SHEro Awards Inaugural Event Set For April

MADISON, CT — Because women and girls everywhere are doing wonderful things for their communities, Madison is presenting its inaugural Shoreline SHEros Community Awards Breakfast set for April 4.

The Women & Family Life Center, along with Guilford Youth & Family Services, Madison Youth & Family Services, Clinton Human Services and Branford Counseling & Community Services joined together to host the event at the Nathanael B. Greene Community Center in Guilford. The goal is to honor women and girls on the Connecticut shoreline who demonstrate "compassion, a desire to improve the quality of life for others and who are making a difference in their communities."

"A SHEro is a woman or girl who inspires others through her actions. She is a person who leads with kindness, has a desire to help others and is someone who is making a positive change in herself or for others in a community. She could be your friend, neighbor, a teacher or business owner," the town explained in a post about the awards on its website.

Six nominees, one woman and one youth, will each be awarded a special certificate recognizing them for one of the following award categories: Growth Award, Community Service Award or a Trailblazer Award.

"There are so many women and girls in our communities doing so much good for their friends, families and neighbors that we really wanted a way for our communities to come together and celebrate them," Women & Family Life Center’s Executive Director Meghan Scanlon said. "Our hope is that we also inspire even more of our women and girls to be confident in their abilities, pursue their passions and do good in the world."

Scanlon said the idea for the event came about after the agencies began collaborating after a discussion about the many amazing women and girls making an impact in their communities. Yet what was missing, they found, was an event recognizing them for the work they do and a platform for them to tell their stories.

The event is free and open to the public. And the public is encouraged to attend and engage.

"At the end of the day, what we hope happens is that a mother brings her young daughter to this event, a grandmother brings her granddaughter, an aunt brings her niece or a neighbor brings her friend and a mentor brings her mentee, they enjoy breakfast together and they both leave feeling inspired to take action, part of a larger, supportive community and content in knowing they are enough for each other and the world," Scanlon said.

For more information and to download an application to nominate a woman or girl (under 18) for a 2020 SHEro award visit www.womenandfamilylife.org/shero-awards. Deadline for submissions is March 9, 2020. Honorees will be announced on March 16, 2020, and the awards breakfast will take place at the Guilford Community Center on Saturday April 4, 2020. This event is open to the public, doors will open at 8:30am and the awards program will start at 9:00am. RSVP by phone at 203-458-6699 or via email to info@womenandfamilylife.orgOpens email window. In the subject line of the email please note: SHEro Awards and include a contact name, number of guests and an email address to confirm your attendance.