LEWISTON — The YWCA Central Maine has announced the recipients of the 2016 Women of Achievement Awards.

The awards recognize the often overlooked contributions of women in the community through three awards: The Tonie Ramsey Service Award, the Lee Young Leadership Award and the Priscilla Gendron Legacy Award.

The three awards were unveiled last year during the first Women of Achievement Awards Gala, and each of the award namesakes have contributed years of service and leadership to the YWCA.

The inaugural recipients of the Women of Achievement Awards program include:

• Tonie Ramsey Service Award: Marilyn Simonds; 

• Lee Young Leadership Award: State Rep. Peggy Rotundo, D-Lewiston; and

• Priscilla Gendron Legacy Award: Barbara Trafton.

Simonds has worked for decades in organizations and causes that benefit children, homeless, food-insecure families and individuals, youths in the juvenile justice system and English language learners.

Each week she reads to pre-school children through the BookReach program, serves monthly meals at both Calvary Methodist Church and Trinity Episcopal Church, and teaches English-language learners through Lewiston Adult Education.

In 1975, Simonds helped to found an early childhood program that has evolved into Pathways Inc., a program serving individuals with developmental disabilities in Maine. Simonds received the Lewis Hine Award from The National Child Labor Committee in 2006 in honor of her extensive community contributions. She also contributes philanthropically to several community organizations, including Literacy Volunteers, Auburn Public Library, Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project of Maine, New Beginnings and Good Shepherd Food Bank. She is a member of the Program/Social Action Committee and Preschool Committee of Temple Shalom in Auburn.

The Lee Young Leadership Award is presented to Lewiston Rep. Peggy Rotundo in honor of her diverse and immense contributions to Lewiston-Auburn throughout nearly 30 years of work in the community. Rotundo came to Maine in 1978 and began working in the Bates Office of Career Counseling. In her role as assistant director, Rotundo offered counseling that supported college women’s professional aspirations. She was also engaged in community career counseling workshops for women in transition in Lewiston-Auburn.

In service of her passion for public education and equitable opportunity for young people, Rotundo ran for a seat on the Lewiston School Committee and was elected in 1993. She went on to chair the committee for four years. In 1995, Rotundo helped found the Center for Service Learning at Bates College in order to connect students to the Lewiston-Auburn community through meaningful work and service. In 2000, she was elected to the Maine Senate and served until 2008. While in the Senate, she chaired the Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee and the State and Local Government Committee. Rotundo was elected to Maine House of Representatives in 2008. She has served on the Appropriations Committee for the past eight years, most recently as the chairwoman. She is currently the director of strategic and policy initiatives at the Bates College Harward Center for Community Partnerships.

Trafton’s career has spanned diverse fields including education, public service as a legislator in the state of Maine, and organizational development. Trafton holds a B.A. from Wellesley College, an M.Ed. from University of Southern Maine, and an M.B.A. from Northeastern University. Trafton began her career at the YWCA Central Maine as the first director of the YWCA pool. Her educational work has included teaching positions at Gray-New Gloucester Middle School, Maine Teacher Core, and Carrabassett Valley Academy. She served two terms in the Maine House and Senate.

Trafton has also worked extensively in fundraising and development for nonprofit community organizations in the Lewiston-Auburn area. In the 1980s, she served as vice president of development at the Sisters of Charity Health System and developed St. Mary’s annual fund. She has also led numerous development projects as a volunteer consultant and board member. Beginning in 2000, Trafton led the six-year $7.25 million campaign to restore and expand the Auburn Public Library and currently serves on the board of trustees. From 2005-14, she chaired the Garcelon Society and led fundraising for the Bates College Androscoggin Fund, which provides scholarships for students from the greater Lewiston-Auburn area. Trafton also served on the board of trustees of The Nature Conservancy from 2004-14 and co-chaired the $100 million campaign to support conservation in the state. She continues to volunteer with the World Office of The Nature Conservancy around trustee engagement. She is a volunteer consultant for numerous community nonprofits, including recent work with the Bicycle Coalition of Maine. Trafton is also the author of “Women Winning: How to Run for Office.” She is a realtor with The Maine Real Estate Network in Auburn.

In order to support the Women of Achievement Awards Gala, the YWCA is in search of sponsorship from local businesses who would like to contribute to the event and to the larger work of the organization.

The Women of Achievement Awards Gala will be on Thursday, Oct. 27, at the Agora Grant Event Center. Tickets cost $75, and all proceeds benefit the YWCA.

FMI, sponsor: 207-795-4050.