Laurie Meehan Named 2017 Gathering of Friends Community Champion

Bronxville Resident Laurie Meehan has been selected to receive the Community Champion Award at The Village Lutheran Church and The Chapel School’s annual fundraising gala, The Gathering of Friends (http://gathering-of-friends.org/). Ms. Meehan will be honored at the event which takes place on Friday, March 17 at Glen Island Harbour Club in New Rochelle, NY.

“The Gathering of Friends Community Champion is someone in the Village Lutheran Church, The Chapel School or Concordia Community that we look up to, has made great strides for our mission and inspires us to our highest ideals,” said Rev. Dr. Robert Hartwell, Senior Pastor of the Village Lutheran Church. “Laurie has been such a blessing to our Chapel School and the Bronxville community. With great humility and a ‘roll-up-your sleeves’ attitude, Laurie has both passion and great wisdom and we are grateful for her selfless devotion to making our world a better place.”

Over the past 10 years, Ms. Meehan has amassed an impressive list of accomplishments at The Chapel School. Having served as a Chapel School class parent (multiple times), Gathering of Friends (GOF) chair (2012) and holding almost every position within the PTO including President (2014/2015), there is no volunteer opportunity to which Ms. Meehan has not graciously given her time to and continues to as she currently serves as a Blue Ribbon Foundation Board (BRF) Member and on the PTO Programming Committee.
Michael Schultz, Principal, The Chapel School added “I have known and worked with Laurie for many years, through her countless hours of volunteerism at The Chapel School in support of everything from the PTO to the Gathering of Friends gala; but, this is my first experience with the excitement she brings to the BRF) Board. As we work toward building our BRF Endowment Fund, we are poised to do great things for the students and families of The Chapel School for generations to come. Many wonderful volunteers and generous donors have helped us get to this point, but I believe that we would not be here without Laurie's commitment and leadership.”

The love of children, all children, is truly what motivates Ms. Meehan. She spearheaded an effort to offer movement and exercise to The Chapel School students during winter indoor recess months. After months of meetings with administration, faculty and parents, the “Spring Training” program started in 2015 to help Chapel kids do calisthenics during the dreary winter months and stay healthy.

Ms. Meehan’s kindness and compassion extend beyond the school campus and into the surrounding local communities. She has been an active volunteer at the Tree House for the Bereavement Center of Westchester, an organization offering support and a caring environment for children who have lost a parent or sibling. Ms. Meehan has also served as the Junior League of Bronxville’s New Projects Chair where she helped pilot programs to provide homework help to students at the Mt. Vernon Public Library and to provide support and activities for siblings of children with special needs at Heartsong.

According to Jamie Geier and Amy Reid, the 2017 Gathering of Friends co-chairs, “You may or may not know Laurie personally, but, if you are a Chapel family, undoubtedly you know her work. All of us at Chapel have for years been the unknowing benefactors of her tireless dedication, innovative ideas and unwavering commitment to improving our school and positively impacting the lives of all who attend.”

Hosted annually, the Gathering of Friends celebrates The Chapel School (http://www.thechapelschool.org/) and The Village Lutheran Church (http://www.vlc-ny.org/ ) vital role in the life of the local community as well as the academic excellence and spiritual education offered to the children, and the ministry’s commitment to fellowship, stewardship and community service combined make a positive impact on all. Tickets to attend the event can be purchased by clicking here.

About the Village Lutheran Church & The Chapel School:
Under the blessing of God, the mission of Village Lutheran Church is a ministry of the Word and Sacraments. This ministry gives opportunities for mission, witness, nurture, fellowship, stewardship, and service. It focuses on the specific needs of individuals and groups within the congregation and extends to the church-at-large, the community, and the world.
The Chapel School is an integral part of the congregation’s ministry directed specifically to children. It provides a distinctive Christian education enabling children to evidence a Christian lifestyle and to achieve academic success.

The Chapel School (TCS) has been serving a wonderfully diverse community of families in Westchester and the Bronx since 1947, including students from Bronxville, Eastchester, Mount Vernon, New Rochelle, Scarsdale, Tuckahoe, White Plains and Yonkers. Our goal is to provide academic challenge and excellence, as well as character education and opportunities for social, emotional and spiritual growth in the safest and most nurturing environment. TCS students experience a state-of-the-art curriculum complete with the integration of the latest technology, but TCS teachers maintain a balance between what is most current and tested, proven teaching methods.