2021 Minuteman Cane Award - Carolyn Wortman

Browse Search

2021 MINUTEMAN CANE AWARD c`T j The Select Board of the Town of Lexington,Massachusetts,hereby recognizes and presents the 2021 MINUTEMAN CANE AWARD to: CAROLYN WORTMAN -• - The Minuteman Cane Award Selection Committee is pleased to announce that the recipient of the 2021 award is Carolyn Wortman for her thirty-one years of playing a leading role in the Lexington Interfaith Food Pantry. In the early years, with her mother, Frances Wortman, (the 1996 recipient of the Minuteman Cane Award) and for many years now as the Executive Director. She is widely recognized as the driving force and public face of this vital Lexington resource. Carolyn refused to let the Food Pantry close during the pandemic, where presently between 85-90 families and 206 people benefit weekly. Before the COVID-19 pandemic,this facility followed a system that was simplistic but effective. Since the pandemic began, she completely changed the system by transitioning from a supervised self-serve pantry system to home delivery,drive up deliveries,and curb side pickup.She knows the regular clients,what they like,their special dietary requirements and preferences. With the changing demographics of Lexington, as more Asian elderly access the Food Pantry,she makes sure that the Food Pantry offers the foods that guests want and enjoy. During the pandemic, she enlisted and joined forces with Lex Eat Together and Minute Man-Tech, who assisted in making pre-cooked carry out meals that replaced the weekly dinners at Lex Eat Together.There is a process and rules, so everyone gets treated fairly,but Carolyn senses when someone new arrives or does not have the right paperwork; she knows how to make the newcomer feel less conspicuous and less embarrassed.With Carolyn,those in need always come first. Carolyn teaches us a lot about life; commitment, compassion, perseverance, not giving up, and most of all about passion for a cause that makes a real difference. Her vitality, keen insight, and capacity to give of herself to make Lexington a more welcoming place for all people is an inspiration to all. She continues to challenge us to shed our prejudices,join forces,and work together for a better town. It has been written that"One should not grow old in a place you do not love nor grow old in a place that does not love you." It is clearly evident that Carolyn Wortman deeply loves Lexington and that Lexington loves her in return. For all the above and much more we recognize and honor Carolyn Wortman in her 83,d year. Carolyn is the epitome of what it means to be a community volunteer who serves others. It is therefore with great pleasure that we proclaim Carolyn Wortman to be the 2021 Minuteman Cane Award recipient. Congratulations! Issued i atef appr of April 2021. �ie.11D OF Select Board AIW, e " Chair, Minuteman Cane Award