The Defeat of Jesse James Days Committee is pleased to announce that the 2024 Joseph Lee Heywood Distinguished Service Award Recipient is Beth Berry.
Beth is the 41st recipient of this prestigious award and will be honored on Wednesday, September 4, 2024, during the Defeat of Jesse James Days celebration at the Northfield Ballroom. Beth spent many years within the Northfield School District serving as a guidance counselor, and during that time she helped support several programs that benefitted the youth of Northfield and their families. Several nominations for Beth were received, one of which states, “Her commitment to youth is second to none, and there is no way to acknowledge the work being done in the Northfield community without considering the contributions made by Beth.” Beth has lent her time and talents to a variety of programs including but not limited to, the Northfield Community Action Center, Northfield Community College Collaborative, and serving as the founding coordinator of the Tackling Obstacle, Raising College Hopes (TORCH) program, just to a name a few.
“We are thrilled to celebrate Beth, while also recognizing the tremendous work that she, along with others in our community have worked so hard on to better our community,” said Galen Malecha, DJJD General Chairperson. “Beth is someone that has been doing such great work behind the scenes for many years, that the full impact of her work is often overlooked. We look forward to sharing those stories throughout the summer, and during celebration weekend when we honor Beth.”
For those who wish to attend the Joseph Lee Heywood Distinguished Service Award Banquet in September, details can be found HERE.
The Defeat of Jesse James Days Heywood Selection Committee accepts nominations year-round. The form along with submission instructions can be found at HERE.
Mission Statement of the Heywood Committee:
To honor a Northfield citizen who we feel exemplifies the commitment to public service, which Heywood lived. It is an award that reminds us of our past and our promise to improve ourselves and our community for the future. An award that each of us would someday hope to be considered worthy of receiving.
