Meet our 2019 Carmella Gregorie Disability Advocate of the Year!
This month, leading up to our Annual Celebration in May, we’ll be featuring the recipients of each of our awards on our blog! You can stay up-to-date by checking in on Wednesdays.
Every year at Celebrate: Triangle, Inc.’s Annual Awards Ceremony and Fundraiser, we honor the spirit of one of Triangle’s founders through the Carmella Gregorie Disability Advocate of the Year Award. Carmella Gregorie (Mel) was a business leader and disability advocate who served on Triangle’s board for 43 years. She would go to any length to help a member of the Triangle community reach their goals. We are grateful for Mel’s legacy and honored to keep her spirit alive by giving this annual award that bears her name.
As a lifelong resident of Malden, Mayor Gary Christenson has dedicated himself to public service. Prior to becoming mayor, he served eight years on the city council and five years as a member of Malden’s school committee. Mayor Christenson is now serving his second term as mayor, his seventh year in the position.
As a partner to the organization, Mayor Christenson has made himself an indelible part of the Triangle community. We count on seeing his friendly face at every occasion – whether it be a Bashers softball game, the annual holiday party, the Spirit Awards Cookout, program graduations, or anything in between. Mayor Christenson takes an active role in Triangle’s mission by welcoming transition-aged Triangle participants to City Hall to help them develop their professional skills and get firsthand experience with civic engagement. He is a crucial partner to our group employment program at Malden’s Department of Public Works, meeting with the program participants who help keep the city clean. At an event pioneering the Accessible Icon Project in 2012, Mayor Christenson encapsulated Triangle’s mission perfectly: “It’s not people with disabilities, it’s people with abilities.”
Operating for almost 50 years in the city of Malden, Triangle values its relationship with the city. Having a mayor who is so supportive of our vision improves the lives of everyone in our community immensely. Mayor Christenson is a loyal advocate, thoughtful partner, and fierce supporter of inclusive education. He is committed to making the city an international model for disability inclusion, and he makes us proud to call Malden home! We are honored to present him with the Carmella Gregorie Disability Advocate of the Year Award at this year’s Annual Celebration.
Join us on Wednesday, May 8, 2019 at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum for Celebrate: Triangle’s 48th Annual Awards Ceremony and Fundraiser. Click here for tickets and sponsorship information!
