Beaudoin-Schwartz also was surprised by the honor.
“I’m so humbled and surprised because it’s such an honor that they even thought of me for this award,” she says. “I’m lucky enough to work in the field of philanthropy, so it’s important to me professionally to be engaged in my community as well as personally so I can give back whenever I can and be a good role model to my children.”
To Beaudoin-Schwartz, volunteering with WGC is more than an extracurricular activity. “It’s about finding something meaningful that you care about and want to invest your time and money and energy into.”
For 1,000 women throughout Howard County, WGC satisfies that need.
“I think the Giving Circle is so popular because there is no one right way to be involved,” Beaudoin-Schwartz, an Ellicott City resident, says. “You can be as hands-on or hands-off as you want. There are leadership opportunities, donor opportunities, educational opportunities and many, many ways to learn about the issues around us and the way they affect women and girls in our community.”
It’s also given Leonard and Beaudoin-Schwartz the opportunity to meet and work with a diverse group of Howard County women.
“It’s been a great way to learn more about what is happening in our county, but it’s also given me the opportunity to meet a number of amazing women I might not otherwise have crossed paths with,” says Beaudoin-Schwartz.
Tickets to the City Gives event are $50 per person. For more information or to order tickets, visit www.themallincolumbia.com and click on the City Gives icon.
