In recognition of a lifetime dedicated to helping others, Ann Josephson—supervisor of the Volunteer Case-Aide Program for the Norfolk Mental Health Association—was named “Citizen of the Year” by the Norwood Kiwanis Club last night.
A Legacy of Compassionate Volunteering
Selected from a field of 12 nominees, Mrs. Josephson received a gold dish bearing the Kiwanis seal during a joint gathering attended by members and guests of the Kiwanis, Lions, and Rotary clubs numbering about 70 people. She was nominated by Dorothy Uhlig, executive director of the Norfolk Mental Health Association, who praised her dedication: “Her desire to become more effective, to continue growing and learning was more than a personal quest for her own satisfaction; it sprang from a humility and concern to understand more deeply the problems of the troubled people she worked with, so that she could be as helpful as she was caring.”
Mrs. Josephson’s extensive volunteer service spans 15 years across numerous local organizations and institutions:
- Pulse: Served as a volunteer for Norwood’s emergency drug and alcohol hotline.
- Nursing and State Facilities: Volunteered at the Victoria Rest Haven Nursing Home in Norwood and Medfield State Hospital.
- Support & Youth Work: Ran a support group for mothers of autistic children at the Cutler Clinic in Norwood and worked with adolescents at Walpole High School.
Driven by a desire to deepen her professional impact, Mrs. Josephson previously returned to school to earn a degree in counseling education from Boston State College.
Philosophy of Life and Deinstitutionalization
Accepting the award on behalf of all volunteers, Mrs. Josephson reflected on the universal human experience of isolation during an address marked by wit and warmth. Describing moments of “aloneness”—such as welcoming a new sibling, standing at the altar, coping with personal struggles, or facing aging and the loss of physical abilities—she emphasized that vulnerable individuals lack the family and friends to help them bear those burdens.
She also championed the vital role of community volunteers in supporting the transition of patients amid state hospital closures, noting, “The volunteers are the ones to make de-institutionalizing easier” for former patients now integrated into the community.
Additional Club Honors
During the ceremony, Kiwanis Club President Arthur M. Plitt presented the Citizen of the Year award—only the second in the club’s history, following a previous award given to the Rev. A. Lee Hocutt three years prior—and stated the club’s hope to make it an annual tradition so that younger generations might emulate her success.
Additionally, the Kiwanis Club presented a recognition plaque to Dr. Thomas Couch, a former school committee member recently installed as District Governor of the Lions Club overseeing roughly 53 communities in Eastern Massachusetts following a conference in Tokyo, Japan. Incoming Kiwanis President John Vogelgesang concluded the meeting by announcing an upcoming ecumenical luncheon scheduled for November 21 at the United Church of Norwood, coordinated locally through Jim Howard.
Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger
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