Please welcome Mariah Kilcoyne, Kensington native and newest member of the Farm team. She shared with us some her interests and passions, and how she hopes to make a difference in the community.
Tell us a little bit about your Kensington roots.
I’ve lived in Kensington my whole life. I have a fraternal twin sister, Mary, who worked at the Kensington Rec summer camp last year. My mom Maggi is a fourth grade teacher at Kensington Elementary school. Her students may have heard stories about our cats. My father Mike works in Seabrook.
What is something about you that most people in the community don’t know?
I graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a Bachelor’s in Psychology and a minor in Sociology.
What are some of your passions and interests?
I’m passionate about helping local communities, especially my own. I’m particularly interested in public health. I see a growing desire in people wanting to lead healthier lifestyles, and there are a lot of barriers that prevent that. Labels can be misleading and trying to figure out what is healthy can be overwhelming. How and what we eat impacts so many areas in our life, and I want to empower people to be able to take control of their lives.
I love learning about nutrition, and anything related to science. I like exploring local restaurants, and I’m always looking for new suggestions. I enjoy spending time with my family and working with plants. We already have some seeds started for our summer garden.
What difference do you hope to make in the community?
I hope to strengthen our community, whether it’s by encouraging healthy habits, buying locally, or just getting people out to meet each other. I’ll be at the events, in the Farm office, and I’m a clerk one day a week in the market. I’d like anyone reading this to feel free to come by and say hi!
What brought you to the Farm?
I came to the Farm at Eastman’s Corner as a volunteer because I loved that it offered food that was both healthy and local. As I visited Eastman’s more, I learned that it is also a place for the community to gather regularly, and that it provides a variety of fun events and informative classes. I wanted to work here because I love what it has to offer the community, and the Farm’s philosophy is so similar to my own. There’s always something new to do, and I get to look for new ways to involve and support my community.
We are so happy Mariah is here – her positive energy and creative thinking fit right in here at the Farm. Please come by and say “hello”!