To celebrate the100th Anniversary of the founding of the Girl Scouts, Girl Scouts Heart of the Hudson (GSHH) is hosting a Centennial Gala honoring Women of Leadership and Excellence on Thursday, March 15, 2012 at the DoubleTree by Hilton, in Tarrytown, NY. GSHH will honor women who have distinguished themselves in their fields and are role models for girls striving to become the leaders of tomorrow.
Proceeds from the Gala will provide financial support for program opportunities for thousands of girls throughout the Girl Scout council’s seven-county jurisdiction.
The evening will be hosted by CBS news correspondent Alexis Christoforous and will include live jazz entertainment by Ragan Whiteside and the Fam, as well as a silent auction, a gala dinner, and a special Girl Scout 100th birthday celebration. Christoforous is an Emmy-nominated MoneyWatch correspondent and anchor for CBS Newspath, the affiliate news service, covering business and consumer news. Whiteside is a nationally recognized contemporary jazz songwriter, composer and musician.
Tickets for the Gala, which begins with a reception at 6 p.m., are $175 per person. To become a sponsor, attend the event, purchase a journal ad, or for more information, contact Mary Ellen Hoffman at (914) 747-3080, ext. 739, mhoffman@girlscoutshh.org. In addition to the silent auction that evening, GSHH is currently hosting an online auction featuring a wide variety of items. For more information on the online auction, visit: www.biddingforgood.com/girlscoutshh. For more information on either auction, contact Monica Spears at (914) 747-3080, ext 765, mspears@girlscoutshh.org.
The Girl Scout council’s Women of Leadership and Excellence honorees include: The Hon. Nita Lowey, U.S Congresswoman, who will be honored for her more than three decades of public service to the citizens of New York State. A graduate of Mount Holyoke College, Lowey has been a member of Congress since 1989. Prior to running for elected office, she served as Assistant to the New York Secretary of State for Economic Development and Neighborhood Preservation, and as Deputy Director of the New York State Division of Economic Opportunity. She was a Girl Scout in the Bronx.
Actress Vanessa Williams, who will attend if her schedule permits, will be recognized for her work in the arts and entertainment field. A Westchester native, Williams was a Girl Scout growing up in Chappaqua and has been involved in the performing arts since childhood. She is a world-renowned actress and singer who has played roles in major motion pictures and on Broadway, as well as starring in recurring roles on the popular TV series “Ugly Betty” and “Desperate Housewives”.
Elizabeth Bracken-Thompson, partner in Thompson & Bender, Westchester’s leading public relations/marketing/advertising firm based in Briarcliff Manor, will be honored for her achievements in business entrepreneurship. Bracken-Thompson is responsible for new business, directs the company’s marketing and advertising division and manages a diversified portfolio of accounts for Thompson and Bender. A Girl Scout as a child, she has had an extensive career in marketing and communications over the past 20 years. She is an active member of, and has served in leadership positions for, many professional women’s associations as well as a number of non-profit boards.
The Watson Women of IBM will be honored for their work in developing female leaders in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields at IBM. The Watson Women’s Network (WWN) is a volunteer network at the IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center. It has as its mission to encourage a workplace environment that advances the professional effectiveness, individual growth, and recognition of all women. Together with partners in research management, human resources and other diversity network groups within IBM, the WWN promotes programs in mentoring, networking, knowledge sharing, recruiting and leadership development, thereby enabling their members reach their full potential in the workplace.
The evening’s fifth honoree will be a Girl Scout designated as a Young Woman of Leadership and Excellence. Yet to be named, the honoree will have demonstrated leadership among her peers and in her community, thus helping to make the world a better place. [Note: A press area will be available at the Gala for interviews and photos with honorees and special guests.]
In the Gala’s commemorative program, Girl Scouts Heart of the Hudson will acknowledge its100th Anniversary sponsors, including: New Directions Consulting; Con Edison; Entergy; TD Bank; SKCG; Third Eye Technologies; Combe, Inc.; Tele-Vue Optics, Inc.; Innovative Esthetics; and Vikki Pryor of Change Create Transform. The 100th Anniversary lead media sponsor is Optimum and media supporters are MainStreet Connect and Serendipity magazine.
About Girl Scouts Heart of the Hudson, Inc.
Girl Scouts Heart of the Hudson provides leadership opportunities for over 32,000 girls and more than 15,000 adult volunteers throughout seven counties in southeastern New York State: Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster, and Westchester. Its central administrative office is in Pleasantville, with regional offices in Middletown, New City, Pleasantville, Kingston and Poughkeepsie. For information about joining, volunteering, or making a donation to Girl Scouts Heart of the Hudson, Inc., contact (914) 747-3080 or visit www.girlscoutshh.org.
