PHOTOS: A Look Back at Nona's Night

A large crowd of children and their families packed on March 26 for Nona’s Night.

Nona’s Night, an annual South School event, meant more for some Hingham residents this year, as all the money raised is being donated to Hingham teen James Gordan and his family.

Gordan, a former South School student and current Hingham High School senior started his chemotherapy Monday for his recently diagnosed cancer.  The high school senior is  one of four children, is well known around town as the captain of the Hingham High School boys varsity hockey team.

“We just wish him a speed recovery and hope that he’s OK,” said South School mother Maureen Salvucci.

While some of Gordan’s former South School teachers scooped and served ice cream to the community on Monday, his Hingham High School hockey teammates sat outside on a chilly evening on Main Street selling raffle tickets which would be used to raise more money for their varsity captain’s cancer.

The raffle winner  would receive a pair of premium seats to an upcoming Red Sox game and a trip to the WEEI broadcast booth to meet radio broadcasters Joe Castiglione and Dave O’Brien.

Three of Gordan’s hockey teammates, John Grenier, Sam D'Antuono, and Jonathan Shepard said they were present at Nona’s Night to help their hockey captain fight cancer.

“I got really friendly with him on the team,” said Grenier. “He’s a great kid and a great hockey player and he has a really good future and I feel really bad for him and his family, but he’ll make it through.”

South School Principal Eliza Burns said Nona's Night is held by the school every March as a way to come together as a community and raise money for a good cause.

In years past, South School has donated the proceeds from the event to the Playground PTO fund and last year they donated funds to a Para educator who was recovering from an aneurysm.

This year Burns said it was an easy decision to donate the money to Gordan.

“He’s a former South School student, many teachers here know him and had him so we wanted to support him and his family,” Burns said. “We want to make sure James and his family are doing well as they go through this.”

Many students including  Ann Catherine Wichern and Molly Chase, each third graders at South Elementary School, also made it to Nona’s Night for a chance to win an ice cream party for their class.  South School teachers counted the students, and the class with the best overall turnout will be awarded an ice cream party later in the year.

Nona's Night was started several years ago by South School fourth grade teacher Catie Campbell, who has a friendly relationship with Nona's owners, Tom and Krissy Donahue. 

Principal Burns said the entire community is invited each year.

“We enjoy a night out together as the South School community and the Hingham community," Burns said.