Albert Spaulding speaks after being presented with Dixfield’s Distinguished Citizen of the Year Award for 2018 on Wednesday at the annual town meeting at Dirigo High School. (Bruce Farrin/Rumford Falls Times)
DIXFIELD — Albert Spaulding, an original charter member of the Dixfield Historical Society, was presented Wednesday with the town’s Distinguished Citizen of the Year Award for 2018.
“This is a great honor. I shall cherish it,” he said at a recognition ceremony before the annual town meeting.
Town Manager Carlo Puiia read the inscription on a plaque recognizing Spaulding “for his unselfish commitment to serving our community.”
The town also presented him with a check for $50.
Spaulding, who will be 95 in July, said he came to Dixfield in 1940. “I had lived in eight other towns, all small, some even smaller than Dixfield. I was somewhat a nomad in my early years. I hoped that Dixfield would be my last stop,” he said.
Spaulding said Dixfield has been a great town to live in, to work in, and to raise a family.
From Little League coach to Sunday School teacher, from various town government committees to school board member, Spaulding has been a huge contributor to the betterment of Dixfield.
“Any volunteering that I’ve done has been just a slight payment for all the good things that Dixfield has done for me,” he said. “And one final note. Dixfield is not and never has been just another small town.”
Jon Holmes, who nominated Spaulding for the award, said, “Until the age of 90, he was doing 100 push-ups a day, 50 at a time.”
Norine Clark, chairman of the Board of Selectmen, and state Rep. Richard Pickett of Dixfield said they knew Spaulding best during their time together on the Dixfield Economic Development Council.
“If there’s somebody you want to know about or somebody you heard the name of and wanted to know why and what they had to do with Dixfield, he’s the go-to guy,” Clarke said.
Pickett added, “The thing I always liked about Albert is that he was always the voice of reason, which to me, was always impressive.”
Reflecting on his longtime home,Spaulding said, “Dixfield has now been my home for 78 of my nearly 95 years.
He added “Somehow, I feel I’ve walked my last mile.”
bfarrin@sunjournal.com
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