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LEHIGH VALLEY WEATHER

YWCA honors area residents, students

YWCA Bethlehem celebrated the volunteer achievements of local women and teens at the 44th Annual Women and Teens of the Year Award Ceremony recently at the Event Center at blue. The event featured dinner, award presentations, a silent auction, and live auction. PPL Corporation was the Title Sponsor and Ashley Russo of The Peak TV was the emcee for the evening. Each of the teen honorees received a $1,000 scholarship. The Annual Women and Teens of the Year Awards ceremony is made possible by generous support from community sponsors: PPL Corporation, St. Luke’s University Health Network, Capital BlueCross, Highmark Blue Shield, NCC Alumni Association and Victaulic.

Golden Laurel Award

Diane Harpster exemplifies philanthropy and giving back to the community. Since 2002, she has been heavily involved with the KidsPeace Auxillary, assisting in many fundraisers that enrich the work of Kidspeace to provide emotional support, health services and educational programming for children and youth in need. She has been involved with YWCA Bethlehem since 2007 when she joined the “TGIF” Charity Golf Classic Committee to benefit the girls golf program that empowers girls to succeed on the course and in life. Hapster began board service for the YWCA in 2013, and currently is the secretary of the board of directors. She also serves on the YWCA’s Nominating Committee and Executive Committee. Diane has volunteered in many capacities at the Church of the Assumption over the past 16 years. She and husband Norman are members of the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley’s Tocqueville Society.

Mission Award

Nani Cuadrado is the director of the Lehigh Valley Health Network’s Street Medicine team. She has been a proud member and supporter of VAST (Valley Against Sex Trafficking) for six years, serving on the organization’s board since 2017. In this volunteer capacity, she devotes countless hours educating and creating awareness about human trafficking and sexual exploitation throughout the Lehigh Valley. She serves as a board member for both the National Commission on Human Trafficking for the Christian Medical Association and the International Impact through Medicine Foundation. She is also a recipient of the Pennsylvania Society of Physician Assistants Humanitarian of the Year Award. Cuadrado was recently a moderator for a PBS documentary, “Close to Home: Human Trafficking, A Survivor’s Story” which aired March 29.

Women of the Year

Sue Acevedo is a project administrator at PPL. She has been actively involved with the company’s POWER Network for women for more than 10 years. Sue is an enthusiastic volunteer and often engages other PPL teammates to join her when opportunities arise in the community. She joined the YWCA Bethlehem Board of Directors five years ago and is currently serving as the board’s vice-chair. She chairs the Prom Dress Day Committee and serves on the Adult Day Services Center Committee. Sue is currently the president of the Freedom Booster Club for the Cheer Squad and assists with fundraisers, staffs snack stands at events, maintains communications, and coordinates the efforts of other parent volunteers.

Amy Eagle Thompson was an admired leader, brand builder and innovator for more than 22 years in the advertising agency business before retiring in 2013 and moving with her husband from New York City to the Lehigh Valley. She is currently the president of the St. Luke’s Hospital Auxiliary and has served on its board for over four years, raising $300,000 for the organization the year she chaired the Charity Ball. A two-time cancer survivor, Amy is devoted to organizations that provide resources and support for those battling the disease. She sits on the board at the Cancer Support Community of the Lehigh Valley and leads their marketing committee. In addition, she is the incoming president of the board for the Morris Animal Foundation, a global organization that funds science and research to advance animal health.

Andrea Weismiller is the vice president of sales at Joshi Hotel Group. In addition to the demands of managing a sales team, she is as an adjunct professor at Northampton Community College. Since 2009 she has served on the NCC Alumni Association Board of Directors. She is a member of the NCC Perkins Grant Advisory Committee and Hospitality Program Advisory Board. In 2016, she and her husband established the Andrea C. and Dustin W. Weismiller Annual Scholarship for Hospitality Majors and Programs. She is a former member of the Discover Lehigh Valley’s Board of Directors and served in several campaign roles at the American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley. She is a recipient of the 2017 NCC Distinguished Alumni Award, the 2016 Lehigh Valley Business Forty Under 40 Award, and the 2011 Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Finest 20 Under 40 Award.

PRESS PHOTOS COURTESY BETHLEHEM YWCAWomen of the Year honorees Amy Eagle Thompson, Andrea Weismiller and Nani Cuadrado, Mission Award recipient, and Susan Acevedo, Diane Harpster, Golden Laurel Award recipient.