Community Service Award
The debate today is how our town balances our needs for growth and progress with regard
for the natural world and the world we leave to our children.
Confronted with this issue, Ellen Ledley Korpi has been a leader and good steward for Wellesley.
Today we are proud to give her a new honor. Wellesley Celebrations Committee, a standing committee of the Select Board, Town of Wellesley, honors Ellen Ledley Korpi
with its Community Service Award.
Ms. Korpi moved to Wellesley in 2005. She was appointed to the Sustainable Energy Committee in 2010 when it was established by Town Meeting (renamed the Climate Action Committee) and served until 2026. She played multiple leadership roles including the coordination of the Power to Choose, Power to Save and Solar campaigns. Ellen was elected to the Board of Public Works in 2020 and served until 2026.
Ms. Korpi also represented the Board of Public Works on the Municipal Light Board from 2020 until 2026. Never losing sight of the goals, she represented the Municipal Light Board on the Climate Action Committee from 2020 to 2026. Among her other credits she was the founder of the 3R Working Group that brings together the DPW, NRC and Climate Action Committee to address solid waste management issues. This led to a sponsored ban on reusable plastic bags, food waste collection used to generate electricity, leftover food rescue from schools and colleges so that it is not wasted and Skip the Stuff to reduce waste in take-out food. She also supported the transition to more municipal electric equipment and vehicles.
Today she is the founder of the Green Collaborative that brings together town departments, interested organizations and individuals to exchange information and collaborate on environmental issues.
Thank you, Ellen Ledley Korpi for your leadership.