The Southeast Pennsylvania-Southern New Jersey Market of the March of Dimes will honor three outstanding women from Chester County at the annual Salute to Women of Achievement event on Wednesday, October 19^th at Aronimink Golf Club.

This year marks the 27th anniversary of this annual event that honors the women who have made Chester County a better place to live and work while raising important funds for the March of Dimes mission to improve the health of babies.

This year’s honorees are:

• Achievement Award for Excellence in the Field of Public Service – Chaya Scott, Executive Director- Coatesville Youth Initiative. With over thirteen years of experience working in Chester County, Ms. Scott strives to build a vibrant Coatesville community.

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  Achievement Award for Excellence in the Field of Health – Donna Phillips, President- Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital. An accomplished senior healthcare executive with more than 20 years of experience, Ms. Phillips has dedicated her career to non-profit healthcare management and growth

• Ellen Ann Roberts Award for Excellence in the Field of Business – Eileen Connolly Robbins, The POWER of Professional Women & Founder of The Society of Professional Women (SPW). An accomplished business leader, Ms. Connolly Robbins devotes her career to develop the next generation of leaders in Chester County and beyond, through collaboration and social responsibility.  

Leading the event is 2016 Chairperson Shari Kruzinski, Senior Vice President and Regional Manager, WSFS Bank, along with the board of industry professionals.  “The March of Dimes Chester County Women of Achievement event provides an opportunity to appreciate influential

women in our community while supporting the critical work of the March of Dimes,” said Kruzinski.

“It is so important to recognize women for the outstanding work they do in our community and to demonstrate to future generations the importance of hard work, perseverance, and paying forward your good fortune.”

Today, one in every ten U.S. infants is born preterm. Due to concerted efforts by the March of Dimes and our partners, this number has gone down for the past seven consecutive years, but it is still too high. Preterm delivery can happen to any pregnant woman; in many cases, the cause of preterm birth is unknown.

Preterm birth is the leading cause of neonatal death, and those babies who survive are more likely to suffer from intellectual and physical disabilities. In addition to its human, emotional, and financial impact on families, preterm birth places a tremendous economic burden on the nation.

Funds raised by the Salute to Women of Achievement help support prenatal wellness programs, research grants, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) family support programs and advocacy efforts for stronger, healthier babies.

Sponsors of this year’s Salute to Women of Achievement include: WSFS Bank, Lamb, McErlane, PC, Mainline Health, To-Jo Mushrooms, Fox Rothschild, LLP, and Delaware County Community College.

Tickets for the event are $175 for individual ticket. Sponsorship opportunities are available.  For more information, visit the March of Dimes event page or contact the March of Dimes office at 610-945-6050.