Thank You for a Wonderful Community Event

We want to take a moment to express our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who joined us for our Annual Community Event: Expanding Social Justice in Community on Thursday, October 17, at the First Parish in Concord.

A special thank you to our inspiring guest speakers: State Legislators Carmine Gentile, Simon Cataldo, and Jamie Eldridge; Kevin Richards and Lawrence Tracy from the Massachusetts Department of Correction; volunteer Donna Heidemann for sharing her moving story; and Jay Johnson, whose powerful testimony highlighted the importance of this work and what success can look like.

We are also deeply grateful to Patty Ruze for her insightful words and contributions regarding the Concord Reformatory Cemetery, Liz Rust for her exceptional coordination, and Sam Williams for being a guiding force within our organization. Additional thanks to staff members Jeannette Sheehan and Ellie DiMauro, who helped make this event possible.

Finally, we extend our sincere appreciation to all our volunteers—both those present at the event and those supporting us from afar. Your time, energy, and dedication form the foundation of everything we accomplish together. This event was a celebration of our shared efforts, and we are honored to work alongside each of you.

If you did not have a chance yet to show your support for CPO, you can do so by clicking here. We are working hard to close our fundraising gap as the year comes to a close and need your help. In addition to covering programming and staff costs, events like this annual gathering also require resources, and your contribution can help us cover the costs of making it all possible.

We are incredibly grateful to our donors and supporters for empowering us to continue this meaningful work. Together, we are making a real difference, and we look forward to building on this momentum in the months ahead.

You can view the event slideshow presentation here, as well as view the video shown on the legacy and impact of CPO here.

Thank you again for being part of this journey with us!