Volunteer Profile: Ed Brudz Treasures Ashland’s Small-Town Feel

Ed Brudz has lived in Ashland for 45 years. Drawing him from Natick was a green three-bedroom ranch close to the Ashland Reservoir.
“It was in our budget, all rooms were on one floor, the lot was a level .38 acres, and the house was in a rural setting. My wife Gini and I loved it at first sight,” Brudz recalled in an interview.
Brudz has been volunteering in Ashland for almost 10 years. He was chair of the Friends’ auction the past two years and assisted in other fundraising activities. He was also secretary for the Ashland Council on Aging in 2016 and 2017. Every other Tuesday, he picks up bakery items from Whole Foods for the Senior Center. He is a volunteer for the Friends of the Council on Aging for eight years, assisting the Volunteer Coordinator Kim Katob with setting up tables and providing music and bottled water for Monday senior lunches and other events.
“I would like to say ‘thanks’ to all the local businesses that were so generous in providing goods, services and other donations. They were the key to making our Friends’ fundraising efforts a success,” Brudz said.
“I don’t know [what motivates me to give],” he said. “Family and good neighbors and the volunteer spirit. I guess, I just want to give something back to the community.”
Before Brudz retired, he was a manufacturing engineer: “Graduate of Utah State Class of 1964. Worked for IBM, Data General, Prime Computer, Elbit, Sanmina and ACT—all minicomputer manufacturers and related internet products.”
“Our two children have received a first-rate education in the Ashland Schools, and we are thankful” Brudz said. “I like to play golf, tinker to fix things, garden and fish for strippers [striped bass] at the Cape Cod Canal. I also assist in the local and state election day polling to ensure that elections are conducted in the highest degree of honesty and integrity.”
“The people of Ashland are still very friendly and neighborly. Even though Ashland is close to Boston, it still has a nice town feeling. The farms and rural areas are now gone and have been replaced with housing developments, but Ashland still retains a character and charm not found in other towns. Hope it keep that charm forever. Go Clockers!”