By Anita Raymon
Eight women active in Queens were honored Thursday evening, June 15 at the 13th annual awards dinner for the Queens Women's Center, held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel., celebrating “Women in Leadership” in Queens.
Queens Borough President Claire Shulman was the keynote speaker, and the mistress of ceremonies was Ann J. Jawin, founder and board chairwoman of the Queens Women's Center. Two “Good Guy” awards were presented to Assemblyman Brian McLaughlin and David F. Gedris, vice president of Con Edison.
Shulman paid tribute to Jawin, her “friend and neighbor at City Hall for many years,” adding, “Ann, single-handedly, founded the organization in October 1987, showing that women working together can be an effective force in the lives of Queens' residents, most particularly women.”
Shulman described her as the one woman who will keep after community leaders and elected officials, so that they have to say yes to placate her.
The eight honored women; some of them born in other countries, were:
Dr. Geraldine D. Chapey, Lehman College, state Board of Regents; Dr. Geraldine M. Chapey (daughter) director, Institute of Professional Development; Dr. Gilda Alarcon Glasinovich, Alianza Latinoamericana de Mujeres; Rudean “Ruth” Harvey, Ametis Construction Co.; Ming Chwen Hwang, Queens Chinese Women's Association; Maria Fable Santalesa, MSW, ACSW, Histria Association for Women; Elisabeth A. Vreeburg, president of the Queens County Women's Bar Association; and Dora H. Young, deputy city clerk, Queens County. The award recipients spoke of the great personal satisfaction that public service brings, and urged other women to become active and speak out on domestic violence, gun legislation, sex discrimination, education, and other issues vital not only to women, but to everyone.
