Category Archives: Medfield Foundation

Medfield Foundation Opens
Nominations for 2013 Volunteer Awards

Do you know someone in Medfield who dedicates countless time and energy to a worthy community cause or initiative?  If so, now is your chance to nominate him or her for a Medfield Foundation volunteer award – the adult, the youth, or the lifetime achievement awards.

This year’s nomination form, due January 25, 2013, seeks to capture information about the volunteer’s work in specific areas, including:

•    Action     What does the nominee actually do in his/her capacity as a volunteer?
•    Need         What community need(s) does the nominee address?
•    Impact     How is nominee’s volunteer work making a difference?
•    Inspiration     What makes the nominee unique or special?

Anyone interested in submitting a nomination for one of the 2013 Medfield Foundation volunteer awards can download the official form from http://www.medfieldfoundation.org. Completed forms should be e-mailed as attachments to MFiVolunteerAward@gmail.com no later than January 25.

The  MFi’s 2013 volunteer recognition reception will be held from 4 – 6 PM on Sunday, March 10 at The Center, and all are invited.

In 2012, Bill Massaro received the Volunteer of the Year award, Jane Garofalo received the Youth Volunteer of the Year Award, and John Harney was the first recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award.   Massaro, Garofalo, and Harney, along with all those nominated were honored with official proclamations presented by MFi president, Stephen Phillips.  More than twenty Medfield residents received recognition for their volunteer efforts at last spring’s reception.

The Medfield Foundation, Inc. is a volunteer-run private nonprofit, tax deductible 501(c)(3) corporation created in 2001 to raises private monies for public purposes in the Town of Medfield, which allows donors to designate their donations for particular purposes.  The Medfield Foundation allows motivated groups to fund raise for Medfield purposes as part of the MFi.  To date, the Medfield Foundation has raised over $1,400,000.00 for the Town of Medfield.

Medfield Foundation opens
nominations for volunteer awards

Do you know someone in Medfield who dedicates countless time and energy to a worthy community cause or initiative?  If so, now is your chance to nominate him or her for a Medfield Foundation volunteer award.

This year’s nomination form, due January 25, seeks to capture information about the volunteer’s work in specific areas, including:

• Action — What does the nominee actually do in his/her capacity as a volunteer?
• Need — What community need(s) does the nominee address?
• Impact — How is nominee’s volunteer work making a difference?
• Inspiration — What makes the nominee unique or special?

Anyone interested in submitting a nomination for one of the 2013 Medfield Foundation volunteer awards can download the official form from www.medfieldfoundation.org. Completed forms should be e-mailed as attachments to MFiVolunteerAward@gmail.com no later than January 25.

The  MFi’s 2013 volunteer recognition reception will be held from 4 – 6 PM on Sunday, March 10 at The Center, and all are invited.

In 2012, Bill Massaro received the Volunteer of the Year award, Jane Garafolo received the Youth Volunteer of the Year Award, and John Harney was the first recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award.   Massaro, Garafolo, and Harney, along with all those nominated were honored with official proclamations presented by MFi president, Stephen Phillips.  More than twenty Medfield residents received recognition for their volunteer efforts at last spring’s reception.

The Medfield Foundation, Inc.  is a volunteer-run private nonprofit, tax deductible 501(c)(3) corporation created in 2001 to raises private monies for public purposes in the Town of Medfield, Massachusetts.  The Medfield Foundation allows donors to designate their donations for particular purposes.  The Medfield Foundation also allows motivated groups to raise monies for Medfield purposes under the rubric of the Medfield Foundation.  To date, the Medfield Foundation has raised over $1,300,000.00 for the Town of Medfield.

Jane Garofalo – Youth Volunteer of the Year Award — Medfield Food Cupboard

For the past two years, Medfield High School junior Jane Garofalo has been volunteering weekly at the Medfield Food Cupboard, and as part of her work, she created a “Blue Bag-it Program” to increase summer donations, according to Beth Eby, Medfield Food Cupboard president, who endorsed Jane’s nomination for the Youth Volunteer of the Year award.

“Jane became aware of the severe decrease in donations over the summer months, and came up with a fantastic and yet simple program idea, and implemented it at Shaw’s,” said Eby.

“Through the program, shoppers are presented with a special blue bag, and a list of the items that the Medfield Food Cupboard needs for that month,” Eby explained. “To get the program off the ground, Jane applied for a New ‘N Towne grant to fund the purchase of blue bags and produce flyers, and recruited student volunteers to staff a weekend table at Shaw’s to promote the initiative during the summer months. Jane’s efforts were appreciated by customers because the blue bag provided them with an easy way to separate their own personal items from Medfield Food Cupboard needs.”

Eby pointed out that on the first day of the campaign, and each time thereafter, the food donation bin was overflowing with colorful blue bags in a matter of hours.

Since its introduction, Eby says the Blue Bag-it Program has gained traction and garnered media attention, and Garofalo has received approval to make it a permanent Medfield Shaw’s initiative that has the potential to be replicated at other stores.

“From a young age, Jane has demonstrated a sincere compassion for children who are less fortunate, and without food or money to satisfy basic needs,” said her mother, Patti Garofalo.  “I believe this empathy for others inspired her to look for a way to make things better for members of her own community struggling with these same issues.”

Bill Massaro – Volunteer of the Year Award — Medfield State Hospital environmental clean-up and re-use

Bill Massaro has been in Medfield for 36 years and was also nominated by Richard DeSorgher for the 2012 Volunteer of the Year award for his work on environmental issues related to the Medfield State Hospital site and its potential re-use.

“Bill’s work on the hospital is all-consuming,” said DeSorgher, who estimated that Massaro dedicates an average of 30 hours each week on hospital issues, including visiting the site, conducting research and attending meetings.

In his nomination of Massaro, DeSorgher noted, “Bill’s work is of utmost importance to those of us in Medfield today, and those who might potentially live on the property. His concern about the clean-up of the hazardous waste on the hospital site and on the bottom of the Charles River, is both a health and town-wide issue. Bill’s daily following and oversight of State Hospital issues has turned him into a safety watchdog for the town.”

DeSorgher pointed out that Massaro’s extensive management experience at Raytheon Corporation, especially in the area of proposals and contracts, coupled with his MBA from New York University, has given him the expertise to quickly analyze underlying scientific and policy considerations, and reply in detail to all proposals presented by the Division of Capital Asset Management, which is  responsible for major public building construction and real estate services for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

“Never have I seen anyone so talented at detail, and so dedicated to objectivity, as Bill has been on the hospital issue,” said DeSorgher.