 Mt. Kisco, NY - The Boys & Girls Clubs of Northern Westchester has selected Laureen Barber as the Humanitarian of the Year, which is the highest honor bestowed upon a Club supporter.
Barber will be recognized for her outstanding contributions to the Club at the 14th annual Humanitarian Award Dinner, the organization’s largest fundraising event.
Barber, a Club Board member since 2005, chairs the Tarrytown Advisory Board and was instrumental in leading the turnaround of the Tarrytown Center after averting shut down in 2006. Barber has served as co-chair of the Humanitarian dinner committee for three consecutive years.
“Laureen is an inspiration to this community whose strong personal commitment to the healthy development of our youth deserves our admiration and recognition,” said Brian Skanes, Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northern Westchester. “She has been an avid supporter and we are grateful for her tireless efforts to better our Club.”
Dinner Chair Maria Roach adds that, “Laureen leads by example, doing what she asks of others, whether it be baking pies for the Tarrytown kids to take home at Thanksgiving, talking to audiences about our Club, or staging unique events that showcase the Club’s value.”
Barber is an owner of the Blue Hill Restaurants, with locations in NYC and Tarrytown, and serves as Design Director for the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture in Tarrytown, NY. The restaurant combines a farm, restaurant, and educational center and focuses on sustainability and highlighting the abundant resources of the Hudson Valley.
Barber received a bachelor’s degree in English from East Carolina University in Greenville, NC and studied graphic design at Parsons School of Design in New York. With a background in marketing and graphic design, Barber has worked with Fortune and start-up firms for over 15 years helping to build and define their identities. Barber was formerly Director of Business Development for AGA, a graphic design firm located in New York City. In addition to her work with the Club, Barber is involved with a variety of local causes. Barber resides in Pound Ridge with her husband, David, and their two children.
All proceeds from the Humanitarian Dinner provide scholarships for children in need and support programs and services for more than 3,000 youths at the Club’s three locations in Mount Kisco, Tarrytown, and Yorktown.
Past honorees of the Humanitarian Gala include Leslie Cecil, John and Amy Crabtree, Muffin Ziminsky Dowdle, Skip and Michaela Beitzel, Peter and Sara Tucker, Ken and Margaret O’Gara, Kelly and Rick Wietsma, Kevin Bannon, Bonnie Trotta and Seema Boesky, Dana and Christopher Reeve, Carll and Diane Tucker, Kalman Fox, and Dan Hollis.
The Humanitarian Awards Dinner will take place on Saturday, June 7 at the Sleepy Hollow Country Club in Tarrytown, NY. This year’s theme, “Positively Nutritious”, continues the Club’s programming for healthy living. The cocktail reception, which begins at 6:30 p.m., will be followed by a sit-down dinner. There will be an award presentation and dancing. Individual tickets are $350; sponsorship tables are also available. For further information regarding tickets and/or donations, contact Heidi Muhleman at (914) 666-8069.
About the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northern Westchester
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Northern Westchester (www.bgcnw.com) was established in 1939 as a place for “boys to get off the streets.” It is a non-profit organization dedicated to inspiring and enabling young people, especially those who need it most, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible, and caring citizens. The main unit in Mt. Kisco, NY is a 36,000-square-foot facility featuring an eight-lane pool, Child Care Center, gymnasium, games room, two computer labs and an additional 1,600-foot Teen Center facility. The Club has two satellite programs: a youth and teen center in the Yorktown Community Center; and a full service program at The Community Opportunity Center in Tarrytown, NY. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Northern Westchester serves 3,000 youths, boys and girls ages 6 months to 18 years, from more than 60 Northern Westchester communities. The Club has been ranked among the outstanding Clubs in the national network of Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
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