Resident honored for her volunteerism

Kimberly Blanchard

Volunteerism can pay off in many ways and for Ashburnham resident Kimberly Blanchard it earned her a special honor.

Mount Wachusett Community College Foundation, Inc. named her their 2006 Harold E. Drake Jr. Citizen of the Year because of her work as a volunteer in North Central Massachusetts.

"I'm delighted that we are honoring Kimberly Blanchard as this year's Citizen of the Year," said MWCC President Daniel M. Asquino. "Her work in our communities serves as a great example for our students to find ways to volunteer their skills to benefit others."

B l a n c h a r d

B l a n c h a r d serves on the board for the Multi Service Center in Leominster in addition to her role as a volunteer photographer.

She also volunteers to create and give multimedia presentations for ARC Community Services in Fitchburg.

Blanchard - a graduate of Applewild School in Fitchburg - is chairman of Applewild's Alumni Council, as well as a member of each the school's Board of Directors, its Development Committee, and its Board of Visitors. She also volunteers in the school's library.

She participated in the school's Head of School Search Committee last year. She also lends the school her photography and slideshow presentation skills.

Blanchard helped to facilitate a partnership between Applewild and ARC in which ARC clients visit Applewild to spend time with their Applewild third-grade buddies, and while there, collect paper for recycling.

In addition, she has enjoyed many hours helping out with the school's second-grade community service program at The Highlands nursing home in Fitchburg.

She also serves on the board of Oakmont Pop Warner Football and Lawrence Academy's Board of Visitors.

In addition, Blanchard has served on the boards of ARC and the United Way of North Central Massachusetts, as well as on the Fitchburg Art Museum's Education Committee. She was the chairman of the Multi Service Center's 2005 annual fund.

Blanchard has given her time to the United Way's Tocqueville Events Committee, Leadership Committee as vice chairman, Day of Caring Committee and Day of Caring Committee as co-chairman.

Her parents taught her through example to embrace volunteerism. Blanchard's mother volunteered in a crisis center and her father worked for the community in a variety of ways.

Blanchard is a graduate of Amherst College and the University of Florida - College of Law. While living in Florida, she volunteered for AIDSHelp, which provided assistance to AIDS victims in Key West, Fla., Greyhound Rescue, KidsFest and Reef Relief.

Blanchard will be formally honored during the Annual Foundation Dinner on Thursday, Sept. 28 at the Colonial Hotel in Gardner.

To attend the dinner, contact Diane Hamilton at dhamilton@ mwcc.mass.edu or (978) 630-9387. Tickets are $75 per person. The event begins at 5:30 p.m.

- Submitted to The Journal