As we make our way through another town meeting season, I’m reminded of two recent significant losses to small Maine communities. Beryl Bilderback, the longtime moderator of Kennebunkport’s town meeting, passed away in January, and Martha Hamilton, the force behind Chebeague Island’s community library, passed in December. Their tireless civic virtue benefited those small coastal communities for generations.

Fortunate to know both ladies as friends, I was constantly inspired by their volunteering efforts to enrich their communities. Each listed more than 70 years of constant civic contributions: Beryl’s fierce devotion to the Atlantic Hall in Cape Porpoise and Martha’s founding of the island’s community library, which celebrates 50 years this spring, stand out.

Each small town has its own heroes and heroines who selflessly volunteer to create and support all the projects and institutions that enrich local life.

Beryl and Martha zipped around town in their recognizable cars constantly loaded with raffle tickets, arts and crafts supplies, placarded with window signs announcing upcoming community events. Generations of voters observed them at every community election registering, counting or getting some petition signed.

Hundreds of girls learned public service while Scouting with Martha and Beryl; thousands of neighbors were served at bean suppers, pancake breakfasts and seafood chowder dinners, raising funds for the halls, families in need or school supplies.

Considering the countless community projects these citizens nurtured, I began to wonder what will happen to our towns now that they are gone. I have realized that their greatest gift was modeling civic behavior. When Martha had her 90th birthday, many of her former Girl Scouts attended the party to thank her. Our community vocal group, The Wailers, and our community theater group honored their most venerable performer. Some even recalled that she had designed the town seal when Chebeague became a town in 2007.

Our present librarian, Debbie Bowman, has modeled her outreach to young children on lessons she learned as a summer child working in the library for Martha. Beryl’s dedication to Atlantic Hall inspired the local Ladies on the Edge quilt group who met there to mount great exhibits that raised thousands of dollars for hall improvements.

She convinced civic leaders to set aside space in the hall so the village could maintain its own branch library. All the budgetary probity and efficient common sense that Beryl brought to town government showed new civic leaders how to attend the long meetings, think carefully about the town’s best way forward and get the task done.

Younger generations are already stepping up. When town meetings happen this spring, let’s take a moment to honor our great civic leaders of the past and then roll up our sleeves, weigh the issues that we face and work to make our towns better.

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