Northshore Magazine

Northshore December 2019

Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.

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103 and on and on—all while dealing with the family member's health," Pett says. He adds that thanks to Theken's efforts partnering with people like Caturano and Warren Waugh of Lyon-Waugh Auto Group, the Gloucester Fund can discreetly direct funds to individuals in need while also supporting medical facilities and foundations that treat cancer patients. The event also allows people impacted by cancer to come together to support each other, and brings some holiday levity at a time when it's quite welcome. The mayor and the chef banter good-naturedly, tossing barbs about seasoning and fundraising abilities while feeding the crowd well. Drawing on her background in catering and her whole Sicilian family heritage, Theken says she is not intimidated by Caturano's prowess in the kitchen, where most people might cower at the challenge. After all, the chef has run Prezza, a successful North End restaurant, for nearly two decades, has nabbed several BONS awards, and also helms a second Tonno location in Wakefield, not to mention the newly acquired Blue Ox in Lynn. On throw-down day last year, the needling started in the kitchen, as the pair tasted their…tomato-based pasta toppings (we're not taking sides). The mayor dropped in a bit of butter and a bit of sugar, while the chef smacked his lips and declared his offering didn't need a thing. Meanwhile, out in the restaurant, guests admired auction items, which ranged from Red Sox tickets to a child's ride-on BMW scooter donated by Waugh. The stakes were high last year ; Caturano hoped to raise $30,000 between a silent auction and a GoFundMe campaign online. And if he reached that target, Theken promised to stand outside holding a sign that read "I love gravy." They blew past that goal, raising close to $50,000, so on an early December afternoon last year, passersby were treated to the mayor of Gloucester and an award-winning chef standing together, yelling to passing cars, taking turns waving that sign. Ultimately, who wins and who loses is beside the point, says Caturano, noting that this year, his goal is to top $50,000. But he adds with a smirk, "Overall, I think she is just jealous because she knows mine is better." individual who is sick but their entire family. "Working-class people usually don't have sick leave," she says. "How are you going to survive mentally and get better physically when you have all these bills racking up?" So for years, Theken has cooked up casseroles to fill the freezers and found other ways to help families be as comfortable as possible—especially over the holidays. Sadly, the disease has also struck close to home for both the chef and the mayor. Caturano lost his sister, Christina, to breast cancer in 2017, and the mayor's brother, Anthony Giambanco, lost his battle with stage 4 lung cancer this fall. With a disease that touches so many lives, a flexible fund to assist local residents is much needed, says Barry Pett, president of the Gloucester Fund. The nonprofit has raised more than $3 million dollars over 20 years to support a variety of local causes, and benefits from the annual luncheon. "It is often difficult, [when faced] with a family member's cancer diagnosis, not to struggle with financial side issues, which could range from time off from work, medical costs not covered by insurance, travel expenses, housing expenses, child care, Held early December each year (this year December 4) from noon to 2 p.m. at Tonno Gloucester, please call the restaurant at 978-879-4795 for reservations. To contribute to the fundraiser, visit gofundme.com/ega68a-crush-cancer. Top right, The mayor with Warren Waugh and Anthony Caturano. Above, Cidalia Schwartz and Warren Waugh of Lyon-Waugh Auto Group

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