When the YWCA of Haverhill holds its annual Tribute to Women luncheon next week it will be honoring six women from greater Haverhill who have helped the Y accomplish its goal of empowering women.
The 19th annual luncheon, sponsored by the YWCA Academy of Women, will take place on Wednesday, May 28 from noon to 2 p.m. at DiBurro's of Ward Hill. Before the event is over, one of the six women will become Woman of the Year.
Nominated this year, in alphabetical order, are Terri Bessette, Betty Burnell, Euthemia Gilman, Patricia Gleason, Jean McCann, and Mary Merrill.
TV news anchor Maria Stephanos, a Groveland native, will be keynote speaker and honorary chairwoman during the luncheon.
The Academy of Women, who support the YWCA and raise funds for its programs, compile the list of nominees each year. An independent panel from outside the community determines the winner.
The Academy was established to create a permanent tribute to the achievements and contributions of women from Greater Haverhill.
Tickets to the event are $45 per person. They are available at the YWCA at 107 Winter St.
The six nominees and their accomplishments are:
r Terri Bessette: After being diagnosed with the chronic pain disorder fibromyalgia, Bessette became committed to physical fitness. Bessette, a certified yoga instructor who owned Seasons of Yoga on Washington Street, taught yoga and spinning at the YMCA and Gold's Gym, as well as children's yoga classes at Bright Horizons Children's Centers in North Reading and Andover.
She is a holistic health practitioner who has taught goal setting and visioning classes as part of self-improvement training and spiritual coaching. Bessette is also involved in a leadership training program to become an ordained minister with Unity on the River in Amesbury.
She produced two series shows at Haverhill Community Television and hosted the city's Christmas Stroll and Santa Parade. The joys of her life are her 8-year-old triplets Zyon, Hannah and Jordan.
r Betty Burnell has been serving the veterans of Haverhill for almost 30 years through her work as secretary for the director of Veterans Services. Burnell is considered the "go-to" person for veterans and their families to receive financial, medical or transportation assistance in their time of need.
Burnell has taken a special interest in the widows of veterans, visiting those in area nursing homes in the evenings and on weekends, playing cards, providing gifts and assisting them in letter writing. Burnell also devotes many hours to the Haverhill Amvets Post 147 Ladies Auxiliary, where she has held many positions including president of the chapter. She received the Ladies Auxiliary of the Year award at the state convention. Burnell is active with the Adopt a Platoon program, which sends gift bags to United States soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.
r Euthemia Gilman, presently principal of Silver Hill Elementary School in Haverhill, has held several leadership positions in the school system, but her crowning achievement happened this year when she earned state approval for her school to become the seventh Horace Mann Charter School in the Commonwealth.
Gilman's fierce spirit of independence led her to guide her faculty towards accepting this academic route to autonomy. Graduating from high school in the year of the assassinations of Robert Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King inspired her to believe she could make a positive difference in people's lives. She would like her legacy to be that she was one who always asked: "Tell me what you can do, not what you can't do."
r Patricia Gleason contributes to her community by caring for its underprivileged children and young adults. As an adult she returned to school to obtain her license as an independent clinical social worker. Once in hand, Gleason pursued a career in counseling and then became a probation officer. As a probation officer she became the backbone of the Drug Court at Haverhill District Court, which has traditionally been a male-dominated field. Gleason is also a member of the board of directors of the Haverhill Community Violence Coalition.
In order to help her clients, Gleason often rides with the community police surveillance teams to learn first-hand about the obstacles they face. Gleason is also the vice-chair of the board of directors of Haverhill Community Action. Gleason's latest project with Community Action was the restoration of the Fox School for Community Action Head Start, Family Day Care and Adult Education. Gleason also coordinates the Haverhill Trauma Response Team, which offers support during critical incidents, like counseling students or others when there has been a sudden death or crisis.
r Jean McCann has more than 23 years of banking experience with Pentucket Bank and is currently the vice president of its commercial lending department. McCann is very active in the community through her involvement as a board member for Rebuilding Together Greater Haverhill, and as a volunteer for the United Way Day of Caring, American Cancer Society, Habitat for Humanity, and other organizations.
In 2002 McCann was named Ambassador of the Year by the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce. She raised two children while starting her professional career.
r Mary Merrill believes her calling is to reach out to all people. She has spent her life volunteering for many local organizations, including All Saints Church, Merrimack Valley Hospital, American Legion/Veterans, Bethany Homes, Penacook Nursing Home, Merrivista, the soup kitchen and food banks.
Merrill supports the American Cancer Society. And after she was diagnosed with breast cancer, she made time to visit other cancer patients, rewarding them with her famous grapenut custard pudding. Through her perseverance, caring and positive attitude, she even helped her husband, daughter and son each survive their individual cancer diagnosis.
Merrill, who has been recognized for her tireless efforts at Northern Essex Community College's annual volunteer luncheon, will always be a positive role model for women because she has shown that there is light after life's obstacles.
