cooper, WALMART, Quianna Zaetz, Tracy Fullem, Guy Coooper, Trishan Dick, Michael Jacobs, Chris Foods Plus, Dee O’niel, DOOR Money, Tasha Ray Kinsman Ryan, Joel Desileets, Angelo the Florist, Jonathan Lock, Chickpea Penny Griffin, Al Veilleux, Retired Deputy Cheif Don Thompson, Anonymous, Janie Evans, Michael Jacobs, Francisco Urena, Anonymous, Coady Towing, Greg Fratto, Gary Bernard, Sophia Evans, David Bradley, Lisa Plourde, Patrick Ordd, Haverhill Bank.
DONORS TO THE GR. LAWRENCE TECH. SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT THOMAS KOTAS
There were 65 donors to this schoalrship including:
Zaka Shafiq – AFC Urgent Care, Arlene Charest, RAG Associates, Joel Deslites, Alan Potvin, Tracy Swiniarski, Jessica Finocchiaro, Awilda Pimental, Caralotta Castillo, Ronnie Marsan, Nick DiZoglio, Ryan Hamilton, Yolanda Garces, Frank Surillo, Jana Zanni Pesce, Matt Brien, John Curtis, Richard Keane, Patrick McAtamney, Anonymous, Tim McGuire, Charlie Baker, Mike Gagliardi Laborers Local 175, Krewe of Europa in Tampa, Stephanie Infante, Eric Duchaine, Estela Reyes, Tom Swarbrick, Stacie Cashman, Wally Arsenault, Studio 12 Beth Ritzkalla, District Attorney Paul Tucker, Sass Quintanna, Don & Susan Riccio, Michelle DeLano, Anonymous, WALMART, Quianna Roy, Scott Mendes, Sandy Elizabeth Almonte, Dan Menihane, Marianne Masucci-Janelle, Arielle Cavaretta, Anonymous, Rich Munroe, Marc LaPlante, Patty Winalski, Joel Desileets, Dave Elias, Ron Tony Giordano, Al Veilleux, Francisco Urena, Tara Krch, Kelly O’Brien, Kate Grant, Coady Towing, Gary Bernard, Quianna Zaetz, Michelle Mills, Andrea Rugerio, Dr. Nedcarni, Steve Spaulding, Lee Balcom, Neil Brinson, Jen Maroun & Sam Salib, and Joe Finn.
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DONORS TO THE EDMUND LO MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
  There were 15 donors to this scholarship including:
Franz Acres Association – Carrie Weiland, Dave Lacroix, Anonymous Donor, Tim McGuire, Krystal Beauregard, Don & Susan Riccio, Krystal Trainor, Anonymous, WALMART, Michael Ruffini, Bryan Gosselin, Joel Desileets, Anonyous Donor, Coady Towing.
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