People/North

EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR -- Ina Drouin of Danvers, a seven-year employee of the Trustees of Reservations, was named the conservation organization's 2004 Employee of the Year. Drouin joined the trustees in 1998 as associate director of development, and helped design and start the Conservation Council, a group of members and donors in their 20s to early 40s. Now director of annual leadership giving, Drouin accepted her award at an annual all-staff meeting this month. In presenting the award, Trustees of Reservations executive director Andrew Kendall called Drouin ''the anchor for the development department when seas get rough."

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MUSIC GRANT HONORS MEMORY -- A $1,500 grant from the Wakefield Educational Foundation recently enabled the music department at Wakefield's Galvin Middle School to purchase a digital piano for use in middle and high school performances and rehearsals. The money, raised through the sale of musical note-shaped chocolates during a Spring Pops Concert, is the first award from the foundation's new Peter Sokol WEF Music Grant program. The annual grant is named for a Wakefield teen, Peter Sokol, a member of the Wakefield High School Marching Band who died in a 2003 fire. Music teacher Rosemary Chansky accepted the grant from foundation director Ralph Benson and treasurer Gayle Wettach. The foundation also presented a grant to purchase four microphones and stands for school performances.

ST. JOHN'S GALA -- St. John's Preparatory School's Annual Gala Auction and Dinner, which last year raised over $180,000 for academic programs, is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. March 5 at the Sheraton Ferncroft in Danvers. Lynnfield resident Billy Costa, host of New England Cable News' ''TV Diner" and a KISS 108 radio personality, serves as auctioneer for a variety of items, including Fenway Park box seats, airline tickets, and dinner in Boston with St. John's Headmaster Skip Shannon. The reservation deadline is today. Call Jeanne Rankin at 978-774-6727 or e-mail jrankin@stjohnsprep.org.

HOSPITAL HONORS O'CONNOR -- James O'Connor of Rockport was named Northeast Hospital Corp.'s January Employee of the Month. Fellow employees and hospital administrators recognized O'Connor, a clinical associate in the surgical services department, at a workplace ceremony. For 25 years, he has assisted the surgical services department's patients and staff, and earned a reputation for dependability and focus on patient needs and safety.

MODEL UN TRIP -- Two area youths, Jose Pena of Chelsea and Christopher Driscoll of Winthrop, were among the Boston College High School students who recently took a trip to the United Nations in New York, courtesy of the school's Model United Nations Club. In addition to touring the UN and Security Council headquarters, the students heard a briefing by Permanent Israeli Mission representative Gregory Levey regarding the death of Palestinian leader Yassir Arafat. They also visited Reuters News headquarters, where Phillip Lynch, a BC High graduate, is chief executive officer.

WAKEFIELD TSUNAMI FUND-RAISER -- Third- and fourth-graders at Wakefield's Walton School last month raised over $400 through a book drive to aid victims of December's South Asian tsunami. Students donated their old books and sold them to other Walton School students. Several students, including Caitlin Hankard, Nina Barresi, Elizabeth and Emily Attaya, and Madison, Camryn, Sam, and Tyler Veerman, met with Ralph Benson, vice president of The Savings Bank in Wakefield, to count the money before donating it to the AmeriCares Foundation.

POKER FOR MS RESEARCH -- Inspired by his wife, Franny Spitaleri, who has multiple sclerosis, Bob Spitaleri of Saugus organized an MS Benefit Poker Tournament set for March 4 at Lavoie's Ballard Seafood & Steak Restaurant, 128 Ballard St., Saugus. He hopes to raise $10,000 for the Central New England Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Advance registration is suggested for the event, which starts at 6:30 p.m. Call Spitaleri at 781-589-1353.

WHO, WHAT, WHERE -- James Sullivan of Stratham, N.H., recently joined the mathematics department faculty at Northern Essex Community College . . . Beverly Ann Siskind Kahn of Swampscott was elected to the board of corporators of the Lesley University Corporation . . . Merrimac Savings Bank appointed Danielle Corbin of Kingston, N.H., as manager of its new Newton, N.H. branch, where Julie Christian of Haverhill is teller supervisor, and tellers include New Hampshire residents Rachael O'Keefe and Janet Rousseau of Exeter, and Cynthia Streeter, Barbara Card, , Elizabeth Lighizer, and Heather Pirero of Newton . . . Kathleen Abrams of Lynn was appointed clinical nurse manager on BayRidge I at BayRidge Hospital in Lynn . . . . . . Pathways for Children appointed Susan Stendahl of Ipswich as chief development officer, Stephanie Walters of Gloucester as development coordinator, and Kyra Johnson of Lynnfield as development assistant . . . Roberta Gallagher of Rockport is new program manager at the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce . . . Amanda Tittler of Salem last month joined the faculty of the Marblehead School of Ballet.

Lisa Capone can be reached at capone@globe.com