Pictured above are the Troop 71 St. Clements Boy Scouts singing Christmas Songs in front of Johnnie’s Super Market in Ball Square from around 1965 (courtesy of Jimmy Del Ponte)

 Somerville Heroes by Stephanie Hirsch

The holidays and New Years are a season when many people set goals and reflect on the year passed. In this month’s Somerville Heroes’ column, I’m honoring a few people whose stories inspire me to invite new people into my life in 2019.

Anna and Mike: During the winter holidays, many of us turn inward, to spend time with family or close friends or even in peaceful solitude. However, some people make even the quiet holidays into joyful community holidays. They organize parties or caroling outings, bring Girl Scout troops to nursing homes, or invite people over who are too far from family to travel or who come from a different faith tradition.

In particular, I’d like to honor two late Somerville residents. West Somerville resident and former Alderman Bob Trane shared this story from his childhood about his grandmother and grandfather, Anna and Mike, who welcomed everyone into their home: “Every Christmas Eve, family and friends would gather at my grandparents’ house on Winter Hill. It was a small two-family, and my great grandfather lived in the other apartment. The house would be packed to the rafters with people laughing and telling

Argenziano Chorus caroling in 2018.

stories, with one of my uncles playing a guitar. The best part was always my grandfather … you see he was sort of notorious for collecting every down-on-his-luck character in Somerville and inviting them to the house. This certainly added some weird and very funny people to the mix. Of course, as more and more people crossed that threshold, my grandmother would give him the stink eye and then laugh and look to the heavens as if she was saying ‘Why me, Lord?’ Then she would give them a hug and a plate of food and a drink, and we would carry on with the party. My grandparents and many in that generation were amazing people, hard-working, blue collar all the way…. They had seen the great depression, had served overseas during World War II, and had lived during some of the worst of times. Yet they had this incredible joy for life and they shared what little they had with everyone.”

Anoush Khan: Next, while one grandma gave food and company, one young Somerville resident is giving his time and friendship. Anoush grew up in Somerville and graduated from Somerville High. He’s now a sophomore at Dartmouth. During the summer and his school breaks, he comes home and volunteers for the ESL program. Library staff say that “Anoush has been a dynamic and wonderful volunteer.” Anoush explains why he volunteers – as both a way to help and a way to keep learning himself. He says: “I choose to volunteer to give back to my community. Somerville’s population is very diverse, composed of people from all backgrounds and English skill

ESL program volunteer Anoush Khan.

levels. Teaching English is a logical way to give back. Above all, I have gained friends from my experience volunteering. The intimate connections that one builds as an English teacher transcend the teacher-student relationship – primarily because it takes significant vulnerability to learn a new language as an adult. I like to emphasize context when I teach, so I try to have conversations with students…. These conversations, combined with the vulnerability required from myself and the students, have built great friendships.”

I may not be an expert at either teaching or entertaining, but I’m going to use the stories of Anna, Mike, and Anoush to motivate me to get out of my comfort zone and to invite more people into my home and life … Success can be measured by how welcome people feel when they walked into Anna and Mike’s house years ago and when they walk into Anoush’s ESL class today. And, as Anoush says, success can be measured by how the connections bring learning and joy to both student and teacher, guest and host.

If you have resolved to volunteer more in 2019, and you would like to consider volunteering in the schools, plan to attend a Volunteer Orientation on January 17. I am wishing you all and all of Somerville a healthy 2019, with many chances to both give and to receive kindnesses and to build new connections across our community.