Friends and colleagues of Ed Bell will gather from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, March 5, at the Boston Yacht Club to honor his legacy.
Bell was an award-winning journalist and devoted community volunteer who built a distinguished 50-year career in newspapers, broadcasting and wire services, leading coverage of some of the most memorable stories of the late 20th century.
He co-founded and served as co-chair of Marblehead News Group Inc., which publishes the weekly Marblehead Current, and chaired its editorial board.
Co-hosted by award-winning journalist and television host Susan Wornick and Bell’s daughter, Andrea Bell Bergeron, the evening will feature community recognition awards reflecting Bell’s values:
- Outstanding Student Journalist: Grey Collins
- Community Service: Teri McDonough
- Philanthropic Community Leadership: The Marblehead Philanthropic Lodge (the Masons)
Grey Collins
Current reporter and photographer Grey Collins joined the newsroom in May 2024, when he was a Marblehead High School sophomore working on the student newspaper. He initially volunteered as a photographer, a role that quickly expanded to include reporting.
To call Collins a talented photojournalist would be an understatement. His photographs — many of which have appeared on the Current’s front page — are consistently compelling and thoughtfully composed. He has earned numerous photography honors, including:
- Winner of the 2024 Marblehead Festival of Arts Photography People’s Choice Award and an honorable mention
- Best of Show in the youth category at the 2024 Essex Heritage Foundation Photography Show
- Honorable mentions from the Griffin Museum Student Alliance
- A Regional Gold Key Award from the National Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
- Juried inclusion in the Marblehead Arts Association’s national “Variations” exhibition and the 2024 and 2025 Marblehead Festival of Arts photography exhibits
- Artist member of the Marblehead Arts Association
Grey exhibited 25 of his news and nature photographs in a month-long solo show at the Marblehead Arts Association last August and September. He also served as a panelist at the Marblehead Current’s “Capturing the Moment: The Art of Photojournalism” discussion in October 2025.
The Current quickly discovered that Collins also has strong reporting instincts. He has written numerous enterprise news articles and is always willing to chase down a story. He has become an integral part of the newsroom.
Outside of journalism, Collins is deeply involved in his school and community. He is a co-founder and co-president of the Marblehead High School Photography Club, which he helped establish in January 2025 and grow to more than 100 members. He teaches photography skills and leads photo walks around town.
He is also the co-founder and president of the Marblehead High School chapter of the Rho Kappa Social Studies Honor Society, where he helped establish the chapter, raise funds, and organize volunteer activities, food drives and guest speakers.
Collins created and produced the “Marblehead Stories” biography series, interviewing residents about their lives, the town’s history and Marblehead’s impact on their journeys, including senior citizens, historians and public officials.
In 2025, Collins was selected to represent Marblehead High School at Massachusetts Student Government Day, where he researched legislation and participated in mock debate on the House floor. He has since committed to attend Tufts University.
Tickets are available at https://bit.ly/4kr9bYk. Sponsorship opportunities are available at $250, $500, $1,000, $1,500 and $2,500.
For more information, email info@marbleheadnews.org.
