New Pond Village Resident Recognized for Exceptional Service to Community
Walpole, Mass. – In the spirit of Giving Tuesday, New Pond Village, a continuing care retirement community in Walpole, Mass., is honoring one resident with its first-ever Heart of the Community Award. Long-time Walpole resident Leif Jacobsen was selected among several nominees for his impressive lifetime of community service, leadership and ongoing commitment to the welfare of others.
“I try to live by the old adage, ‘Do unto others,” said Mr. Jacobsen. “Every day, I try to make someone else smile, either through listening, helping, or even just offering them a smile. With any luck, that attitude becomes contagious. And it truly has here at New Pond Village. We have a wonderful community of people who are worthy of this award.”
Jacobsen is active within New Pond Village and has a long history of service in the greater Walpole area. As a professional, he founded and ran the Mansfield-based Datel, an engineering and manufacturing firm. When he sold the company and retired, he used the proceeds to support charity. He is a long-time supporter of Scouts BSA and volunteered time on various boards. Within New Pond Village, he is known to go above and beyond to help others, providing rides to appointments and church, visiting those who need a friendly shoulder to lean on and serving on the Resident Association as its President. He was recognized with the Resident Spirit Award in 2020.
New Pond Village, managed by Benchmark Senior Living, created the Heart of the Community Award to recognize the important role philanthropy plays in enriching lives and to showcase the impact one person can have, especially in their retirement years.
“Leif tirelessly considers others’ needs before his own and does so with warmth and gratitude,” said Benchmark Senior Living Chairman and CEO Tom Grape. “He is valued by his friends and the associates at New Pond Village and mirrors Benchmark’s core values — Called to Care, Better Together, and Be the Benchmark.”
“Leif is the life of the community in so many ways. First and foremost, his warm smile and disposition really reflect the personality of New Pond Village,” said Campus Executive Director Adam Manchester. “We’re so grateful that he’s here and have enjoyed not only getting to know him but his remarkable children and grandchildren as well.”
Photo Caption: New Pond Village Campus Executive Director Adam Manchester (l) and Benchmark VP of Operations Jake Quigley (r), present the Heart of the Community Award to resident Leif Jacobsen.
About New Pond Village
Set on the banks of Willett Pond in Walpole, Massachusetts, New Pond Village is a Benchmark Lifecare continuing care retirement community recognized for excellence by U.S. News & World Report. As part of Benchmark Senior Living, New Pond Village offers exceptional, maintenance-free senior living, a wide variety of premium services and amenities and a full continuum of on-site healthcare. For more information, please visit www.newpondvillage.com.