WORCESTER, MA, May 28, 2009 – Girls Incorporated of Worcester’s annual Girls Celebration Event celebrates successful individuals from our community, and raises funds for Girls Inc.’s Summer Programs Scholarship Fund. The 2009 Girls Celebration Event will be held on Thursday, June 11, 2009 at Winthrop House, 125 Providence Street, Worcester from 4:30 – 6:30 pm.
For almost 100 years, Girls Incorporated of Worcester has provided youth who cannot afford the cost of camp with the opportunity to attend our enriching and fun summer programs at Camp Kinneywood, our rustic camp located near the Holden Reservoir, and at Winthrop House, our in-town facility. In 2008, eighty-six children received an average of three weeks of summer camp scholarship (including meals and transportation). They enjoyed fun, enriching camp experiences %u2015learning skills such as boating, outdoor fire safety, developing life-long friendships, taking memorable field trips and experiencing diverse cultures in relationships with staff and each other.
At this year’s Girls Celebration event we will recognize community leaders who truly exemplify Girls Incorporated’s mission of inspiring all girls to be strong, smart, and bold. We are honoring: The George F. and Sybil H. Fuller Foundation by dedicating our updated Aquatics Center; Dr. Jean King and Linda Cavaioli as recipients of the 2009 Advocate for Girls Awards; and Jennifer Paradee, recognizing her for creating and donating the beautiful 5′ x 6′ Tile Mural, The Giving Tree, which graces our foyer.
In August 2006, the Trustees of The George F. and Sybil H. Fuller Foundation awarded Girls Incorporated of Worcester a grant of $50,000 for repairs to the swimming pool to improve air quality. In recognition of this generous gift, we honor the Foundation and its ongoing commitment to healthy youth development by dedicating The George F. and Sybil H. Fuller Foundation Aquatics Center at Winthrop House.
Dr. Jean King, Professor and Vice Chair of Research in the Department of Psychiatry at UMass Medical School, is a community leader who embodies commitment to racial and economic equality. Jean is a former board member of Girls Inc. and during her tenure at Girls Inc. she played a pivotal role on the board in strategic planning and increasing access to Girls Inc. programs for all girls.
Linda Cavaioli is the Executive Director of the YWCA of Central Massachusetts. In this position, Linda oversees the daily operations of a $6.0 million non-profit organization dedicated to the empowerment of women and girls and the elimination of racism. A strong community leader, Linda is co-chair of the Girls Incorporated of Worcester
Investing in Girls Alliance and Youth Net, a member of the board of directors of the United Way of Central Massachusetts, a member of the Martin Luther King Community Breakfast Committee, the City Manager’s Task Force on Bias and Hate Crimes, United Service Executives, and Worcester Women’s History Project.
Jennifer Paradee has been drawing and painting for as long as she can remember and has taught mixed media art classes to elementary-aged children for ten years. The entire Girls Inc community appreciates the gift of the exquisite new mural: The Giving Tree, which recognizes those who contributed to the Lincoln House Brick Campaign, and provides a special way to memorialize Girls Inc’s benefactors and friends for years to come.
This year’s Girls Celebration event sponsors are DCU for Kids, Emerson Investment Management, Kiwanis Foundation of Worcester, The Robert P. Powers Insurance Agency, UMass Med
