The Salvation Army 26th Annual Community Service Awards
On Thursday March 27, The Salvation Army presented their 2014 Community Service Awards at The Salvation Army 26th Annual Community Service Awards Breakfast at the Crown Plaza Hotel.
The Salvation Army 2014 Honorees for Community Service were Stepinac High School Athletic Director and Head Football Coach Michael O’Donnell and the Hospice & Palliative Care of Westchester.
O’Donnell was presented the Salvation Army Community Service Award for his 34 years of service to the student/athletes at Stepinac High School. O’Donnell has served as Stepinac Head Football Coach for 27 years and simultaneously as Stepinac’s Athletic Director for seven years.
“The Salvation Army is a great organization and the people in the White Plains chapter are very good people,” acknowledged O’Donnell. “I have been involved with them concerning many different things over the years. It is nice to think that they see me as a person in the community deserving this award,” said O’Donnell.
Also, distinguished for their Community Service by The Salvation Army was the Hospice & Palliative Care of Westchester. Mary Spengler, the Executive Director of Hospice & Palliative Care of Westchester accepted the Community Service Award on behalf of HPCW.
“I think to be recognized for the work that we do in the community is wonderful. It is work that is done by an extraordinary group of people who work for us. The staff is just truly exceptional in every way and it is their Honor as far as I am concerned,” stated Spengler.
Hospice & Palliative Care of Westchester, which is located at 311 North Street in White Plains, is a not-for-profit organization that has provided caring services in patient’s homes, skilled nursing facilities and assisted living facilities since 1992.
HPCW also provides care to children. In 2012 they expanded the pediatric palliative care program and created Comfort Crew, whose staff works alongside a child’s physician to create and individual plan of care.
Besides the Salvation Army Community Service Awards, O’Donnell and Hospice & Palliative Care of Westchester were also presented Proclamations from Westchester County and the City of White Plains proclaiming Thursday, March 27, as “Michael O’Donnell Day” and “Hospice & Palliative Care of Westchester Day” in Westchester County and in the City of White Plains.
Deputy County Executive Kevin Plunkett presented the Westchester County Proclamations and the City of White Plains Proclamations was presented by Mayor Thomas Roach. Other dignitaries in attendance included, Common Council President John Martin, Councilwoman Beth Smayda, Westchester County Legislator Benjamin Boykin and General Secretary of The Salvation Army of Greater New York James Betts.
