Town of Mendon Wins Outstanding Citizenship Award
Upton is a close second
The winner of the Senator Louis Bertonazzi Outstanding Citizenship Award for the election period 2020-2022 is the Town of Mendon.
The towns involved are municipalities that Bertonazzi represented in Worcester and Norfolk counties while he was in office. The aim of the contest is to offer a small competitive incentive for people to exercise the privilege of voting, a privilege won and maintained by the courage and sacrifice of so many over the history of our country.
The award has been given out for 18 years.
Of the 19 towns competing in the five elections of 2021-2022, Mendon turned out the highest percentage of registered voters who actually cast a ballot with 31.20%, barely nosing out the neighboring Town of Upton at 31 percent.
Mendon has now won the award two times. previously, Upton and Northbridge won two times, and Sutton and Grafton each won once.
Mendon Town Clerk Ellen Agro and the Board of Registrars will receive a check from the Bertonazzi Foundation for $1,000 that may be used to increase future voter turnout. The Mendon Board of Selectmen will be presented a plaque to be displayed for two years in the Mendon Town Hall. The citizens of Mendon, who earned the award, will receive a huge banner proclaiming Mendon as the “Best Voting Community” in 2021-2022 to be theirs for permanent display.
The other communities involved in this friendly competition include (with their final standings for this round): Hopedale (26.95%), Dudley (25.97%), Westborough (24.08%), Grafton (23.77%), Blackstone (23.70%), Charlton (23.55%), Uxbridge (22.24%), Sutton (22.16%), Auburn (22.79%), Milford (22.67%), Oxford (20.49%), Bellingham (20.34%), Douglas (20.25%), Millville (19.03%), Northbridge (18.71%) and Southbridge (17.16%).
The Senator Louis Bertonazzi Foundation Board of Directors are Dr. Carl DiGregorio, Chairman; Andrew Diorio, Treasurer; Atty David Bertonazzi, Clerk; Gail Crimaldi; Joseph Nigro; Julie Richards; Ellen Murphy; and Louis Bertonazzi, ex officio.