WOMEN’S COMMISSION TO HONOR LOCAL WOMAN, ORGANIZATION FOR BEST

SOMERVILLE - The
Somerville Health Department and the Office of Somerville Commissions announce
that this year's award recipients for "Best Service Provider to Women" by the
Somerville Commission for Women will be CASPAR and the "Somerville Woman of
Excellence" award will be presented to Regina Bertholdo of the Parent
Information Center in the Somerville Public Schools.  Awards will be presented at the upcoming
reception honoring Women's History Month, held at the Lowell Street Visiting
Nurses' Association (VNA) on March 21^st.   Awards honor one local organization and one
individual for exemplary service to Somerville residents.

"This year we're able to
showcase the many connections and interests of the commission with our award
winners, keynote address and survey announcement," said Sonja Darai, Director
of the Office of the Somerville Commissions. 
"We're happy to celebrate women's history along with looking forward to
the days to come."

The annual Women's History
Reception will be held on Wednesday, March 21, 2012 from 6:00 - 7:15 p.m. at
the Somerville VNA (259 Lowell Street). 
Women's History Month is celebrated in March, dating to the first
International Women's Day on March 26, 1911. 
In 1981, Congress passed a resolution making Women's History Week a
national holiday, and legally expanded the observance to an entire month in
1987.  This year is also the 100^th
anniversary of the Bread and Roses strike.

Past award winners include
the Somerville Police Department Family Services Division, the Somerville
Homeless Coalition, the Brazilian Women's Group, Special Education advocate
Debbie Higgins, and Chile Eng of the Somerville Boys and Girls Club, among
others.

For more information on
the Women's Commission surveys, contact Office of Somerville Commissions
Director Sonja Darai at 617-625-6600 ext. 2406, or SDarai@somervillema.gov.