Matt Schickling, the Wire
Women come to the YWCA Bucks County looking for help. Oftentimes, it’s in times of crisis, like rape or domestic violence, other times it’s for assistance with careers, child care or really anything else.
Last week, the YWCA was able to honor women who have been empowered with its 24th Annual Salute to Women Who Make a Difference awards ceremony.
“The staff at the YWCA works so hard to empower women and eliminate racism through all the programs that we do,” Karen Forbes, executive director of the YWCA Bucks, said. “Tonight, all of us get a chance to step back, take a breath and say, ‘Yes, look at what women can do.’ “
Twelve women were honored during the event, which took place at the Sheraton Bucks County Hotel in Langhorne. The women were selected through a comprehensive nomination process based on their contributions and commitment to making Bucks County a better place to live.
The honorees include Anne Coe, former president of the YWCA Bucks County; Elizabeth Colussi, a volunteer for GE Power & Process Technologies; Zelda Davis-Jones, a member of the Bucks County Chapter of The Links Incorporated; Ioana Douglas, director of environmental services at Parx Casino; Jamie Fazzalore, founder of Homestead Wildlife Control; Amanda Hilzer, clinical manager of residential services at the Livengrin Foundation; Kristie King, manager of diversity recruitment at the Comcast Corporation; Erin Lukoss, director of self-sufficiency services at the Bucks County Opportunity Council; Marge McKeone, assistant director at Bucks County Children and Youth; Janet Mintzer, CEO of Pearl S. Buck International; Eileen Silver, Northampton Township supervisor; and Barbara Simmons, executive director of The Peace Center.
“The women who are honored this evening really have to be giving back to the community,” Brad Smith of the YWCA said. “When we looked at all the nominations that came in and the 12 that rose to the top are the women that are here.”
This is the 61st year the YWCA has served Bucks County. The women chosen exemplified the YWCA’s message of eliminating racism and empowering women by enriching their communities, workplaces and families.
Janet Mintzer, for example, was picked based on her work with Pearl S. Buck International, a humanitarian organization that works to better the lives of children across the world through child sponsorship, cultural programs, humanitarian aid, community education and promoting the legacy of Pearl S. Buck, a Nobel Prize-winning writer and advocate for women’s rights and minority groups.
“It feels like an incredible honor and also, I’m a little embarrassed because I’m being honored for doing something that I truly love doing,” Mintzer said. “It’s really important to me to be here tonight to show support for the YWCA.”
Anne Coe, former president and current volunteer for the YWCA Bucks County, shared a similar sentiment.
“It’s very special,” she said. “The YWCA has such a warm place in my heart, so to be honored by this group just makes me feel terrific.”
The YWCA Bucks County was established in 1954. Today, there are seven locations throughout the county. There are 25 million YWCA members spanning 122 countries across the world.
“It’s so wonderful to show what we can do as a gender,” Forbes said. “If you work with women, give women opportunities, give them a hand up, not a hand out, look at what they can achieve.”
For more information on the YWCA Bucks County, visit www.ywcabucks.org.
