Exceptional women from Perkins honored as "Unsung Heroines"
Vicky Berg |
Janet B. James |
Two outstanding members of the Perkins community are being honored by the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women for their extraordinary contributions. Both women will receive their awards during a May 14, 2008 ceremony at the State House.
Vicky Berg, an Orientation and Mobility specialist of Watertown, and Janet B. James of Rockport, a chairperson of the Perkins Board of Trustees, have been selected as "Unsung Heroines" for 2008 in their respective communities.
"Our Unsung Heroines are women who don't make the news, but make the difference in their communities, businesses, or volunteer endeavors. They are women who quietly, without fanfare or recognition and usually behind the scenes, use their time, talent, spirit and enthusiasm to enrich the lives of others," said Linda Brantley, MCSW Executive Director.
Berg and James are two women whose daily work exemplifies the spirit of Unsung Heroines.
"Vicky is someone who cares deeply, who puts other people's needs ahead of her own. She is a difference maker," says Michael Bina, Perkins Director of Schools and Programs.
Beyond her excellence as a teacher, says Bina, "Vicky has become a champion of many things beyond her job description, investing her time to develop programs for low vision students, to act as a liaison between Perkins Low Vision Clinic and classroom teachers, and volunteering to lead a school committee charged with developing curriculum to make students as independent as possible."
James got involved with Perkins in the 1990's. During the past 12 years, she has devoted thousands of hours of service to Perkins.
“Janet’s contributions can be seen in almost every aspect of life and programs at Perkins: capital and campus planning, senior management and volunteer leadership, philanthropic support, domestic and international services," says Perkins President Steven Rothstein.
"The legacy of Perkins School for the Blind, the nation’s first school of its kind, is stronger because of Janet," Rothstein added. "She is a resourceful, hard-working, dedicated, intelligent woman whose efforts have made, and continue to make, a critical difference in the lives of children in every corner of the Commonwealth and beyond.”
The May 14, 2008 Unsung Heroines event will be held from 1 - 4 p.m. at the Massachusetts State House. The ceremony will include a keynote address delivered by Attorney General Martha Coakley, certificate presentations, a collective photo of all Heroines in attendance.
Catherine Greene is an MCSW Commissioner, co-Chair of the Unsung Heroine event and also the new Director of Campaign & Major Gifts for Perkins. Greene points out, “There are so many Unsung Heroines on our staff and I was pleased to learn that two members of the Perkins family are being recognized as Unsung Heroines. Congratulations to both Janet and Vicky.”
The Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women is an independent state agency that was legislatively created in 1998 to advance women of the Commonwealth to full equality in all areas of life and to promote their rights and opportunities. View a complete list of 2008 Unsung Heroines at www.mass.gov/women.
Perkins School for the Blind provides education and services to help build productive, meaningful lives for more than 90,000 children and adults who are blind, deafblind or visually impaired with or without other disabilities in the U.S. and more than 60 countries worldwide. Founded in 1829, Perkins pursues this mission on campus, in the community and around the world.