A gorgeous spring evening was the perfect backdrop to the city of Lowell’s 175th birthday party. While the brisk breeze may have strained the arms of those carrying the national flags of the many countries from which Lowell’s citizenry originated, it made the flags much more visible as they were tugged horizontally by the breeze. The speaking program was appropriate to the occasion with my personal highlights being the reading of the winning “Lowell Story” essay by its author, a Wang Middle School student, and the presentation of an enlarged reproduction of the original legislation that granted the city its charter back in 1836 by Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin to Mayor Jim Milinazzo (shown above).

Perhaps the best part of the evening was the mix of people who were there. Besides the student musicians in the Lowell High marching band, there were many other young people as part of the many ethnic groups that participated. Many others from the business, government and non-profit community were all present as were many other citizens of Lowell. It was a diverse group in every sense of the word and it represented the city well.