Phillipston made a special award to Alphonse W. Chartier in 1986 when he retired after many years of service as Chief of Police to the town. They called the award “The Citizen of the Year.” Townspeople liked the idea of recognizing a person who served the town in ways that made it a better place and decided that what started as a one-time recognition should become an annual tradition.
On the cold blustery Dec. 6 afternoon, townspeople gathered outside in front of the Town Hall to honor the two people selected for this year’s award: Police Chief Kevin Dodge and Don Wilson, who recently passed on.
Dodge was commended for his 20 years of service, 11 years as chief, the excellent camaraderie in the department under his leadership, the calm way he handles situations, the benefits of his training programs, and how he leads by example. He goes the extra mile to keep the town a pleasant and safe place to live. At a time when many communities are criticizing their police departments, Phillipston holds only praise for theirs.
Don Wilson was appreciated for his many contributions to the town. He served as president of the Queen Lake Association, initiated the writing of the history of the lake, and donated land for the building of the new dam. He was a generous contributor to the Congregational Church and an active member of the Historical Society; he arranged for the historic Goulding Mills property to be donated to the Society. He had a great love of nature and purchased open lands to donate to Harvard Forest and Fisheries and Wildlife so those parcels would be conserved for all time. His outreach made a difference.
Their names will be added to the plaque in the Town Hall that commemorates those honored in years past.