Kiwanis accolade nominees continue character of charity in Lowell

LOWELL -- Within the more than 50 years that he was a member of the Kiwanis Club of Higher Lowell, Thomas G. Kelakos helped out countless organizations, in the YMCA plus the Boys and Girls Club for the Visiting Nurse Association, The Bartlett Junior High College, Lowell High School along with the Helenic American College.

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"A lot of what Tom did, he did anonymously. He just did things quietly and in an unassuming way. He got the Humanitarian Award from the Northern Middlesex Chamber of Commerce as well as the Salvation Army Advisory Board gave him its William Booth Award. He was an incredible man," said Bob Howard, who served with Kelakos inside the Kiwanis Club just before his death about a dozen years ago.

To honor Kelakos and his generosity, the Kiwanis named an award in his honor.

"This is going to be the 11th Thomas G. Kelakos Neighborhood Spirit Award," mentioned Howard, chairman of your awards committee for the Kiwanis.

The 2013 award, that is to be given out at a banquet Friday at Lenzi's Mill House in Dracut, will go to John Chemaly and Gary Sepe of Trinity EMS, in honor of their accomplishment in following in the footsteps of Kelakos, founder in the Lowell MEDCO Dwelling Health Care medical-supply firm.

Howard said Chemaly and Sepe have modeled the career of Kelakos via their enterprise as well as the quite a few charitable contributions the successful endeavor has permitted them to make.

"Tom was just an incredible guy, so we're pretty honored to become in the corporation of him and everyone who was honored just before us," stated Chemaly, who founded Trinity EMS with Sepe 20 years ago.

Although Sepe mainly runs its operations, Chemaly represents the enterprise in its community relations and philanthropy, serving around the boards of your Higher Lowell Neighborhood Foundation, The Jeanne D'Arc Credit Union and the Middlesex Neighborhood College Foundation, and as president with the Massachusetts Ambulance Association as well as the Haverhill Chamber of Commerce.

Along with speakers and citations from City Manager Bernie Lynch and Sen. Eileen Donoghue, the banquet functions dinner and dancing, with entertainment supplied by the Adagio Lite Jazz Band.

Howard, who has served with the Kiwanis for 15 years, stated Chemaly and Sepe were nominated by Jim and Effie Dragon, the latter of whom is Kelakos' niece and was familiar with the story of how her uncle helped the pair get started in their organization.

"When we very first began, we didn't have any credit and Tom called a few guys he was buddies with," stated Chemaly, who met his business enterprise partner via his father, Mario Sepe, a longtime Lowell police officer, when Chemaly was operating as a manager at the former Care Ambulance in Lowell.

"He named Mr. Cohen at Towers Auto Parts in front of us and stated he'd back any credit Towers issued," he mentioned.

"We had been two young children wen we started the ambulance enterprise and Tom also known as Jimmy Cooney (from the James L. Cooney Insurance Agency) and he helped us out, as well. That was just an excellent issue," added Gary Sepe, who worked as an EMT prior to meeting his organization partner.

Tickets for the banquet expense $60 every and may be bought ahead of time by calling Howard at 978-459-0802. Any individual who can't make it for the banquet but would like to make a donation in honor of Chemaly and Sepe can do so at LowellKiwanis.org.

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