Press Release: LICM Receives 2009 Community Service Award

Service to Disadvantaged Girls Earns Praise

The Long Island Children’s Museum’s efforts to ensure that all Brownie and Girls Scouts in Nassau County have full scouting experiences have been singled out for praise by Soroptomist International of Nassau County (SINC). LICM received a 2009 Community Service Award from the Nassau County chapter of the worldwide business women’s service organization for its “Scout Discovery” program providing Girl Scout troops in Hempstead, Roosevelt and Freeport with free scouting experiences, including museum visits and overnights.

"Soroptimist International of Nassau County (SINC) is thrilled to present a community service award to the Long Island Children's Museum this year," stated Fran Karliner, Immediate President of SINC. "The program that we are funding will provide an educational and cultural experience for low-income girls and works toward furthering our organization's mission: to provide greater opportunities for girls and women to learn, to grow and to attain their potential."

“Scout Discovery is an extension of the Museum’s community access mission,” explains LICM Executive Director Suzanne LeBlanc. “We have increasingly seen that many of the items traditionally associated with scouting are beyond the financial reach of troops in towns surrounding the Museum. Scout Discovery helps to address this inequity and provides neighboring troops with culturally rich, memorable experiences.”

The SINC Community Service Award provided a $2,200 grant for the Children’s Museum. Additional program support for Scout Discovery is provided by the Long Island Fund for Women and Girls.

Five local not-for profits received Community Service awards this year; the most SINC has presented in a single year. Also honored along with LICM were Adelphi NY Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline & Support Program, Bethany House, Long Island Crisis Center and Molloy College. Awards were presented on Tuesday, June 16 at SINC’s annual Awards Gala. 

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About Soroptomist International
Soroptimist International is a vibrant, dynamic organization for today’s professional and business women. It is committed to a world where women and girls together achieve their individual and collective potential, realize aspirations and have an equal voice in creating strong, peaceful communities worldwide.Soroptimists inspire action and create opportunities to transform the lives of women and girls through a global network of members and international partnerships.

The word Soroptimist comes from the Latin words soro meaning “sister” and optima meaning “best,” and loosely translates as “best for women.

Photo Caption: (L-R) SINC board member and Community Service Award Chair Stephanie Albert presents 2009 Community Service Award to LICM Executive Director Suzanne LeBlanc .
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