Volunteer Spotlight: Patsy Coffin

Patsy Coffin retired in 2016 but continued to keep busy by teaching with Literacy Unlimited at the Framingham Library. After meeting Open Table’s former Executive Director, Jeanine Calabria, on the tennis courts, she started volunteering for Open Table in 2017 by sorting donated food and stocking the pantry. When she was working out at Anytime Fitness in Maynard, it was easy to pop over for volunteer shifts.

She became a co-captain of the Open Table Ride for Food team in 2019 and was a rider and co-captain for four years. Since the pandemic in 2020, Patsy shifted her volunteer focus to serving on committees and participating in special events. She joined the Chopped for Charity committee in 2022, where she spearheaded Open Table’s ticketing process and software platform performance. Patsy has also been on the Fundraising Committee since 2023. She told us, “Being part of these fundraising teams and events and seeing the results of everyone’s hard work is pretty amazing and rewarding—especially the day after! I continue to be awed by the incredible generosity of others in donating their time and/or money to help others. It never ceases to restore hope.”

Patsy was born and raised in Schenectady and Skaneateles (summers), New York. She went to college in Washington, D.C. with a year abroad in Munich, Germany (West Germany at the time), and attended graduate school in Monterey, California. Her job search brought her to Boston, where she met her husband, and the couple moved to Sudbury in 1980 and raised their children. As you might have guessed from reading above, Patsy feels most relaxed while moving! Outdoor cycling, walking, working out, playing tennis, and gardening are her go-to activities. She used to love riding her bike to work a few days a week when the weather permitted because she felt it was the best way to relax before and after long days! She also finds that days go much better when she does the crossword puzzle first thing in the morning.

When it comes to eating her vegetables, Patsy prefers them to stay raw. Her favorite go-to is a salad with lots of different veggies in it and not too much dressing. She will tolerate some cooking, however, and does love a good veggie chili.

We are extremely grateful to have Patsy in our corner and always appreciate her energy and counsel.