Welcome!
No period in recent history has brought into sharper focus the value of Outward Bound's pillars: resilience, tenacity, leadership and, above all, compassion. We look forward to celebrating our students' return to the Island, and the positive impact of Thompson Island Outward Bound on student’s lives.
After more than a year of remote learning our city’s students need access to enriching outdoor learning more than ever. Tonight’s gala is an opportunity to show your support for Thompson Island Outward Bound and for bringing learning to life for the children in Boston who need it most.
Quick Links
Program • North Star Award • Live Event Instructions & Tech Support • Silent Auction • Event Sponsors • Evening Expedition Bingo • Signature Cocktail
PROGRAM
Welcome | Arthur N. Pearson, President and CEO, Thompson Island Outward Bound
Keynote Address | Erin Hashimoto-Martell, Director of STEM Learning for the MA Dept. of Education
North Star Award | Honoree: Mossik Hacobian, Executive Director, Higher Ground
Mission Moment | Hear from Nikki Tabron, Chief Education Officer and students who came to Thompson Island this summer
A Special Thank You | From Thompson Island Staff and a few of Boston's most prominent community members
Virtual Paddle Raise and Live Auction | Benjamin Farrell, Master Auctioneer, Custom Benefit Auctions
Closing Remarks | Mark Keating, Chairman, Board of Trustees, Thompson Island Outward Bound
Honoree Mossik Hacobian
The North Star Award symbolizes a guiding light of strength, integrity and leadership. In the past, mariners used the North Star to guide their boats across vast oceans.
Tonight we honor Mossik Hacobian, for his lifetime of service to Boston, most recently in coordinating a comprehensive community response to pandemic recovery efforts.
Mossik Hacobian is a lifelong advocate for community development in Boston. He joined Boston’s Higher Ground as its Executive Director in 2011 following a 33-year tenure in senior positions, including Executive Director and President of Urban Edge. During Mossik’s tenure, Urban Edge developed or preserved over 1,300 units of housing and managed more than 1,100 homes and apartments.
Mossik’s interest in community development sparked during a nine-month design project in East Harlem, which he had undertaken while attending Columbia University School of Architecture. He moved to Boston after his junior year in architecture school for two years of alternate service as a conscientious objector, and worked as a community organizer in East Boston. During that time he helped launch the East Boston Community News and was part of the team that founded the East Boston Community Development Corporation. Mossik and two friends subsequently embarked on an affordable housing project, renovating abandoned residential buildings, which prepared him for his career in affordable housing and community development.
In 2005 Mossik was one of twelve nonprofit leaders selected as a Barr Fellow, and travelled on a learning journey to South Africa and Zimbabwe. His other honors include Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Leadership Award (2005), and awards from Massachusetts Associate of Community Development Corporations (MACDC), The University of Massachusetts, and Massachusetts Immigrant & Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA).
Mossik joined Thompson Island Outward Bound’s Board of Trustees in 2011 and serves as Chair of its Asset Management Committee, where his wealth of knowledge has been invaluable to the preservation of the campus and its buildings.
We can’t think of any light more guiding than that provided by Mossik, throughout a lifetime of service to Boston as a whole, and most recently through the Surround Care Coalition and its work during the pandemic. We offer this award to Mossik with deep gratitude for his contributions to Thompson Island Outward Bound and our community, while looking forward to many more years of partnership.
Live Event Instructions & Tech Support
- Visit event.gives/thompsonisland on your phone, tablet, or computer (for the best experience, use Google Chrome on your computer). Every aspect of this event will take place right on your screen. If you’re watching with a group, we recommend that each person log in on their own device so they can bid and donate separately.
- You must be logged in to view the stream and fully participate in the program! The login function can be found on top right menu of homepage. Your cell phone number is your log-in credential. If you don't know your password simply click on “Text me a pin” or “Email me a pin”.
- Click the play button next to "This Event is Live Now!" to start the virtual event.
- Sit back & enjoy the program!
Technical issues? We have someone on standby for any technical issues, just use the blue chat button on the bottom of the live stream video and we will respond ASAP.
Thank You to our Event Underwriters!
The Durant Family
Thank You Environmental Activist Sponsors!
Brown Rudnick LLP • Cambridge Trust Company • CBRE • Crowe LLP • Eaton Vance • Flour Bakery • KPMG • Liberty Mutual Insurance • US Bank • Womble Bond Dickinson
Nancy and David Corkery • Susan and William Elcock • James Fitzgerald and Linda Shannon • Suzanne and George C. Gebelein • Mark and Sarah Keating • David S. Kirk • Jenny and Jay Leopold • Tom Ready and Deborah McKie • Gale and Charles Willauer
Thank You Coastal Conservationist Sponsors!
CrossCountry Consulting • Cindy and Ryan Enright • Mark and Tarah Hirschey • Massachusetts Convention Center Authority • Cheryl and Scott Pinarchick • Michelle and Aaron Rhodes • Sandy and Louise McGinnes • Someone Else's Child Foundation
Thank You Ecological Ambassador Sponsors!
Fernandes Masonry, Inc. • Eddie Jenkins, Jr. • Alice and George Lewis, VI • Yozell Associates
Thank you Auction Donors!
Boston Crawling ● Boston Duck Tours ● Cape Air ● Charles Hotel ● Charles River Canoe and Kayak ● The Delamar West Hartford ● Discovery Museum ● Elite Island Resorts ● Gather Boston | Briar Group ● Granite State Escape ● Hy-Line Cruises ● The Institute of Contemporary Art Boston ● Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum ● The Lyric Stage Company of Boston ● Mallory Portraits ● Massachusetts Audubon Society ● New Balance ● New England Patriots ● Patagonia ● Peabody Essex Museum ● Project Puffin - National Audubon Society ● Red Sox Foundation ● Rockland Trust ● Rock Spot Climbing South Boston ● The Sports Museum ● Tree House Brewing Company ● TreeTop Adventure ● Trillium Brewery ● Turnstyle Cycle & Bootcamp ● Wachusett Mountain ● Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art ● Winston Flowers
Peter Annicelli ● Cooper Fersen ● Mark and Tarah Hirschey ● Ilene Kohlun ● Chuck Marble ● Willits and Ted Sawyer ● Dave and Lynn Waller
Evening Expedition Bingo Game!
Yell “Bingo!” by snapping a picture and texting it to 617-477-8872 and be entered to win 2 tickets to the Bruins game on December 23rd!
If you didn't get a bingo card in the mail, you can download one here.
Signature Cocktail
The Campfire Sour
Makes two cocktails
- 3 shots rye whiskey
- 1 1/2 shots fresh lemon juice
- 3/4 shot maple syrup
- 1 sprig rosemary (plus 2 for garnish)
- Add rye whiskey, lemon juice and maple syrup to a cocktail shaker.
- Light sprig of rosemary on fire, and add it to the shaker (smoking end up). Cap and seal shaker, and let stand for 30 seconds so mixture can infuse with smoke.
- Add ice, and shake for 15 seconds.
- Strain over large cubes of ice. Garnish with remaining rosemary.