Posthumous Exhibit Honors Local Artist and Disability Advocate Francis J. “Frankie” Bernard
A special posthumous exhibit will honor the life and work of Francis J. “Frankie” Bernard (1965–2018), a beloved Chelsea cartoonist and disability advocate, in recognition of the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Funded by the Chelsea Cultural Council and presented in partnership with the Chelsea Disability Commission, this exhibit will feature a series of original Funny as a Crutch comic strips. It will open on July 29 at the Chelsea City Hall Gallery.
Bernard was the creator of Funny as a Crutch, a comic strip chronicling the misadventures of Frankie, a young boy who walks with crutches, and Sharpton, his loyal porcupine companion. The strip offered a humorous yet poignant look at disability through the eyes of its creator, who lived with spina bifida.
A graduate of Chelsea High School, Bernard attended the Massachusetts College of Art for two years. He launched Funny as a Crutch with the hope of encouraging readers to feel more comfortable around people with disabilities and to foster greater empathy and inclusion. The strip ran weekly in The Chelsea Record.
This exhibit not only celebrates Bernard’s artistic legacy but also serves as a reminder of the importance of visibility in the ongoing movement for disability rights and inclusion, especially during July, which is Disability Pride Awareness Month.
City issues traffic advisory for Webster Ave. bridge work
The City of Chelsea has issued a traffic advisory reminding residents and commuters that MassDOT will be working overnight to renovate the Webster Avenue Bridge in Chelsea over the next two to three months.
As a result, Webster Avenue may at times operate as a single-lane road between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m., Monday through Saturday to ensure worker safety and keep the project on schedule.
During these times, drivers coming from the Route 1 off-ramp to Jefferson Avenue will not be able to turn left onto Route 16/Webster Avenue. Instead, they will need to turn right onto Webster Avenue toward Home Depot and Broadway.
The work includes cleaning steel, removing old paint, and repainting the bridge.
Five Summers In, Tenacity Chelsea is Serving Up Talent and Literacy
The Tenacity Summer Tennis and Reading Program is celebrating five strong years in Chelsea—and with it, a transformation not only of local youth but of Voke Park itself drawing families, energizing a neighborhood, and producing standout young athletes and readers.
Leading the program is Richard Wilson, a tenured Tenacity staff member who began his own journey as a child in Boston’s Tenacity program. Today, Wilson brings that full-circle experience to Chelsea, where he’s helped build a vibrant, free program serving kids ages 6 to 15 with tennis instruction, reading support, and life skills development.
“In a city where tennis wasn’t always accessible, we’ve created something lasting,” said Wilson. These kids are not only becoming skilled players – they’re growing in confidence, discipline, and team work. We’re especially excited that a group of this summer’s participants will be competing in the Mayor’s Cup Tennis Tournament in Boston from August 11-14.”
Voke Park, once quieter during the day, is now a hub of daily summer activity. Neighbors in the area have come to look forward to the return of the Tenacity program each year, often stopping by to watch local youth practice.
To build on that success, Chelsea Recreation & Cultural Affairs has launched a second full-time summer offering at the same site: the Wild Wonders Nature Program, which runs five days a week in the morning and afternoon and introduces children to hands-on outdoor exploration and environmental education. Both Tenacity and Wild Wonders are free to Chelsea families, and youth are welcome to participate in one or both.
The dual programs are part of Chelsea’s commitment to making summer enriching, active, and joyful for all children. “These programs don’t just serve kids—they activate public space, build community, and reflect what’s possible when we invest in our youth,” said Bea Cravatta, Director Chelsea Recreation.
For more information or to visit the programs in action, contact Chelsea Recreation & Cultural Affairs at [email protected].