Photo: Woodbury Community Foundation
Matt Johnson, recently retired president of the Woodbury Community Foundation (WCF), is well known in Woodbury. Friend-in-need, fun person to be around, doting dad at daughter’s softball games and family man. I have had the good fortune to learn from him how to be a good community leader.
Jonhson is everywhere: He will be at a breakfast meeting in the early a.m., then available at a local coffee shop for conversations with folks who need some help or be a sounding board. He is an active member of the Woodbury Chamber of Commerce, helping local nonprofit organizations. He will be on-time and fully prepared for meetings. Be it a WCF Board meeting or greeting high schoolers for the Youth Engagement Leadership Academy program.
Johnson has a vision for the future of the WCF. He wants to make it the organization that citizens can turn to for many needs, a repository of funds for local charities, the place to go to for questions and solutions for other charitable organizations.
But Johnson’s most defining lesson is: Being there. Present and available. His way of giving back to his community or “his tribe” is constantly doing acts of service.
Manali Shah is a board member of the WCF and has been volunteering in Woodbury and Washington County for over 20 years. Find more at woodburycommunity.org.
