Congratulations to Heidi Vaughan, the winner of this year's M. Joseph Manning Awards for Community Service! A ceremony will be held in her honor on March 9th in the Keys Community Room at the Milton Public Library. We will begin gathering at 6:30PM and the ceremony will begin at 7PM. We hope many of you can join us to celebrate this remarkable member of our community!

Heidi has dedicated countless hours to the local community since moving to Milton in 2011. As secretary of the Rotary Club, she played a vital role in fundraising efforts supporting student scholarships, exchange programs, substance abuse prevention, emergency shelter and the global eradication of polio. Fundraisers include the Memorial Tree Program, which has become a well-known town tradition, raising funds while also fostering civic connection. 

Heidi’s past service extends to chairing the board of the Village School and serving as a member of the Collicot Site Council; chairing St. Michael’s annual Christmas Auction; and co-chairing the Milton Garden Club’s Perennial Sale. Since her ALS diagnosis, she has become a strong advocate for research and family support, organizing a community Ice Bucket Challenge that raised $10,000 for the ALS Therapy Development Institute.

In her role as Executive Director of the Forbes House Museum, Heidi has prioritized collaboration with charitable and civic organizations. Under her leadership, the museum has been an active member of the Milton Chamber of Commerce, supporting local businesses and community development initiatives, including the Milton Gardens Tour, now in its second year.

During her tenure, the museum has also hosted fundraisers for the Milton Farmers Market and Mel O’Drama, partnered with the Milton Garden Club for flower shows and donated proceeds from its annual Keechong Dinners to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Dorchester and the Milton Food Pantry. The museum has also supported local Eagle Scout projects and welcomed the Milton Public Schools’ fifth grade students for their annual tour of Milton. In partnership with the Milton Coalition, she helped develop a library-based exhibit aimed at reducing stigma surrounding substance use disorder.

Through her dedication, thoughtful leadership and commitment to service, Heidi Vaughan has made an enormous impact on the Milton community. We hope many of you can join us on March 9th to celebrate this remarkable member of our community!

The Honorable M. Joseph Manning dedicated much of his life to public service and enhancing the lives of Milton residents. For 30 years, from 1966 to 1996, Mr. Manning served as a State Representative for the 7th Norfolk District in Milton and Randolph. He was a member of the Massachusetts Legislators Association; Massachusetts Assessors Association; Milton Town Meeting Member; former member of the Milton Board of Assessors; Milton Park Commission; Milton Yacht Club; American Legion Post #114; Randolph Elks; Milton Kiwanis; DAV and Amvets in Randolph; and was a Marine Corp Veteran of World War II.

The annual M. Joseph Manning Community Service Award is the EMNA’s most prestigious community award. It recognizes Milton residents who share their talent and skills to enrich our community. Only one Milton resident per year (or couples/partners performing services together) can receive the Award. Past winners of the Manning Award include Maritta Cronin, Katherine Haynes Dunphy, John Fleming, Heather Bergin, Shelly Davis, Ed Duffy (posthumously), Robert Sweeney, Kevin Olivieri, Daniel and Ann Louise Sullivan.