Josie Herrick, President WWC, Mary O’Neil, 2012 Garden Tea Honoree, Allison Gearing – Kalill and Lisa McMahon, Co-chairpersons 2012 Garden Tea. (Photo submitted)
The Westfield Woman’s Club is pleased to announce that the honoree at their 15th annual garden tea will be Westfield resident Mary O’Neil. Each year the Woman’s Club chooses to honor a local woman who has embraced the spirit volunteerism and has had a significant impact on her community.
Mary O’Neil is committed to giving back to the community she loves. This commitment has its seeds in the lessons of social justice and community service which were introduced to her at a very young age by her mother and reinforced as principles of her Catholic college education. She believes we are all blessed with varying degrees of time, talent, and treasure. When these gifts are shared, the world becomes a better place.
Mary’s first volunteer stint was at a community hospital near her college. Upon her return to Western Mass she volunteered at both Brightside and Noble Hospital, and thus began a very long relationship with Noble Hospital. In addition to volunteering, Mary joined the Women’s Auxiliary where she served as president, chaired the Noble Hospital Ball and Follies and coordinated many other fundraisers. In 1980 she was elected to the hospital’s Board of Trustees and served for 14 years, two as Board Chair. She also served as Chair of the capital campaign to fund Noble’s ICU.
After operating an insurance agency with her husband for 25 years, in 1994 Mary took advantage of what she describes as a wonderful opportunity for employment at Noble Hospital, where she was charged with coordinating the highly successful capital campaign to raise funds for the Center for Surgical and Ambulatory Care. She remained at Noble Health Systems for 16 years where as Vice President for Development and Community Relations her primary focus was on fundraising for the hospital.
Mary served as Director of Westfield Bank and is a member of St. Mary’s Parish Finance Committee. Other boards Mary has served on include the YMCA of Greater Westfield, The American Red Cross, Genesis Spiritual Life and Conference Center, The Westfield Academy, and Noble Visiting Nurse and Hospice Services. Mary is an Ambassador for the Carson Center, taught CCD at St. Mary’s Parish for 17 years, volunteers in the Advancement office at St. Mary’s Schools, she volunteered for several years for the WGBY Auction and is a corporator of the Sarah Gillett Services for the Elderly. Mary is especially proud of her role many years ago as co-chair of the Special Westfield Booster Club to support activities at area High Schools in the wake of proposition 2 ½.
Please join the Westfield Woman’s Club in thanking Mary for all she has done for our community.
