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The Junior League of Baltimore Recognizes Members
Women’s voluntarism organization presents awards to its leaders among leaders

Baltimore, MD (August 27, 2017) – On May 22, 2017, the Junior League of Baltimore (JLB) recognized the contributions of its members at the organization’s annual dinner event, held at Hotel Monaco.

The Mary Goodwillie Award (named for the founder of the JLB) was received by Ashley Chalmers for her dedication to the JLB, especially within the roles of Finance and Membership. Ashley started her JLB service by sitting on the New Members Recruitment and Training committee in 2012 and soon assumed the leadership role as Co-Chair for Passport to Baltimore. This successful shopping card fundraiser was coordinated with 23 partners in the Baltimore area. After this endeavor, she joined the JLB Board and served as the Membership Vice President. She is currently serving as the President of the JLB.

The Annapolis Bowl Award, which recognizes a member that has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to community service beyond her involvement in JLB, was presented to Heather Rustici. Heather is currently pursuing her graduate degree and remains involved with Volunteering Untapped and the American Institute of Architects, Baltimore Chapter, an organization for which she previously served as chair. Heather is also a board member for the Maryland Chapter of the Society for Marketing Professional Services, and a member of the Chesapeake Area Society for Healthcare Engineering. Last year, Heather was recognized for her leadership efforts in Baltimore by being named one of the Daily Record’s ‘20 in Their Twenties’. The Annapolis Bowl Award was originally presented to the JLB in honor of its 75th Anniversary by the Junior League of Annapolis. The Bowl serves as a permanent reminder of the close ties between the two Leagues.

The Flashback 5K was named the Committee of the Year, having raised over $18,000 to support the mission of the JLB. The Flashback 5K is a signature fundraiser of the JLB, and the committee worked tirelessly to ensure its continued success. Early in the league year, they negotiated contracts with Foundry Row, a new location and partner. The committee developed and furthered relationships with additional community partners, created a PR plan, and drove participation to ensure financial success for the 5th annual race.

Betsy Hayes was honored with the Peggy Waxter Sustainer Spirit Award, and Sabrina Knott was presented the New Member Award. The Sustainer Spirit Award is presented to a woman who has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to the League and been a member for at least 7 years (at which point she becomes a “sustainer”). Betsy Hayes has been a member for 40 years, the first 23 of which were spent as a highly active member. In 2014 she returned to a leadership position, chairing the Investment Committee she had helped create, and she continues to serve on the committee. Sabrina Knott, a new member, was recognized for her passion for voluntarism and the many ways she took initiative in her first year. Sabrina truly holds herself accountable as an invested JLB member, and she was an invaluable asset to making the JLB 5K race a success in the spring.

The final award of the evening, the President’s Award, was presented to Maria Johnson Darby by outgoing League President Oana Brooks. The President’s Award is awarded to a member who is truly outstanding in her commitment to the JLB and consistently displays excellence. Maria joined the JLB nearly 25 years ago and has served almost all capacities, including President from 2001-2002. She currently serves on the Board as the Fundraising Vice President. She is a seasoned fundraiser with decades of fund development, management, communications, and board development experience in the nonprofit community. Currently she is the Director of Development and External Relations at Keswick, managing Keswick’s philanthropic efforts as well as its external relations’ activities and partnerships. Through the years, Maria has received awards from several organizations including the Baltimore Business Journal and The Daily Record. Maria brings all of her professional experience to further the mission of the Junior League of Baltimore.

The Junior League of Baltimore congratulates these award recipients and thanks them for choosing to dedicate their time, enthusiasm, and skills to the Junior League.

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About the Junior League of Baltimore, Inc.
The Junior League of Baltimore, Inc. (JLB) is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. The JLB values the power of voluntarism, the diverse community in which we live, the talents, commitment, and contribution of our members, and our history of community impact and involvement. Since 1912, the JLB and its members have been improving the Baltimore community with service projects and impact-focused voluntarism.

For additional information visit www.jlbalt.org. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.