Dempsey to Be Named ‘Citizen of the Year’

Long-time Teacher, Coach, Videographer to be Recognized by Chamber of Commerce in April

Tom Convery, former Chamber Citizen of the Year, with Jack Dempsey (right), 2012 Citizen of the Year, after they were recognized in 2009 by the Medford Historical Society for their work on an oral history project feauring WWII veterans.

– Tom Convery

The name Jack Dempsey is synonymous with volunteerism.

He is someone you might have noticed at various city events behind a video camera- Memorial Day ceremonies, parades, Paul Revere’s ride, Jingle Bell Festivals, Mustang Hall of Fame banquets, and the list goes on and on.

But Jack is not being recognized for the hard work he does that is part of his job, but for what he does on his own time without expectation of anything in return.

The avid runner, long-time coach, and Medford High School teacher rarely travels anywhere without a video camera. He has taped countless road races, sporting events, and games, among other events.

Jack dedicated hundreds of hours over seven months to videotape members of the Greatest Generation who served in World War II. Working nights and weekends he completed the project, which was sent to the Library of Congress when it was finished. He also made sure to send a copy to each of the nearly 100 veterans involved.

In a testament to the high esteem in which Jack is held by the participating veterans, more than half of them attended an event in 2010 that recognized him for his work on the oral history project. To know Jack is to like him! His tireless work ethic- whether behind the camera, on the softball field, or on the track- is apparent to all and admired by everyone who knows him.

Jack will receive the Medford Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year award at a special ceremony in April. He was selected by previous Citizen of the Year recipients, including Tom Convery and Wally Kountze.