Tribute to Women Honors Leaders, Family Advocates

Danielle Hender feels fortunate that the strong and stable foundation of her family life sustains and allows her to help others.

The attorney will join Donna Haynes, Karen Lynch, Dr. Patricia Sereno, Malden High School senior Debbie Ly and Housing Families, Inc., all being honored at the 20th Annual Tribute to Women by the YWCA Malden on Wednesday, June 1. Titled “Leaders and Advocates Investing in Families,” the tribute will begin at 5 p.m. at Anthony’s Restaurant on Canal Street.

“I am honored to be included among the women and the organization being honored this year and those women whom have been honored in the past,” said Hender, a past president of the YWCA who has served as the emcee of the tribute and enjoys telling the stories of the women the Center for Women and Families celebrates and weaving them into the theme of the event each year.

Twenty Years of Celebrating Women

For the past two decades, the YWCA has been holding an event to acknowledge women who greatly contribute to the community, said Executive Director Laureen Scibinico.

“When we started this tribute, it seemed like such a natural thing to do because we are a women’s organization with a mission dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all,” she said. “Each year, we come up with a theme within the context of our mission for the organization, world and our community and shine a spotlight on women who contribute to the community within that context.”

Scibinico said the YWCA core advocacy issues reflect its mission and the values of the organization. The core advocacy issues include elimination of racism, hate crimes, violence toward women, increasing women’s income, welfare reform and early childhood education.

Event has Grown Over the Years

“The very first year we had this event, it was held in the Ryder Gallery in the library,” Scibinico said. “The place was packed such that we couldn’t even see everyone.”

She said there was such an enormous amount of support for what the YWCA was doing.

“There was a real sense of people wanting to honor these women who contribute so much to the community,” she said.

The annual event has grown over the years but always pays tribute within a particular theme to women who work or live in Malden and contribute so much of their time and energy to making the community a better place. 

This is the first year the YWCA will be offering an organizational award, Scibinico said.

The theme of “Leaders and Advocates Investing in Families” is something the YWCA views as critical work, she said.

“The women and organization we called together to honor are contributing in one way or another to that theme in the community,” Scibinico said. “When there are strong families, you are building a community.”

The guest speaker at the tribute will be Senator Katherine Clark who, since 2001, represents Lynnfield, Malden, Melrose, Reading, Stoneham and Wakefield. She was first elected in March 2008 to represent Melrose and Wakefield in the state House of Representatives.

Clark serves as the Chair of the Joint Committee on Public Service and Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Community Development and Small Business Committee; on the Joint Committees on Education, Public Health, Public Safety and Homeland Security, Veterans and Federal Affairs, and Senate Committee on Post Audit and Oversight.  She is a member of the Advisory Council for the Department of Early Education and Care.  In early 2011, Clark was appointed to the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy Advisory Board at the University of Massachusetts Boston.

The YWCA tribute will begin with a social hour. Dinner will begin at 6 p.m.

Tickets are $50 a person or $500 for a table of 10. Proceeds from the event will sponsor all YWCA services through 2012.

For additional information, contact the YWCA Malden at 781-322-3760.