The parents of a five-year-old girl who was killed while crossing Elm Square last year will be recognized next week as recipients of the first annual Sue Tucker Award for Community Service.
Eric Olson and Mary Beth Ellis are being recognized for their work to improve pedestrian safety in Andover since Sidney Olson’s tragic death. The couple serves as president and vice president of Sidney’s Rainbows, a nonprofit formed in the wake of the tragedy and “adheres to the values that inspired Senator Tucker’s works,” according to a news release from state Sen. Barry Finegold (D-Andover).
“Sidney’s Rainbows embodies a spirit of service by giving voices to the vulnerable – just as Sue did,” Finegold said. “Sidney’s parents, Mary Beth and Eric, have become advocates in the face of tragedy, and it is my pleasure to award this organization with the first Sue Tucker Award for Community Service.”
The Olson family pressured town officials to hasten the pace for making safety improvements in Elm Square, including No Turn On Red signs and a crossing lights that stop traffic in all directions when pedestrians are crossing.
Tucker, who died last November, was a state representative from Andover from 1982 to 1992 and then a state senator from 1999-2011. She chaired the Joint Committee on Housing and was a vocal opponent of casino gambling in Massachusetts.
“Senator Tucker’s legacy of community service is felt by so many in our community. Sue was truly a trailblazer, serving the people of the Merrimack Valley,” Finegold said. “She was an effective, independent and persuasive voice on behalf of children, consumers, individuals with disabilities, seniors, and people experiencing homelessness, and I named this recognition after Sue so that recipients are linked with her inspiring contributions to the community.”