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Congratulations to Mariemont’s 2021 Citizen of the Year Mary Beth York By Christie Motz Passionate. Heroic. Tireless volunteer. Precious asset to the Village. Friend. These are some of the words used to describe Mariemont’s 2021 recipient of the Citizen of the Year Award. This prestigious award was first presented in 2000. Since then, outstanding community members who have made a major contribution to the quality of life in the Village have been honored during the annual Memorial Day parade. This year, no one stood out quite like Mary Beth York. York has been a resident of Mariemont for 36 years, first moving into a townhouse across from the chapel as a newlywed. She and her husband, Randy, decided to get more involved in the community, so they joined the Village Assembly to spend time together and meet people. They volunteered at the Annual Ice Cream Social and discovered volunteering was something they were both passionate about. From there, York just kept on giving. She joined the Garden Club of Mariemont in 1991 and to this day holds the title of “Longest Current Member” at 31 years. She chaired their Annual Plant Sale for a total of seven years and the funds raised during that event sponsored the beautiful stone wall in the Village north entry. Last fall, York organized the planting of bulbs in Hopkins Park, which are an attractive addition to Mariemont’s charming landscape. As a well-established trustee of the Mariemont Preservation Foundation (MPF) and Chairperson of the Events Committee, York has organized the beloved Taste of
Mayor Bill Brown (left) presents the Citizen of the Year award to Mary Beth York (right). Mariemont event for 9 years, held annually in Dogwood Park. “During the year 2020, her efforts on behalf of the Village can only be described as heroic,” praised Marcy Lewis, a fellow MPF trustee and one of many who nominated Mary Beth for COY. When Covid prevented gatherings, York spearheaded a “Reverse Taste of Mariemont,” as an opportunity for MPF and residents to support local restaurants with discounted gift cards. The event raised over $6000 in gift cards for local restaurants; truly a magnificent gift during these unprecedented times. Through her work with the Mariemont Tree Advisory Board, York acted as a liaison
between the board and MPF to organize tree planting in the Village and is responsible for the planting of the 22 Green Mountain Sugar Maple trees on Maple Street. “Mary Beth can always be counted on to promote any and all efforts towards beautifying the Village,” commended Rex Bevis, President of MPF and a former COY award winner. York has three children, Riley (30), Matthew (28) and Audrey (24), all graduates of Mariemont City Schools. During her children’s time in the district, York served as an extremely active member of both Cont'd on page 5