Friday was the date of the Bronx Chamber of Commerce Women of Distinction Luncheon. The Mistress of Ceremony was WINS 1010 radio reporter Juliet Papa. The national anthem was sung by Preston High School student Brittany Mitchell. Sister Seline Mary Flores of the Providence Rest Nursing Home gave the invocation. The audience was then welcomed by Event Chair Geri Sciortino, the owner of the Bronx Design Group. BCC President Lenny Caro gave the opening remarks on how great it is to be in the Bronx today. He went into all of the new business opportunities and new businesses that have recently come to the Bronx.
BCC Chairman Joe Kelleher then added some more comments about the future of Bronx Business, and the new Metro North stations to be built in the East Bronx and how it would increase ridership to and from the Bronx.
Keynote speaker Commissioner of the Department of Corrections Dora B. Schribo said that she is the fifth woman to run the DOC in its 100 year history. She spoke about the prison population, and how she is trying to decrease the return to prison ratio so that she in essence can be put out of business in the future.
The five students awarded a one thousand dollar scholarships were Faith Daniel (Bronx Center for Science & Math), Selene Munoz (Gateway School of Environmental Research & Technology), Rosalias Read (Metropolitan High School), Yaritza Rendon (Bronx Aerospace High School), and Zoraya Almonte (Bronx Engineering & Technology Academy).
The two Honorees were NYPD Deputy Inspector Nilda Hofmann and Preston High School Dean of Studies Linda Youngren.
Left - Mistress of Ceremony Juliet Papa of WINS 1010 radio.
Right - Preston High School student Brittany Mitchell sings the National Anthem.
Left - Sister Seline Mary Flores giving the invocation.
Right - Scholarship award winners Faith Daniel, Selene Munoz, Rosalias Read, and Yaritza Rendon hold up their $1,000.00 checks. Zoraya Almonte was unable to attend.
Starting from the left - BCC President Lenny Caro, Honoree and NYPD Deputy Inspector Nilda Hofmann, Honoree and Preston H.S. Dean Linda Youngren, Juliet Papa of 1010 WINS radio, and Event Chair Geri Sciortino.
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