Local business owner says ‘Yes’ to Malden High Senior Class… on ‘Promposal Day’!

Town Line Luxury Lanes/Mixx360 Nightlife owner assists MHS promgoers; generous donation will cover cost of buses from MHS to Boston Park Plaza on Prom Night

  They could not have scripted it any better.

  On National “Promposal Day” – no less – a generous, longtime Malden business owner once again stepped to the fore in supporting those in need. This time it was the Malden High School Senior Class of 2022, which has been beset by more than its fair share of setbacks related to the calamity of COVID-19.

  Well-known throughout his 11 years-plus in office of “keeping his ear to the ground,” Malden Mayor Gary Christenson caught wind of a financial dilemma faced by the Malden High School Senior Class of 2022 in planning perhaps the most special of all high school students’ traditional events: Senior Prom. The Mayor learned from fifth-year Malden High Principal Chris Mastrangelo that there was a “good news-bad news” element to this year’s prom planning.

MHS Prom planned for May 27 at Boston Park Plaza

  The Senior Class leaders are planning on hosting an exciting, traditional social highlight of their high school years at the venerable Boston Park Plaza Hotel ballroom on Friday, May 27. However, a potential roadblock constructed of dollar signs seriously threatened plans for this most magical of nights. For practical and safety reasons, it has been determined that all prom-going students must be transported by privately hired buses on the 9.1-mile trip from Malden High School to the prom site at Boston Park Plaza. The night’s agenda is that prom-goers participate in the pre-prom “Red Carpet” highlight at Malden High at 4:30 p.m., then travel to the prom venue for photos, dinner and dancing beginning at 7:00 p.m.

  The cost of that transportation item quickly arose as a bona fide “budget-buster” for the evening’s events. According to Principal Mastrangelo, the estimate was in the neighborhood of $5,000. Mastrangelo told The Advocate this figure would have made the cost of prom tickets for the MHS couples soar astronomically, most likely putting the price out of reach for some.

  Mayor Christenson soon learned of this money problem and mentioned it during his regular directors’ meeting late last week.

Mayor: ‘One phone call… and the issue was solved’

  “It took one phone call,” the Mayor told The Advocate Tuesday, “and the issue was solved.”

  Malden Facilities Director Eric Rubin contacted Town Line Luxury Lanes/Mixx360 Nightlife of Malden owner Anthony DeCotis and told him about the shortfall in the Senior Class of 2022’s budget. DeCotis immediately agreed to donate the generous sum of $5,000 to cover the cost of the prom buses. MHS Prom Night was absolutely a go!

  “Once again, Anthony DeCotis stepped up to help some Malden citizens in need,” Mayor Christenson told a group of Malden High students and Malden Public Schools administrators who met with the Town Line Luxury Lanes owner in the Mayor’s Office on Tuesday afternoon. “That is the type of business owner we have here in the city of Malden.”

  On hand for the gathering Tuesday, along with Mayor Christenson, Facilities Director Rubin and DeCotis, were Malden Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ligia Noriega-Murphy, Principal Mastrangelo, Class of 2022 Advisor Dan Jurkowski, Senior Class Officers and other members of the prom planning committee.

  “We are so grateful to Mr. DeCotis for his generosity is helping make these kids’ dream come true, of having a wonderful Prom in a fantastic venue,” Mastrangelo told all in attendance on Tuesday. “These members of the Senior Class have gone through so much and missed a lot during the COVID-19 pandemic of the past two years.”

Fundraising for Senior Class of 2022 took a big hit during COVID-19 pandemic

  Mastrangelo noted that the continuous fundraising efforts of the Class of 2022 – nearly all of which are geared toward lowering the cost of the Senior Prom – “really took a big hit during the pandemic, since there was such a lack of opportunities for so long of a time for holding any live fundraising events.” Mastrangelo also noted a compelling point regarding the Senior Class of 2022: They are the only Class at Malden High that has gone a full year of in-person learning, due to the changes to remote learning during the pandemic, as it was during their freshman year, 2018-19.

  “We really had to struggle to raise every dollar possible, but these students learned a lot about life – and how to deal with adversity,” Class Advisor Dan Jurkowski said Tuesday.

  Several of the students on hand, including Class Officer Sami Nie and Tony Giech, thanked DeCotis for his generous donation: a $5,000 check he presented at Tuesday’s gathering.

  For his part, the Town Line Luxury Lanes owner said he was happy to help the Malden High seniors with their prom costs, considering what they have gone through during the pandemic. “I have three children myself and have seen firsthand what you all have gone through with remote learning, in school some time and out of school other times,” DeCotis told the MHS students and personnel who gathered on Tuesday.

  He also noted that times had been tough as a business owner, like so many others locally and around the world, with shutdowns and other obstacles for the past two years. “We have all gone through so much, but we have to be ready to help each other,” said DeCotis, who has become well-known locally for his generous support of individuals and groups for many years through his business, which is located at 665 Broadway (Route 99) in Malden.

  “I am happy that you will be able to have a special night for the Prom in May,” he told the students. “You all deserve to make those memories you’ll never forget.”