2002 Marion R. Vuilleumier | 2003 Jean D. Gardner | 2004 Eugenia Fortes | 2005 Felicia R. Penn | 2006 Bonnie M. Snow | 2007 Lynne M. Poyant | 2008 Josephine P. Ives | 2009 Mary L. LeClair | 2010 Gloria W. Rudman | 2011 Susan A. French | 2012 Judy Walden Scarafile | 2013 Dorothy A. Savarese | 2014 Mary Lou Petitt | 2015 Michelle L. DeSilva | 2016 Ann M. Williams | 2017 Dolores Holden Daluz | 2018 Nancy Viall Shoemaker | 2019 Juliet Bernstein | 2020 Mimi McConnell | 2021 Wendy Northcross | 2022 Angelina Chilaka | Amanda Converse 2023
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Amanda Converse is named the Mercy Otis Warren Cape Cod Woman of the Year 2023
May 10, 2023, Barnstable, MA – Today the Barnstable County Commissioners endorsed Amanda Converse of Marstons Mills as the 2023 Mercy Otis Warren Cape Cod Woman of the Year, recommended by the Mercy Otis Warren Cape Cod Woman of the Year Award Committee.
Each year since 2002, the award honored remarkable women who exemplify the traits of community leadership and who have made a significant contribution to the arts, education, business, community involvement, and volunteerism while embracing the ideals of patriotism. Ms. Converse exemplifies these qualities through her work focusing on sustainability and the Cape Cod economy.
After achieving a master’s degree from George Washington University, Ms. Converse returned home with an ambitious vision and championing the “buy local” cause, advocating for its economic, environmental, and social benefits. Her business improvement initiatives include founding the Current Quarterly, a unique local fashion magazine, and Love Live Local, a nonprofit that holds annual festivals uniting local businesses with consumers. When Covid-19 hit, she helped raise $121K in relief funds for Cape Cod businesses and later became the voice of THIRST, a Massachusetts organization highlighting problems with the lack of payout of business interruption insurance. She has also supported non-profits across Cape Cod, including WE CAN, Cape Wellness Collaborative, Amplify POC and serves as president of the board of trustees of the Hyannis Public Library.
Ms. Converse was nominated this year by Meg Loughran, Cynthia Cole, and Sheryl Baba.
“To say I am humbled to be named the Mercy Otis Warren Cape Cod Woman of the Year would be an understatement. To think of myself in the same group of strong, dedicated, and trailblazing women who have received the award before me is an incredible honor. The Cape Cod community means the world to me, and I can only hope I have made a fraction of the impact on it as it has on me, ” Ms. Converse said.
ABOUT THE CELEBRATION: The award will be presented to Ms. Converse by last year’s recipient, Angelina Chilaka of Harwich, on Flag Day, June 14, 2023, at 7 p.m. at the 1717 Meetinghouse, 2049 Meetinghouse Way in West Barnstable. The award is a bronze statuette sculpted by Town of Barnstable artist David Lewis. It is a replica of the statue of Mercy Otis Warren located on the Superior Court House lawn in Barnstable Village.
The Committee would like to thank its sponsors: Cape Cod Five Cents Savings Bank, Barnstable County, Tales of Cape Cod, Barnstable Village Association, West Barnstable Civic Association, Cape Cod Media Group, and the Cape Cod Writers Guild, with a special thank you the Cape Cod Chronicle, the Cape Cod Times, the Enterprise Newspapers, and the Provincetown Independent.
ABOUT MERCY OTIS WARREN: Mercy Otis Warren, born in West Barnstable in 1728, was a playwright, a historian, a pioneer in women’s causes, a champion of liberty, an advocate of the Bill of Rights, and a patriot. In an era when it was unusual for a woman to receive an education, or to emerge as a leader, her advocacy for the cause of patriotism during the Revolution was remarkable.
PAST RECIPIENTS: 2002 Marion R. Vuilleumier | 2003 Jean D. Gardner | 2004 Eugenia Fortes | 2005 Felicia R. Penn | 2006 Bonnie M. Snow | 2007 Lynne M. Poyant | 2008 Josephine P. Ives | 2009 Mary L. LeClair | 2010 Gloria W. Rudman | 2011 Susan A. French | 2012 Judy Walden Scarafile | 2013 Dorothy A. Savarese | 2014 Mary Lou Petitt | 2015 Michelle L. DeSilva | 2016 Ann M. Williams | 2017 Dolores Holden Daluz | 2018 Nancy Viall Shoemaker | 2019 Juliet Bernstein | 2020 Mimi McConnell | 2021 Wendy Northcross | 2022 Angelina Chilaka.
Visit https://www.capecod.gov/MOWAward to learn more about the Mercy Otis Woman Cape Cod Woman of the Year award.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Angelina Chilaka Named Mercy Otis Warren Cape Cod Woman of the Year 2022
May 18, 2022, Barnstable, MA– Today, the Barnstable County Board of Regional Commissioners officially endorsed Angelina Chilaka, a retired educator residing in Harwich, as the 2022 Mercy Otis Warren Cape Cod Woman of the Year recipient. The Mercy Otis Warren Woman of the Year Award Committee recommended Ms. Angelina Chilaka for this Award which recognizes a Cape Cod woman who has made a significant and positive impact in our region.
The Mercy Otis Warren Cape Cod Woman of the Year Award was established in 2002 to annually recognize a woman who exemplifies the traits of leadership in the community and who has made a significant contribution to the arts, education, business or community involvement, and volunteerism while embracing the ideals of patriotism.
Ms. Chilaka was nominated by Karen Boujoukos, also of Harwich.
In her nomination letter, Ms. Boujoukos wrote that as an educator, Ms. Chilaka’s “teaching job gave her a window into the the lives of the students, some of whom were struggling with economic stability in their homes.” She went on to describe Ms. Chilaka’s impact as having had its roots in charitable endeavors to ensure that warm winter clothes and school supplies were provided to students in need. Ms. Chilaka is a volunteer with the American Red Cross, the Harwich Council on Aging, and serves on the Board of Directors for Outer Cape Health Services. She has been a long-time member of the MLK Action Team, a racial justice group of the Nauset Interfaith Association, and through the work of this non-profit she has been instrumental in promoting racial justice.
Ms. Chilaka is also the producer of the Cape Verdean Heritage Oral History Project, a video documentary series. “Mercy Otis Warren, remembered as ‘the historian of the American Revolution,’ would have appreciated Ms. Chilaka’s efforts to record the stories of Cape Verdeans who have woven their stories into the history of Harwich and Cape Cod,” said Award Committee member Ed Maroney.
ABOUT THE CELEBRATION: The award will be presented to Ms. Chilaka by last year’s recipient, Wendy Northcross, on Flag Day, June 14, 2022, at 7:00 PM at the 1717 Meetinghouse, 2049 Meetinghouse Way, West Barnstable, Massachusetts 02668. The award is a bronze statuette sculpted by Marstons Mills artist David Lewis. It is a replica of the statue of Mercy Otis Warren located on the Superior Court House lawn in Barnstable Village.
The event will coincide with the Annual Flag Day community event, a collaboration among the West Barnstable Fire Department, Meetinghouse Farm, and the West Barnstable Civic Association. Residents are invited to embrace a patriotic spirit by participating in both events. Admission to the award ceremony is free, and donations will be accepted.
The Committee would like to thank their sponsors: Cape Cod Five Cents Savings Bank, Barnstable County, Tales of Cape Cod, Barnstable Village Association, West Barnstable Civic Association, Cape Cod Media Group, and the Cape Cod Writers Guild.
ABOUT MERCY OTIS WARREN: Mercy Otis Warren, born in West Barnstable in 1728, was a playwright, a historian, a pioneer in women’s causes, a champion of liberty, an advocate of the Bill of Rights, and a patriot. In an era when it was unusual for a woman to receive an education, or to emerge as a leader, her advocacy for the cause of patriotism during the Revolution was remarkable.
PAST RECIPIENTS: 2002 Marion R. Vuilleumier | 2003 Jean D. Gardner | 2004 Eugenia Fortes | 2005 Felicia R. Penn | 2006 Bonnie M. Snow | 2007 Lynne M. Poyant | 2008 Josephine P. Ives | 2009 Mary L. LeClair | 2010 Gloria W. Rudman | 2011 Susan A. French | 2012 Judy Walden Scarafile | 2013 Dorothy A. Savarese | 2014 Mary Lou Petitt | 2015 Michelle L. DeSilva | 2016 Ann M. Williams | 2017 Dolores Holden Daluz | 2018 Nancy Viall Shoemaker | 2019 Juliet Bernstein | 2020 Mimi McConnell | 2021 Wendy Northcross. Visit https://www.capecod.gov/affiliated-organizations/mercy-otis-warren-woman-year/past-recipients/ to learn more about the Mercy Otis Woman Cape Cod Woman of the Year awards and to view a full list of all the award winners.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
20th Annual Award Recognizes Community Leadership and Ideals of Patriotism in Barnstable County
May 5, 2021, Barnstable, MA– Today, the Barnstable County Board of Regional Commissioners officially endorsed Wendy Northcross, residing in West Barnstable, as the 2021 Mercy Otis Warren Cape Cod Woman of the Year recipient. The Mercy Otis Warren Woman of the Year Award Committee recommended Ms. Northcross for this Award that recognizes a Cape Cod woman who has made a significant and positive impact in our region.
The Mercy Otis Warren Cape Cod Woman of the Year Award was established in 2002 to annually recognize a woman who exemplifies the traits of leadership in the community and who has made a significant contribution to the arts, education, business or community involvement, and volunteerism while embracing the ideals of patriotism.
Ms. Northcross, Chief Executive Officer of the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce, and community activist, received three nominations from Peter Scarafile, Dorothy Savarese, and Elaine Bono.
In his nomination letter, Peter Scarafile stated, “With her strong work ethic and endless hours as a volunteer, she has left her mark on our community. Truly Wendy has made a difference in the lives of the people of Cape Cod, and she is an excellent candidate for the Mercy Otis Warren Cape Cod Woman of the Year Award.”
Nominator Dorothy Savarese wrote that Wendy Northcross has been “a passionate leader on Cape Cod for over 30 years; Wendy embodies each attribute of this esteemed award, including a commitment to volunteerism and community involvement, education, business, and arts and culture.”
Elaine Bono said of Ms. Northcross, “She is a strong advocate for anything Cape Cod. She is not bound by the “politics” of the Chamber of Commerce but by her loyalty and devotion to what is in the best interests of Cape Cod. How refreshing it is for me to see a woman representing Cape Cod and what it stands for!”…” Wendy Northcross personifies Cape Cod, and I enthusiastically nominate her for the Mercy Otis Warren Women of the Year Award 2021.”
Award Committee Member Marcy Burman said, “Perhaps best known for her involvement with the business community as CEO of the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce, Ms. Northcross’s impacts on our region are far-reaching. Her achievements include spearheading wastewater planning, helping to establish a Cape-wide transportation plan, and increasing high-speed internet access to our area. She co-founded the John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum, a popular tourist attraction in southeastern Massachusetts, and worked tirelessly as a member and President of the Hyannis Rotary Club. Ms. Northcross has also served on the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod, the Town of Barnstable Affordable Housing Growth and Development Trust Fund Board, and the Cape Cod Cooperative Bank, and she’s been a liaison to the Barnstable County Regional Substance Abuse Coalition. Also notable is her participation on the Cape Cod COVID-19 Response Task Force (formerly the Cape Cod Reopening Task Force). The list goes on.”
ABOUT THE CELEBRATION: The Award will be presented to Ms. Northcross by last year’s recipient, Mimi McConnell, on Wednesday, June 2, 2021 at 7:00 PM (subject to COVID regulations) at Tales of Cape Cod, Olde Colonial Courthouse, 3046 Main Street, Barnstable Village. UPDATE: Award ceremony will take place at the 1717 Meetinghouse, 2049 Meetinghouse Way, West Barnstable, Massachusetts 02668. The Award is a bronze statuette sculpted by Marstons Mills artist David Lewis. It is a replica of the statue of Mercy Otis Warren located on the Superior Court House lawn in Barnstable Village. *
The Committee would like to thank their sponsors: Cape Cod Five Cents Savings Bank, Barnstable County, Tales of Cape Cod, Barnstable Village Association, West Barnstable Civic Association, Cape Cod Media Group, and the Cape Cod Writers Guild.
ABOUT MERCY OTIS WARREN: Mercy Otis Warren, born in West Barnstable in 1728, was a playwright, a historian, a pioneer in women’s causes, a champion of liberty, an advocate of the Bill of Rights, and a patriot. In an era when it was unusual for a woman to receive an education, or to emerge as a leader, her advocacy for the cause of patriotism during the Revolution was remarkable.
PAST RECIPIENTS: 2002 Marion R. Vuilleumier | 2003 Jean D. Gardner | 2004 Eugenia Fortes | 2005 Felicia R. Penn | 2006 Bonnie M. Snow | 2007 Lynne M. Poyant | 2008 Josephine P. Ives | 2009 Mary L. LeClair | 2010 Gloria W. Rudman | 2011 Susan A. French | 2012 Judy Walden Scarafile | 2013 Dorothy A. Savarese | 2014 Mary Lou Petitt | 2015 Michelle L. DeSilva | 2016 Ann M. Williams | 2017 Dolores Holden Daluz | 2018 Nancy Viall Shoemaker | 2019 Juliet Bernstein | 2020 Mimi McConnell. Visit https://www.capecod.gov/affiliated-organizations/mercy-otis-warren-woman-year/past-recipients/ to learn more about the Mercy Otis Woman Cape Cod Woman of the Year awards and to view a full list of all the award winners.
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Watch the Mercy Otis Warren Cape Cod Woman of the Year Award 2021 celebration that took place on Wednesday, June 2, 2021, at the 1717 Meetinghouse in West Barnstable. Wendy Northcross of West Barnstable was recognized last year.
