Beth Eby Named 2013 Volunteer of the Year

The following press release was submitted by the Medfield Foundation.

The Medfield Foundation proudly recognizes Beth Eby as its 2013 Volunteer of the Year for her “unfailingly diligent and tireless advocacy for the clients” of the Medfield Food Cupboard (MFC).

“Beth devotes endless, days, nights and weekends working tirelessly to ensure that the MFC clients are well taken care of, both physically and emotionally,” say Medfield Foundation representatives. 

Beth Eby began volunteering at the inception of the MFC in 1992 and has been President of the MFC for the last 15 years. She is the central organizer and contact for the MFC's board of directors, its 75 volunteers, as well as its many community partners, partnerships she mainly created, with the Home Committee, the Lions, donors, SCRIP program, schools, and churches. Most importantly, Beth interfaces with the clients about their applications and situations.

The MFC was created to provide assistance to Medfield residents who are in need of supplemental or emergency food, but Beth found creative ways to get ever increasing donations from the community, both financial and in kind, such that she has made the MFC into a veritable human services agency.

Under Beth’s leadership, the MFC now provides back to school supplies, Halloween costumes, community baked Thanksgiving breads, Christmas gifts, stockings, and trees (the latter from the Lions), Easter baskets and Easter meals supplied by churches, fresh vegetables in season, sun screen, bug spray, and even clothing. “In short, Beth knows the clients’ needs and seeks innovative ways to fulfill those needs, making the clients’ lives easier.”

Most of Medfield’s youths have supported the MFC in some way during their formative years, as each school supports the MFC with at least one food drive a year. One student said Beth “has been an incredible inspiration to me and so many other students in Medfield, encouraging us to get involved in our community.” The churches have been actively involved by Beth too, as there is a drop off spot at each church, and the churches are regularly notified of the most needed items.

Beth also spearheaded the project to resurface the tennis court at the present day MHS, coordinated the Women's Spring League Tennis for years, and has been both a stalwart and selfless substitute teacher.

One person said, in Beth “I can recognize dedication, trustworthiness, compassion, commitment to community service, and a person willing to go beyond the expected.”