Throughout her 16-year tenure as a member and leader of the Feasterville Business Association, Linda Pupkiewicz has gone above and beyond to help the organization in its 72-year mission to better the community.
The Bensalem resident currently serves on the FBA’s board of directors as its sergeant-at-arms; chairs its scholarship committee, which grants money to graduating Neshaminy students; and, despite the fact that she’s “pushing 70,” Pupkiewicz reigns as the resident Easter Bunny, surprising hundreds of young attendees at the annual egg hunt. Though this event was unable to take place the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she hopes to put her costume to good use in 2022.
“That’s my favorite thing to do,” Pupkiewicz said about her cuddly alter-ego. “I really love being with the kids. I have my costume all ready. It’s been cleaned and I’m ready to go whenever we can do it.”
Because of her longtime dedication to the FBA and its mission, Pupkiewicz will be honored as its Person of the Year at the annual frolic, which will be held on Friday, Oct. 8, at the Philmont Country Club, 301 Tomlinson Road, Huntingdon Valley. The public is invited to enjoy cocktails beginning at 6 p.m., followed by dinner and the awards ceremony at 7 p.m.
“I’m very humbled,” she said of the honor. “I’ve been with them for 16 years now and I just enjoy being one of the members and doing what we can in the area for all our charities.”
Each Person of the Year is selected by a committee, which actually chose Pupkiewicz as the 2020 honoree. However, the frolic was canceled last year.
“This is the first time I think in the history of FBA that somebody’s gotten it for 2020 and 2021, two years straight,” she said.
Pupkiewicz initially joined the FBA while employed by the Township Library of Lower Southampton, where she worked for 33 years before retiring about three years ago.
“In my job description, I was to go out and just let everyone know what the library was doing. So, I joined the Feasterville Business Association,” she said. “The FBA tries to do as much charity work in the area as we can. I just feel we do really good work and that’s what keeps me involved. I also joined, and am still a member of, the Feasterville Rotary Club. I’ve been a member there for 16 years, also.”
At the library, Pupkiewicz began her career as a bookkeeper before advancing to administrative assistant. In her final decade of service with the library, she held the position of assistant director. Additionally, she has been a member of the Friends of the Township Library of Lower Southampton for 31 years.
Other roles with the FBA have included recording secretary, corresponding secretary and member of the charity golf outing committee. The annual golf outing raises funds for numerous area charities, including A Woman’s Place, Libertae, Playwicki Farm and Sunshine Foundation.
As for the Feasterville Rotary Club, Pupkiewicz serves as treasurer and has chaired fundraising efforts for its pancake breakfast, spaghetti dinner and pocketbook bingo event. She is also a volunteer for the Neshaminy Activities Center Meals on Wheels program and a member of Assumption B.V.M. Catholic Church in Feasterville. At the church, she volunteers for the pre-school CCD and teen CYO programs, and has been active on its hospitality committee for 21 years.
A native of the Wissinoming section of Philadelphia, Pupkiewicz is a graduate of St. Hubert Catholic High School in Northeast Philadelphia. She later attended Bucks County Community College for continuing education credits in library science. Pupkiewicz has three adult children and three grandchildren.
Tickets for the FBA’s annual frolic are $75 per person. Price includes a cocktail reception, dinner with wine, all-night open bar, gift basket raffles, and music and dancing to the Craig Satchell Orchestra.
For more information and reservations, call Jane Ward at 215-919-1495. Checks should be made payable to the FBA and mailed to the organization’s president Fran Mishinkash at 114 Pinewood Drive, Levittown, PA 19054. Visit feastervillebusinessassociation.com for more details.
Samantha Bambino can be reached at sbambino@newspapermediagroup.com
