Cuffe-McGinn Funeral Home in Lynn hosted a special celebration to recognize Lynn’s first responders for their outstanding work in the community.
Cuffe-McGinn Funeral Home General Manager and Funeral Director Eric Daniels said this year’s event was called, “Last Responders Celebrating First Responders.”
photo at the special celebration in their honor.
pictured front row, from left, are Nancy Daurora, Deanna O’Donnell, Dan Bergendahl, and Linda Shirley;
back row, from left, are Cristina Daniels, Funeral Home General Manager Eric Daniels, John Downie, John
Kobuszewski, Niki Knihnicki, Monica LaVita, and Bobby D’Agostino.
Daniels and his staff welcomed a large contingent of officers from the Lynn Police Officers and firefighters from the Lynn Fire Department to the cookout that was held on the funeral home’s property on Maple Street.
“This year we also invited the Department of Public Works because we appreciate all the people in the city who do all the work that keeps Lynn safe and beautiful,” said Daniels, who is a 1980 graduate of Peabody High School.
A former police officer himself in Melbourne, Florida, Daniels has a first-hand perspective on the tremendous sacrifices that police officers and firefighters make every day and why many consider first responders as true local heroes in the community.
“I was a police officer for a couple of years, so I know how tough it is, I know what their sacrifice is, and I know what they go through,” said Daniels.
Daniels credited his staff for helping to make the arrangements for the cookout.
“They did all the set-up in the pouring rain,” said Daniels. “My wife (Cristina Daniels) put together the decorations. A lot of love and care was put into this celebration.”
Cuffe McGinn last held the celebration of first responders in 2019 as the COVID pandemic forced the cancellation of the event the last three years.
“We wanted to start it back up because we don’t want to forget the good men and women that do all of this for our city,” said Daniels. “The celebration was popular then and it’s popular now. We just appreciate everything that our first responders do. We look forward to doing this every year to celebrate them.”