Category Archives: Medfield Foundation

Medfield Foundation
and Medfield Foundation Legacy Fund

John Harney – Medfield Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award

John Harney – Lifetime Achievement Award — Medfield civic and community leadership

John Harney is a 47-year resident of Medfield, and was nominated for the Lifetime Achievement award by Medfield resident and retired Medfield High School teacher Richard DeSorgher, who described Harney as “a shining example of the role of a citizen in society. Democracy is not a spectator sport, and without the John Harneys of this world, our government could not exist.”

Harney’s role as a Medfield civic leader began in 1978 as an elected member of the School Committee. From there, Harney served as a Medfield Selectman, joined a number of committees and boards involved with the Medfield State Hospital site, was a 14-year member of the town’s Economic Development Committee, and involved in Collective Bargaining Teams and the Solid Waste Committee.

DeSorgher noted that as selectman, Harney led the drive to save the Dwight-Derby House, and he also fought for the preservation of open space in Medfield.

“John led the drive at Town Meeting to purchase several parcels of land here in Medfield, including the Wheelock property, the Plain Street/Community Gardens land, and the Cronin/Wight Street property. He also fought hard to obtain the Route 27/Plain Street open space that was defeated at Town Meeting,” said DeSorgher.

DeSorgher noted, “Whether in my classroom, the newspapers, in the community, or at public meetings,  John Harney can be seen making democracy work. John speaks out on issues, popular or not, because he believes his cause is right and just. The result of John’s volunteer and civic service is a better town of Medfield for all of our almost 13,000 residents.”

MFI announces volunteer award recipients

The Medfield Foundation, Inc. has announced the names of three Medfield volunteers who will receive the Lifetime Achievement, Volunteer of the Year and Youth Volunteer of the Year awards at its March 18 community reception at The Center at Medfield, as well as the names of 19 Medfield volunteers who will also be recognized at the event sponsored by Rockland Trust.

John Harney will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement award for more than 30 years of civic and community work in Medfield; Bill Massaro will be honored with the Volunteer of the Year award for his work on environmental and re-use issues at the Medfield State Hospital site; and Medfield High School junior Jane Garofalo will be honored with the Youth Volunteer of the Year award for her work with the Medfield Food Cupboard and its “Blue Bag-it Program.”

The Medfield Foundation received 22 award nominations this year that were evaluated by six judges. Nominations were evaluated based what the volunteer has done; the community need he/she addressed; the impact the volunteer’s efforts have made; how well they inspired others to get involved or support their cause; and any special challenges or circumstances they had to overcome. Each nominator was also asked to provide the name of at least one reference.

This year’s judges were Medfield Foundation board members Leanne LaBelle and Abby Marble, resident and business leader Juli Sinnett, Medfield parent and leadership consultant Ellen Bankert, MetroWest Health Foundation President and CEO Marty Cohen, and Medfield Foundation 2009 Volunteer of the Year award recipient Gary Wheeler.

“It was incredibly inspiring to be a part of the process, and to see how much our volunteers are doing right here in Medfield to support the community,” said Sinnett. “It was difficult choosing the final award recipients, but knowing that everyone who was nominated would receive meaningful, public recognition made it a little easier.”

Stephen Phillips, president of the Medfield Foundation, which is entirely run by volunteers, is especially appreciative of the work that went into the volunteer recognition program this year.

“Working closely with Pete Peterson, who founded the volunteer award program four years ago, we had a subcommittee of volunteers who have worked tirelessly over the past year to create a new nomination and evaluation process to build on the success he established, as well as plan the March 18 event,” said Phillips. “Our team has enjoyed seeing the foundation volunteer recognition efforts grow and evolve, and most importantly, continue to inspire others to get involved in helping to make Medfield such a wonderful community.”

The Medfield Foundation volunteer award reception, sponsored by Rockland Trust, is open to the public, and nominees’ friends, members and colleagues are especially encouraged to attend. The event will be held at 4 p.m., Sunday, March 18 at The Center at Medfield on Ice House Rd.  An official RSVP is not necessary, but for refreshment planning purposes, it would be helpful if anyone planning to attend could send an e-mail to mfivolunteeraward@gmail.com.

Other nominees receiving volunteer recognition

Lifetime Achievement

Richard DeSorgher, for his work with the Medfield Historical Society and community at large

CB Doub, for her work with the Medfield Historical Society

Cynthia Greene, for her work with the Medfield Energy Committee

Bob Luttman, for his work with Medfield Public Library

Pinky Meader, for her work with the Medfield Garden Club

Jack Petersen, for his work with Medfield TV

 

 Volunteer of the Year

 Steve Catanese, for his work with Medfield Green

Paul Dewey, for his work with Destination Imagination

Christian Donner, for his work on the Bay Colony Rail Trail project

Frank Iafolla, for his work with Toys for Tots

David LaFreniere, for his work with Trustees of the Reservations and at Noon Hill

Rick McKinney, for his work with the Boy Scouts

Laurie Nealon and Kathleen Cahill, for their work with the Medfield Angel Network

Katharine Steeger, for her work with the Girl Scouts

 

Youth Volunteer of the Year

 Evan Berry, for his work at the Medfield Public Library

Emily Grossman, for her work with the Thunder Hill/Canine Encounters 4H

Dan Pucci, for his work in the Medfield High School Math Lab

Chelsea Robertson, for her work creating “The Party Package” for underprivileged children

Kevin Wang, for his Community Teens/”Buck in a Backpack” project to benefit teens in China

Volunteers

Yesterday afternoon I reviewed the nominations for those suggested for recognition as the Medfield Foundation volunteer of the year.  It was a truly awe inspiring couple of hours reading about the wonderful work that people are doing to make Medfield a better place on such a wide and diverse range of fronts, and I was filled with enthusiasm by their deeds.  We are all beneficiaries of these volunteers’ efforts, either directly, or by their making Medfield generally a better place, and we owe a debt to the stalwart nominators who took time to alert and educate us via the nominations.

I encourage everyone to attend the volunteer recognition event that will take place from 4- 6 PM on Sunday, March 18 at The Center.  The recognition reception is free, open to the public, and last year was an absolutely magical time as the nominators and their nominees recounted in vignette after first person vignette what they had been doing.

You can read about the incredible things that those previously suggested for recognition have done at http://www.medfieldfoundation.org/volunteer.html

The Medfield Foundation is proud that the Rockland Trust Charitable Foundation has sponsored the Medfield Foundation volunteer of the year event this year.  Whole Foods Market will again cater the refreshments.

Rockland Trust to sponsor MFi volunteer recognition

 

Rockland Trust Charitable Foundation sponsors Medfield Foundation volunteer recognition event

Medfield, Mass. – The Rockland Trust Charitable Foundation has donated $950 to the Medfield Foundation, Inc. (MFI) in support of its 2012 volunteer recognition event where the Volunteer of the Year, Youth Volunteer of the Year, and Lifetime Achievement awards will be bestowed upon Medfield residents for their community service achievements.

“At Rockland Trust, we believe in strengthening the communities in which we work and live,” stated Ralph R. Valente, senior vice president and director of the Rockland Trust Charitable Foundation, “The Foundation is pleased to contribute to the Medfield Foundation and support its goal to honor community members for their stellar volunteer efforts.”

The Medfield Foundation’s 2012 Volunteer Award event will be held at 4 p.m., Sunday, March 18 at The Center at Medfield on Ice House Road. The event is free and open to Medfield residents.

 

Medfield residents interested in submitting a nomination for one of the 2012 Medfield Foundation volunteer awards can download the official form from http://www.medfieldfoundation.org/volunteer.html.  Completed nomination forms should be e-mailed as Word or PDF attachments to MFIVolunteerAward@gmail.com no later than Friday, Feb. 10.

 

In 2011, Bob Luttman received the Volunteer of the Year award, and Deirdre Walsh received the Youth Volunteer of the Year award. Additionally, more than 20 other nominees also received recognition at last year’s reception.

 

“The Medfield Foundation is managed entirely by volunteers and has a limited budget, so Rockland Trust’s sponsorship of our 2012 volunteer recognition event is very much appreciated,” said Stephen Phillips, MFI president.

 

Questions about the volunteer awards or requests for more information can be sent to the committee at MFIVolunteerAward@gmail.com. To learn more about the Medfield Foundation, go to www.medfieldfoundation.org.

The Rockland Trust Charitable Foundation serves the communities of Bellingham, Blackstone, Foxboro, Franklin, Hopedale, Medfield, Medway, Mendon, Milford, Millis, Newton, Norfolk, Waltham and Wrentham, and focuses on four primary areas:  education, health and human services, youth programs, and community development. For information about the Rockland Trust Charitable Foundation, please contact Jeanne Travers at 781-982-6637 or visit www.RocklandTrust.com.

Calling all Medfield volunteer nominations!

Deadline is Feb. 10

Stringing thousands of holiday lights downtown each year…

Keeping Medfield’s planters overflowing with flowers…

Saving a beloved historical house from demolition…

Organizing Medfield High School volunteers to support a variety of causes…

These are just a few of the hundreds of tasks that Medfield volunteers take on in a given year to give back to the community. Each day, quietly and without fanfare, our residents do remarkable things to help support Medfield causes. That’s why we need you to shed some light on Medfield’s many unsung heroes by nominating them for a Medfield Foundation, Inc. (MFI)  volunteer award.

This year, you can nominate Medfield residents for any of these three honors:

  • Volunteer of the Year,
  • Youth Volunteer of the Year, and
  • Lifetime Achievement Award (a new category for 2012).

Nominations for the 2012 volunteer awards are due Feb. 10. While the volunteers being nominated must be Medfield residents, those submitting nominations are not required to live in Medfield.

Do you have someone in mind who you’d like to nominate for a Medfield Foundation volunteer award?  Just go to www.medfieldfoundation.org/volunteer.html to learn more and download the official nomination form.

In 2011, the Volunteer of the Year award recipient was Bob Luttman, and the Youth Volunteer of the Year Award recipient was Deirdre Walsh. Information about their community service efforts (and many others) can be found at http://www.medfieldfoundation.org.

The Medfield Foundation will recognize award recipients and nominees at a community event at 4 p.m., Sunday, March 18, at the Center at Medfield on Ice House Rd.

If you have questions about the MFI volunteer awards, or need additional information, just send an e-mail to mfivolunteeraward@gmail.com.

Recognize extraordinary volunteers

Medfield Foundation now accepting volunteer award nominations

Do you know Medfield residents who dedicate countless time and energy to a worthy community cause or initiative?  If so, now is your chance to nominate someone for a Medfield Foundation volunteer award. This year’s nomination form, due Feb. 10, is now available on the Medfield Foundation Web site.

To help determine award recipients, the Foundation seeks to capture information about the volunteer’s work using these general criteria:

* 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?

* Verification – Who else can serve as a reference for the nominee’s volunteer work?

Anyone interested in submitting a nomination for one of the 2012 Medfield Foundation volunteer awards can download the official form from http://www.medfieldfoundation.org/volunteer.html. Completed nomination forms should be e-mailed as Word or PDF attachments to MFIVolunteerAward@gmail.com no later than Friday, Feb. 10.

In 2011, Bob Luttman received the Volunteer of the Year award, and Deirdre Walsh received the Youth Volunteer of the Year award. Additionally, more than 20 other nominees also received recognition at last spring’s reception.

The Foundation’s 2012 volunteer recognition event is scheduled for Sunday, March 18 at The Center at Medfield on Ice House Road. More details will be available in the months ahead.

Questions or requests for more information can be sent to the committee at MFIVolunteerAward@gmail.com.  To learn more about the Medfield Foundation, go to www.medfieldfoundation.org.

Medfield Foundation Volunteer of the Year – Reception 4-6 on 3/27

EXTRAORDINARY MEDFIELD VOLUNTEERS TO BE RECOGNIZED AT RECEPTION ON MARCH 27 AT THE CENTER

The Medfield Foundation’s annual “Volunteer of the Year” reception has been scheduled for 4:00 – 6:00 PM on March 27 at The Center at Medfield.  This year Whole Foods will provide the refreshments.  The public is invited to attend and to celebrate the efforts of the extraordinary Medfield volunteers who have been suggested this year.   This year those recognized, so far, include:

●    Bill Pope        volunteers by creating, renovating, and fostering the Zullo Gallery, and through the Zullo Gallery the town’s cultural life

●    Kim Agricola     volunteers at the Medfield Animal Shelter, and making an incredible difference in many lives, both human and animal

●    Judy Ambrose     volunteers at the Medfield Animal Shelter, and making an incredible difference in many lives, both human and animal

●    Jeanne Sanfilippo    volunteers as chair for the past eight years of the Medfield High School all night graduation party

●    Susan Holbrook    volunteers with Cradles to Crayons to provide clothing and school supplies to Boston children, while promoting a sense of dignity and value in their community

●    Ron Griffin        volunteers for the Shine program, assisting seniors make health care choices

●    Shonda Schilling    volunteers for the ALS Association, the Shade Foundation, AANE, the schools, coaching, and fund raising for MHS fields

●    John Filip        volunteers to organize and operate St. Edward’s CYO basketball

●    Deirdre Walsh    volunteers as President of Community Teens, attended Girls State, member of Warriors for the Homeless, member of the MHS Guidance Advisory, Alter Server, Lector and Peer minister at Blessed Sacrament Parish, junior volunteer at Falmouth Hospital.

●    Betty Sanders        volunteers for the Medfield Garden Club, Medfield  Community Gardens, Medfield Food Cupboard,  Mass. Hort. Society, and shares her gardening expertise

●    Larry Kramer        volunteers by doing music concerts that fund-raise for Medfield Coalition for Public Education and for Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America

●    Laurie Nealon        volunteers by forming and operating the Medfield Angels Network, a 400 strong network connecting Medfield residents who have the capacity to give with those fellow residents who have short term needs

●    Kathleen Cahill    volunteers by forming and operating the Medfield Angels Network, a 400 strong network connecting Medfield residents who have the capacity to give with those fellow residents who have short term needs

●    Katherine Quinn    volunteers for Wishi project in Ecuador, seeking to build a school

●    Jeanne McKenzie    volunteers as the Christmas Angel, coordinating a Christmas sponsorship program that provides Christmas presents to over thirty Medfield families through Medfield Youth Outreach and other organizations

●    Nicki Gustafson    volunteers as the Christmas Angel, coordinating a Christmas sponsorship program that provides Christmas presents to over thirty Medfield families through Medfield Youth Outreach and other organizations

●    Robert Luttman    volunteers everywhere for everything – started Monday Morning Medfield News and MFi, instrumental in the Community Connections Café, saving the Lowell Mason house, serves on the library board, technology study committee, Medfield Youth and Community Collaborative, Medfield Cares About Prevention

●    Susan Wilson        volunteers running the Friends of the Library twice annual book sales for the past 6 years and doing the necessary weekly preparation

●    Harold Pritoni        volunteers at the Dwight-Derby House using his talents in home repair and woodworking to greatly improve the house and the visitor experience

●    Chris Kaldy        volunteers by educating the public, groups,  and the children in town about how to protect themselves against Lyme disease

●    Lisa Dolan        volunteers by educating the public, groups,  and the children in town about how to protect themselves against Lyme disease

The Medfield Foundation (MFi) recognizes by name as its Volunteer of the Year, those individual volunteers whose extraordinary efforts and activities have made a special marked difference in the quality of life in Medfield.  Annually at a reception at The Center at Medfield on Ice House Road, the Medfield Foundation fetes both the Volunteer of the Year and a Youth Volunteer of the Year, as well as all those suggested for recognition for their volunteer efforts.

Nominations of others for recognition will continue to be accepted through the end of February for both the adult and youth volunteer of the year awards.  Individuals recognized in past years are eligible for consideration, if nominated again.

The Volunteers of the Year are selected from amongst nominations of individuals submitted by the public, based entirely on the information submitted.  Nominations are made online at http://www.medfieldfoundation.org/volunteer.html by describing the activities that make the nominee worthy of recognition.  Past MFi volunteer of the year nominees are listed and described at the website.   The Medfield Foundation believes that people taking the time and making the effort to nominate someone actually already makes Medfield a better place.