U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton To Celebrate Gomes Service Award Honorees

PEABODY, MA — Two Salem residents and one each from Lynnfield and Peabody are among those who will be honored Tuesday night at the Peter J. Gomes Service Award presentation.

U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Salem) created the award a decade ago to honor public service in the Massachusetts 6th District in memory of Moulton's late mentor Rev. Prof. Peter J. Gomes.

Gomes was a Christian minister who served for nearly 40 years in the Memorial Church of Harvard University. Gomes was Congressman Moulton's mentor and friend, ultimately inspiring him to sign up to serve in the Marines and later decide to run for Congress.

The five 2024 recipients will be honored for their commitment to service and the community Tuesday night in a ceremony at the Wiggin Auditorium in Peabody with the award winner announced there.

The 2024 honorees are:

Steve Becroft - Salem

Becroft volunteers with Healing Abuse Working for Change (HAWC) to ensure access to justice and support for victims of domestic violence. He regularly takes shifts on HAWC’s emergency hotline and volunteers 2-3 times a week in multiple courts to help survivors apply for abuse prevention orders. He also engages in safety planning with survivors so they can make informed decisions about their safety and well-being, and he conducts outreach calls after they obtain prevention orders to provide continued support and resources.

Phil Crawford - Lynnfield

Crawford works in substance abuse prevention. He founded A Healthy Lynnfield, a community organization that works to prevent substance misuse and provides treatment and resources for those suffering from substance abuse disorder and mental health challenges. He convened a community forum for Lynnfield to address the escalating opioid epidemic, and he worked with the State House to secure $50,000 in funding to support Lynnfield’s fight against substance abuse over the last 5 years.

Amanda Gonzales - Marblehead

Gonzales coordinates a yearly holiday gift drive for Plummer Youth Promise's 45 foster care children in Salem. She coordinates gift requests through a community Facebook page with over 500 members, ensuring that each recipient receives both a thoughtful gift and essential hygiene products to last several months. She manages the entire drive from her own home, where she organizes and wraps gifts with the help of her family.

Sue Hines - Newburyport

Hines lost her son, 1st Lt. Derek Hines, while he was serving in Afghanistan in 2005. She has channeled her grief and energy into advocating for soldiers and their families by raising money through the 1st Lt. Derek Hines Soldiers Assistance Fund. She has also spearheaded the “Couch to 5K” road race program for thirteen years, and she dedicates her time to training and motivating those who don’t consider themselves runners to complete the race.

Larry O'Keefe - Peabody

O'Keefe works in disability advocacy. He has been organizing Special Olympics events for over 25 years, providing access and equipment to athletes in the area. He also regularly organizes cycling events to raise money for people living with Multiple Sclerosis, ALS, and Alzheimer’s Disease, and he hosts an annual charity golf tournament. He actively assists kids in the community with golf, powerlifting, hockey, basketball, and flag football.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)