Dennis Morales and Jacey Morales receive Somerville Business History award on behalf of Taco Loco.

The Somerville Museum presented its annual awards at a small in-person ceremony. The Museum’s awards program honors organizations and individuals that have served the City of Somerville or the Museum, making a powerful contribution to the community.

The Somerville Business History Award recognizes businesses that have contributed to the culture and development of Somerville through length of time in operation and/or impact on the history or culture of the city. The 2021 recipients of the Somerville Business History Awards are Taco Loco restaurant and Earthworm Inc.  

Dennis Morales, Jacey Morales and Priscilla Morales Taco Loco Received a 2021 Business History Award.

Taco Loco was founded by the Morales family in 1994 on Broadway in East Somerville. Receiving the award were Jacey Morales, Dennis Morales and Priscilla Morales. “Our family is proud to have our restaurant in Somerville,” said Dennis Morales. “Our goal has always been to serve the city. Taco Loco is part of our family’s legacy in the community.” Taco Loco’s food has received many local awards as well as recognition by Boston Magazine, Eater Boston, The Boston Globe, and other publications. (Eater Boston notes that Taco Loco “is home to some of the best tacos in the Boston area.”) In 2020, the restaurant moved to a larger space on Broadway. For its longstanding contributions to the Somerville community, the Somerville Museum is pleased to recognize Taco Loco with a Somerville Business History Award.

Providing recycling services and education, Earthworm, Inc. has operated in Somerville for more than 50 years. Longtime Board Member and Somerville resident Herb Fuller received the award on behalf of the organization. Earthworm was founded on Earth Day in 1970 by three MIT computer science students. Originally named the Recycling Revolutionary Coop, the goals of this early venture were to demonstrate the viability of recycling by operating a self-sufficient enterprise, and to save natural resources.

Financial professional Vijay Batavia receives Somerville Museum Community Service Award.

The organization began by using an old beer truck to collect key punch cards, computer paper and other waste paper from commercial, government and nonprofit offices in the greater Boston area. In 1974, the co-op changed its name to Earthworm, Inc. and earned nonprofit status as a 501(c)3 educational organization. Today, Earthworm’s mission is to promote recycling in the workplace and it provides affordable and flexible collection and recycling services. Herb Fuller noted that staff and board members of Earthworm Inc. have gone on to impact recycling and environmental causes internationally. For its contribution to the Somerville community and beyond for over half a century, the Somerville Museum is pleased to recognize Earthworm, Inc. with a Somerville Business History Award.

The Somerville Museum’s Community Service Award recognizes individuals or organizations who have served the city of Somerville through their support of local arts, history and/or culture. This work may take place independently or in partnership with the Somerville Museum.

The Kiwanis Club of Somerville was the first recipient of a 2021 Community Service Award. The Kiwanis Club is a service club that focuses on helping children. The Club holds fundraisers for the local Head Start Program, donates books to Somerville classrooms, gives college scholarships to deserving Somerville High School students, presents history lessons with the help of local actors, tunes up children’s bikes for safer play and has donated hundreds of backpacks filled with school supplies to local kids. Kiwanis member and Vice District Governor Haley Adams received the award on behalf of the Kiwanis Club, which was also attended by Kiwanis members Jim Bowdring and daughter Jillian Bowdring. Former Somerville Mayor Gene Brune, also a Kiwanis member, said that the Kiwanis Club “provides tremendous service to the city.”

Gene Brune, Barbara Mangum Haley Adams, Julian Bowdring and Jim Bowdring with Community Service Award for Kiwanis Club.

Community Service Awards were also given to Vijay Batavia from J P Morgan Chase who has assisted the Museum in managing the increasing complexity of its finances with kindness, wisdom and professionalism. Cynthia Frawley, Barbara Fash, Tatiana Shannon received a joint award for spending hundreds of volunteer hours inventorying and packing over 400 historic textiles in the Museum’s collection so they could be moved and stored offsite to protect them during the Museum’s construction project. With great care, they made it possible to keep these items safe during the museum’s historic renovation.

The Museum’s Thomas Battinelli Stewardship Award is named in honor of long-time Museum volunteer and supporter Thomas Battinelli (1929-2017). The award recognizes and celebrates individuals or organizations who have demonstrated exceptional support of the Museum, forwarding its mission or strengthening it as an institution. With quiet dedication, Sandra McGoldrick has worked to make the Museum’s Capital Campaign, Access for All & More, a success, positioning the Museum for the future. The Somerville Museum is pleased to recognize Sandra McGoldrick with the Thomas Battinelli Stewardship Award.  

About the Somerville Museum

Located in the heart of the city at the intersection of Central Street and Westwood Road, the Somerville Museum has served as the community’s premier cultural institution for nearly a century. While specializing in the visual arts — including many exhibits with both historical and local significance – the Museum also offers various musical and lecture series, a number carried out in collaboration with Somerville’s public schools. An important meeting place for local historical and cultural organizations, the Museum has a long tradition of encouraging hands-on learning projects for young and old alike. As the only membership supported, non-profit, volunteer-run, community-based cultural institution of its kind in Somerville, members and volunteers are always welcome. For more information visit http://somervillemuseum.org/ To donate to the Museum’s capital campaign, Access for All & More, please visit https://www.somervillemuseum.org/accessforall

Herb Fuller from Earthworm Inc. which received a 2021 Somerville Business History Award.

Kiwanis Club of Somerville Vice District Governor Haley Adams.

Somerville Museum Board Member Charan Devereaux with Priscilla Morales from Taco Loco with Somerville Business History Award.

Tatianna Shannon receives an award for textile conservation from Museum Board President Barbara Mangum

Herb Fuller of Earthworm Inc receives Somerville Business History Award from Museum President Barbara Mangum.

Kiwanis Club Vice District Governor Haley Adams and Former Somerville Mayor Gene Brune.