• Recipients of the Lewis Changing People’s Lives Award
• Recipients of the Excellence in Community Service Award

Recipients of the Lewis Changing People’s Lives Award

2008

Erica Jamison, Principal and Executive Director, City on a Hill Charter School

City on a Hill Charter School is an urban, public high school that strives to close the achievement gap by giving every student the skills to enter and succeed in college. Three-quarters of its students live at or below poverty level. Most City on a Hill students enter 9th grade with academic skills far below grade level. Despite these challenges, 100 per cent of its graduates go to college.

Erica Jamison joined City on a Hill in 1998 to teach tenth grade English, and quickly took on additional leadership responsibilities to include Lead Teacher, Director of Technology, and Dean of Curriculum. She became Principal of the school in 2003. In late November 2007, City on a Hill's Board of Trustees voted to combine the school's Executive Director and Principal functions into a single head of school leadership model, and Erica became the school's first Executive Director Principal. Despite her increased responsibilities over the years, Ms. Jamison has always continued to teach 10th grade English, and continues to do so. “Erica is a wonderful example of someone who has committed herself to providing great opportunities to urban teenagers through education,” says Grand Circle Foundation Chair Harriet Lewis. “She challenges students to reach high, to take risks, and to achieve their goals through hard work and perseverance.”

2007

Henry L. Barr, Board of Directors, West End House Boys & Girls Club

“You might say I was born into the West End House Boys & Girls Club,” says Henry L. Barr. Henry represents the second of three generations of the Barr family to benefit from the organization, which has provided a positive place for Boston youth for more than 100 years. Now the senior partner of a law firm and president and director of a real estate investment company, Henry nevertheless has found time to serve on the Board of Directors of the Boys & Girls Club for 25 years.

In the 1990s, the future of the West End House was in jeopardy. Roughly $10 million was needed to construct a new building and hire staffing to provide much-needed youth services. “Sometimes you have to step up and be willing to withstand criticism and significant public failure in order to get things done,” Henry says. “You have to take a risk. But if you believe in a cause and have a passion for it, that’s what will cause others to respond.”

Others did respond to Henry’s efforts—including an old friend from West End House Camp, Grand Circle Corporation Chairman Alan Lewis. Today, West End House Boys & Girls Club is thriving, and in honor of his achievement, Henry received the 2007 Changing People’s Lives award.

2006

Karen Peluso, Executive Director, Neurofibromatosis Inc. Northeast

When Karen Peluso and her husband Bert discovered that their daughter Mia suffered from neurofibromatosis, they banded together with other families touched by the disease to create Neurofibromatosis, Inc.—an organization dedicated to finding a cure for this genetic disorder of the nervous system by promoting scientific research, boosting public awareness, and supporting families living with neurofibromatosis every day. “What started out as something so terrible has become a blessing,” Karen says. “I’m fortunate to have something I can feel so passionate about.”

Karen earned the 2006 Lewis Changing People’s Lives award in recognition of her tireless work with the organization over the past 22 years. Though less familiar to the general public than cystic fibrosis and muscular dystrophy, neurofibromatosis actually afflicts more people than those two diseases combined, so raising public awareness of the disease is central to working toward a cure. “We began raising funds to promote research,” Karen says. Today, “We’re fortunate that some very elite specialists have been brought into the field.” She also lobbies Congress to ensure that funding is allocated for neurofibromatosis research.

2005

Jerry Martinson, Former Executive Director (Retired), Big Sister Association of Greater Boston

Recipient of the Lewis Changing People’s Lives award for 2005, Jerry Martinson believes passionately in creating opportunities for girls who might not otherwise be able to achieve their full potential. She first became associated with the Big Sister Association of Greater Boston in 1968. Until her retirement, she served as Executive Director of the organization, which served more than 2,500 girls in 2005.

Unlike when Jerry first started, most women today continue working after becoming mothers and have less time to donate. Still, “We’ve doubled in size over the last couple of years,” Jerry says.

Jerry believes that girls today are exposed to many more opportunities for “what they can be.” They simply need Big Sisters to help them see what’s important and create a life that’s better than what they might otherwise expect. Creating one-to-one relationships “with kids who really need it”: This remains the primary mission of the Big Sister Association, and Jerry is committed to uphold it.

Recipients of the Excellence in Community Service Award

2007

Chris Penn, Air Traveler Support

It came as a complete surprise to Chris Penn when Grand Circle Foundation invited him to play Santa Claus at the 2003 annual holiday party Grand Circle sponsors at the Boston Family Shelter. He has been Grand Circle’s “reigning Santa” ever since. “Seeing the look on the kids’ faces gives me a sense of hope,” he says.

In 2006, Chris, a Traveler Support representative in Grand Circle’s Air Department, rose to the challenge again when the holiday party volunteers were asked what they could do to provide a more ongoing service for the shelter.

Chris took the lead and discovered that a major problem families faced once they obtained permanent housing was finding assistance with moving. He organized a program called “Up and Out,” in which Grand Circle volunteers use the company van to help move out ten families a year into their new homes. Since then, the program has grown to also help with buying furniture and other essentials. “It’s like a mini ‘Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,’” Chris says. With typical modesty, he adds, “This program wouldn’t be possible without the support of volunteers and the generous donations of Grand Circle associates.” It’s a fitting sentiment for this year-round Santa Claus.

2006

Joe Cali, Executive Vice President

Joe Cali was awarded the 2006 Excellence in Community Service Award with these words from City on a Hill Board Chair Steve Kraus: “Joe’s commitment to both his company and his community is inspiring.” In 2004, Joe had approached Grand Circle Foundation Chair Harriet Lewis with a request for a challenging project. She found him one. City on a Hill Charter Public School was facing a leadership crisis and a budget deficit. Joining the board in 2004, Joe was thrown into the mix right away. In his first year as treasurer, the school had a surplus, and Joe was key to making that happen. In accepting the award from Grand Circle, Joe credited his father, who taught him, “It doesn’t matter where you live, how much money you have, or what kind of car you drive. What matters is whether this world is a better place because you have been there.” Joe not only internalized those words, he also works to instill them in his own children, the children of City on a Hill, and everyone whose life he touches.

2005

Var Eng Leang, Area Manager, Cambodia

Var Eng Leang grew up in Cambodia during the Pol Pot era (1975-79). Taken from her parents and forced at gunpoint to march from Phnom Penh to the countryside, she remained a prisoner until being reunited with her surviving family members in 1981.

In 2005, Leang was again in the Cambodian countryside, this time seeking an oxcart to transport OAT travelers. She noticed that one local family was especially destitute. Leang discovered that the villagers did their best to support the family—this in a region scarred by poverty and the lasting effects of genocide. Donating her own money, she created a plan to build the family a home, and enlisted her fellow associates and Trip Leaders to help. “Since I survived from that time,” says Leang, “I’ve kept in my mind that community is part of my life, and my community is everywhere.” The house was built in two days, and the team even helped plow the rice paddies. Like Leang, many of them had been forced into hard labor during the Khmer regime. This time they freely, and gladly, took up the task.

2004

Priscilla O’Reilly, Vice President, Public Relations

Priscilla O’Reilly was honored with the 2005 Excellence in Community Service Award. It was in recognition not only of her role in helping to establish the Community Service Team more than ten years ago, but her personal commitment to making Grand Circle, the city of Boston, and the world a better place. Presenting the award to Priscilla, Harriet Lewis described her as “the heart and soul of Grand Circle.” Born in New York, the second of six children, Priscilla credits her father with exerting a major influence over her life. “My father has always been very compassionate towards others, and he taught us to treat people with kindness and respect.” In keeping with the spirit that won her the award, Priscilla added her own money to her recognition check and donated it to the Welfare Center of Thai Nguyen Province in Vietnam, from which her daughter Lee was adopted. The funds were used to purchase a washing machine and two space heaters.

“I look at the ongoing volunteer work that many of my fellow associates do and hope that my daughter, Lee, will be like them,” says Priscilla.