Boyertown Citizen of the Year Honors Go To Tom McHugh

Tom McHugh, a 1973 graduate of Boyertown Area Senior High (BASH) and longtime Boyertown resident, has been selected as the 69th Citizen of the Year from among those nominated.

McHugh describes himself as “overwhelmed” when former award recipients Shawn Barndt and Dr. Jim Tribbett arrived at his home to inform him of his selection. “I am so humbled,” he shares.

Tom and his wife Jayne, also a BASH grad, have two sons: Michael (married to Ginie) and Matthew (engaged to Amanda), and two grandsons, Benjamin and Jackson. McHugh is retired from A. W. Mercer, Inc., Boyertown, where he worked for 41 years, some of those as a supervisor.

Members of the award selection committee explain that the award is given in recognition of contributions to the community made over time. McHugh’s contributions are in two particularly valued aspects of life in the Boyertown area: baseball and music.

A PIAA and American Legion Baseball umpire for 30 years, McHugh has officiated at numerous championship tournaments for both organizations. His volunteerism with baseball began when his son Mike played  T-Ball at age 6. “I coached for 10 years,” recalls McHugh, “and then began umpiring. Being an umpire was eye-opening. I gained an appreciation for all volunteers from a new perspective.”

Through his coaching, McHugh enjoyed the opportunity to spend time with his sons, but he also has a store of memories regarding other boys that he coached, among them “the time Kevin Bean hit a homerun.” McHugh says, “You’re doing what you love and at the same time, you are touching lives. When I was coaching Little League, I got a letter from a mom about how her son loved playing for me and how I had touched his life. You never know the influence you have.”  

Music is another arena in which McHugh has made major community contributions. A member of the famed Boyertown Alumni Band/Marching Unit since 1976, he currently serves as president of that organization. An extraordinary trumpet player for nearly six decades, he performs locally and regionally with the popular Director’s Big Band that strives to reinvigorate the music of the Big Band era, while challenging the skills of these local musicians, and entertaining the community. Among his musical highlights … he has been honored to perform at two Maxwell Football Club Awards events.

As with baseball, McHugh treasures the times he had the opportunity to play “his horn” with his son Mike, also an outstanding trumpet player. There were also times his passion for music and his love of baseball merged, such as the times he played the national anthem at Bear Stadium for state and regional championships.

McHugh is outspoken in his praise for Boyertown Area School District music teachers and the time and effort they put into building and maintaining excellence. He is grateful to Dan Kershetsky, retired vocal music teacher, for getting him involved in playing trumpet as a member of the pit band for several high school musicals, among them Phantom of the Opera and Beauty and the Beast. “Working with the kids in the pit and on the stage, it’s fantastic. They work so hard and they are like sponges, eager to soak up your knowledge. Boyertown shows are like Broadway,” he says.

Also an active member of New Hanover Evangelical Lutheran Church in Gilbertsville, McHugh is well-known by smaller brass groups that perform at area churches.

Clearly proud of his town, McHugh has seen growth and change through the decades. “I played Little League behind the Washington School that stood where borough hall is now, and now there are wonderful new baseball facilities in town. “It’s a Boyertown thing,” he continues; “People live and work in the community and give back to it.”

Regarding his life goals, McHugh says, “I have had three primary goals. One is to be the best father and husband for my family. Second, is to be the best at what I enjoy doing, namely trumpet-playing and baseball-umpiring, … and finally, to assist with the outstanding legacy of the Boyertown Alumni Band/Marching Unit.”

McHugh is quick to point out that he has not been able to achieve these goals alone. “Janey was always there and always supportive, whether it was as team mom or band mom. There were fellow umpires, assistant coaches, alumni band officers and members. My family. I must share this recognition with all of them. This has blown me away.”

[Come out to support the award winners at the April 15 awards dinner. You can purchase tickets here. If you missed it, you can  read more about the Citizen of the Year awards event here..]

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