The Haddonfield Lions Club celebrated the 50th anniversary of its Citizen of the Year award at a mayor’s breakfast on March 19, where it was announced that Julia Beddingfield had earned the honor.
Beddingfield is a 15-year Haddonfield resident and the owner since 2015 of Inkwood Books on Kings Highway. She has served as the chair of the Environmental Commission and Sustainable Haddonfield and was previously treasurer of the Civic Association.
Beddingfield has impacted the community in a number of ways through the years, including with her work on the Environmental Commission. At the request of a Haddonfield Memorial High School student, she not only worked with the school but also with district leaders and borough and civic stakeholders to create projects that would eventually earn the borough a bronze-level Sustainable Jersey certification in 2010.
Beddingfied’s other projects included the installation of a rain garden on Lincoln Avenue and a Green Business recognition program to publicly commend businesses that adapt to environmentally responsible and sustainable practices. That led to the founding of Sustainable Haddonfield, whose work resulted in the borough’s silver-level recertification for Sustainable Jersey in 2016 and a $10,000 grant to develop a Green Building and Sustainability Element for the town’s master plan.
As a business owner, Beddingfield was recognized for her intentional use of a display case to coordinate with borough events.
“(Beddingfield) does an amazing display for the Skirmish,” said Philip Zoebisch, vice president of the Indian King Tavern Museum, referring to an annual Haddonfield event that reenacts that Revolutionary War battle. “She has a whole window display of Revolutionary War books, for children, for adults – it’s just impressive.
“That’s what an entrepreneur does.”
Zoebisch complimented Beddingfield’s impressive knack for recognizing that demand creates supply and customizing her display to match local events. He ended his remarks with three huzzahs for Beddingfield. A plaque with the names of all 51 recipients of the Citizen of the Year Award will hang in borough hall.
In honor of its 50th year, the Lions Club also recognized Haddonfield Memorial High School senior Madeleine Cush as winner of the William Hansen Youth of the Year Award, which recognizes exceptional volunteer work and commitment to helping others; and the three runners-up: seniors Matthew Leming and Owen Breen and junior Julia Hart.
Cush reflected on club efforts in the past year that included leaf raking for the Ronald McDonald House in Camden, park clean-ups and candy grams to benefit the borough’s Mabel Kay Senior Center.
