NEW ROCHELLE, NY (May 16, 2025) — The New Rochelle Council of Community Services (NRCCS) will host its Annual Celebratory Breakfast on Friday, June 6, from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM at the Davenport Mansion, 400 Davenport Avenue. The event, with doors opening at 8:00 AM and the program starting at 8:30 AM, will honor Lisa Louis Burton, Nina Shawn Gainor, and Sharon Weekes as this year’s “Community Champions” for their outstanding service to New Rochelle.
The NRCCS, an umbrella organization for New Rochelle’s non-profit health, human service, religious, and educational entities, will also award a $1,000 scholarship to a deserving high school junior to support further education in college, technical school, or vocational training. “The Annual Awards Breakfast is wonderful from start to finish. The spirit in the room reflects the very best of our beautiful city,” said NRCCS President Karenann Carty.
Nina Shawn Gainor, Recreation Bureau Head for the Department of Parks & Recreation, has served New Rochelle for 48 years, implementing programs for children and residents with developmental and intellectual disabilities. She collaborates with the New Rochelle Campership Fund and other groups to ensure accessible summer experiences for all children.
Lisa Louis Burton, a retired law firm administrator and current Director of Government and Community Engagement at HOPE Community Services, has been active in the Zonta Club of New Rochelle since 2008, serving as Governor of District 3 of Zonta International from 2022 to 2024. She is also involved with New Rochelle My Brother’s Keeper and New RoAR, focusing on anti-racism and environmental justice.
Sharon Weekes, a New Rochelle native and retired Senior Microbiologist, volunteers with St. Simon’s Episcopal Church, Lincoln Park Conservancy Group, and the New Rochelle Public Library Foundation, where she co-chaired the Scaveganza fundraiser. “Giving back to the community and those in need is important to me. It takes a village,” Weekes said.
Tickets for the breakfast are $50 and can be purchased at https://givebutter.com/NRCCSBreakfast. Attendees can also place journal ads, priced from $40 for a quarter page to $500 for the back cover, with submissions due by May 28 to nrccsbreakfastcommittee@gmail.com.
Checks for tickets or ads can be mailed to Millicent Lee, Director of Pupil Personnel Services, City School District of New Rochelle, 515 North Avenue, New Rochelle, NY 10801.
The event is chaired by Linda Fosina, with a committee including Jennifer Lanser, Millicent Lee, Theresa Kump Leghorn, Denise Link, Lisa Itzkowitz, Ann Spindel, Stephanie Tomei, and Arlene Zuckerman. The Scholarship Committee, chaired by William Ianuzzi, includes Edward Castro, Carol Feldman, Angelica Guel, Millicent Lee, Denise Link, Theresa Kump Leghorn, Ann Spindel, and Stephanie Tomei.
This article was drafted with the aid of Grok, an AI tool by xAI, under the direction and editing of Robert Cox to ensure accuracy and adherence to journalistic standards.