Dot Macaione has been an advocate in the community her entire life. At 97 years young, Dot continues to support the Girls Scouts and is an active Shoe City Lions member. Her sister, Bernice Langlois, had been active in MSAC for many years encouraging Dot to join in the action but Dot did not join until she moved in 2010 after her sister passed away.
Dot said she enjoyed the meetings because they are so informative, “so many people have no idea what is going on, things that affect their everyday life, because they are not a MSAC member and do not get the information we receive at our chapter meetings.”
Since joining Dot jumped into action, becoming a chapter board officer and attending rallies at the state house to stand for social justice. As soon as a new person moves into her building, Dot shares her enthusiasm in an effort to recruit a new neighbor, “Joining MSAC is the best thing I have ever done. The information we receive is so important. It can be lifesaving for us seniors and what would happen if we didn’t fight against these cuts? People would be lost.”
Dot’s testimony in 2014 and again this year at the MBTA board meeting was key to pushing back against the proposal to eliminate the premium fare service zone, “at my age my transportation options are already limited. Most of my friends and family have had to give up their license and car.” Dot explained why she spoke up, “I just could not sit by and allow these cuts to happen. I had to at least try to stop them.” And stopping the cuts is just what happened because of Dot and others who participated and did not just take it.
Dot was surprised when the chapter nominated her as their 2016 unsung hero. Dot said, “I do not feel I do more than the other members. I just feel we should all work to make things better for each other. It is just what I have always done.