DEERFIELD — As summed up by Franklin County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jessye Deane, it was only a matter of when, not if, Deerfield resident Ben Clark would be named the Greenfield Recorder’s Citizen of the Year.

That time came a little earlier than expected when Clark, 45, was honored as the Recorder’s 41st Citizen of the Year Tuesday morning at Deerfield Academy, his alma mater, for his continued service to Deerfield and Franklin County, as well as his advocacy for the agricultural community and for saving a woman’s life during July’s torrential rainstorms.

Pioneer Valley Executive Editor Dan Crowley, citing a 1985 Recorder article, stated the award goes to a Franklin County resident who has contributed to their community in “an altruistic and exemplary way,” a tradition that continues today. He said that among the many nominees this year, it was fitting for a farmer to earn the award after the struggles those growing crops in the region suffered this year.

“As a fourth-generation member of Clarkdale Fruit Farms in Deerfield, Ben Clark has been dedicating his time, skills and energy to the life of Franklin County,” Crowley said. “This year, we chose someone who has been recognized in nomination letters as a model of community service. He is a representative of the farming community, a champion of the local food systems, a volunteer firefighter and a life-saver.”

Clark is the Deerfield Fire District’s assistant chief and has served on Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture’s (CISA) board of directors, joined the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce’s board of directors, and became president of the Massachusetts Fruit Growers Association, as well as Deerfield Academy’s board of trustees and the school’s building and grounds committee.

He regularly has Clarkdale-run fundraisers for the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts and has participated for the past eight years in the March for the Food Bank with Monte Belmonte, while also donating apples and other goods to the Center for Self Reliance in Greenfield, the Stone Soup Cafe and the Franklin Area Survival Center.

“This year has been hard for many, especially our farmers. But, one of my favorite sayings is that, ‘When you feel helpless, get helpful.’ And that’s exactly what Ben does,” Deane added. “Ben really is just good to his core — and, yes, that is an apple pun.”

After an extended standing ovation, Clark said it was a shock to hear he had been recognized and to share an award with so many impactful people before him.

“When Dan called me this week, I was honestly floored. This recognition is a huge honor and came as a complete surprise,” Clark said, adding that he has close relationships with several previous honorees, including 2022 and 2021 winners Kirsten Levitt and Carolyn Shores Ness. “I am humbled to be counted among them.”

He also addressed his July 21 rescue of Greenfield resident Lee Oldenburg, whose vehicle had been washed away on Lower Road by floodwaters, with his quick actions saving her life. Oldenburg, as well as her husband and daughter, were in attendance Tuesday morning.

“We’re both very thankful and I was fortunate to be in the right place at the right time, with the right training and gear to assist Lee and to get us both safely back to dry ground,” Clark said. “I appreciate all the kind things said about me earlier and really don’t feel worthy of the praise. I enjoy the volunteer work I do, just like all of you. My motivation is not for recognition, but rather the satisfaction of helping others and making a positive impact in our community.”

With his wife, Lori, beside him, and a large group of the Clark clan sitting in front of him, he said he is hopeful he is setting a strong example for his two children, Emerson and Lio, and that through a community effort, we can all make the world a better place.

“For each of us, our greatest gift to the world is our time. I learned about giving back through the examples set by my parents, And I hope that Emerson and Lio will follow their passions and give back whenever possible, wherever they end up in their future lives,” Clark said. “All of us in this room are connected through community and our society is better when we work towards a common good beyond ourselves.”

Following his speech, U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, state Sen. Jo Comerford, state Rep. Natalie Blais and Shores Ness — Clark’s longtime neighbor and the Deerfield Selectboard chairwoman — all heaped praised upon the man who has given so much of his time to Franklin County.

“Ben has really shown up for our community in so many different ways,” Blais said. “And he’s not Superman, I don’t think, but he is a person who gives and he’s a role model for each and every one of us — someone that we should all strive to be more like in terms of making our community stronger and better.”

Chris Larabee can be reached at clarabee@recorder.com.