UMaine Announces Maryann Hartman Award Winners
Contact: Ann Schonberger, 581-1229
ORONO ‘ The University of Maine has announced the recipients of the 2008 Maryann Hartman Awards. Named for the late UMaine speech communication professor, the awards honor the spirit, achievement and zest for life that Hartman epitomized.
This year’s winners are Catherine Beller-McKenna, the director of the Portland-based women’s chorus Women in Harmony; Ilze Petersons, the coordinator of the Peace and Justice Center of Eastern Maine in Bangor; and Kirsten Walter, who founded the Lots to Gardens program in Lewiston. The 2008 Young Women’s Social Justice Award-winner is Codi Booher, a first-year student at UMaine and Biddeford High School graduate.
“We are proud to present awards to these four women,” says Ann Schonberger, director of UMaine’s Women’s Studies Program and Women in the Curriculum Program. “They honor our program by their acceptance and provide excellent role models for women of all ages. Interestingly, after almost 25 years of Maryann Hartman award presentations, the selection gets harder every year.”
The awards ceremony will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 5, in the Buchanan Alumni House on campus. Those who would like to attend should contact Angela Hart at 581-1228.
The Hartman Awards, given annually by UMaine’s Women in the Curriculum and Women’s Studies Program, recognize distinguished Maine women and their accomplishments in the arts, politics, business, education and community service. In 2001, the program inaugurated a new award in Maryann’s name: the Young Women’s Social Justice Award.
About the recipients:
Catherine Beller-McKenna
As music director of Women in Harmony, a Portland-based women chorus, Catherine “Kitty” Beller-McKennais strongly committed to the belief that both music and language affect social change. A powerful musical conductor, teacher and scholar, Kitty is a major contributor in an often male-dominated field. She is known for her innovative programming, her vast musical knowledge and interest, her promotion of feminist values and her consciousness-raising in areas of social justice. Under women’s leadership, the chorus builds bridges among women through singing and strives for social justics and unity among all women, regardless of differences. Kitty, along with Women in Harmony, was active in the Maine Won’t Discriminate and Get Out the Vote campaigns and has partnered with community organizations, including the local chapter of the NAACP, Maine Alzheimer’s Association, Peace Action Maine and the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network of Southern Maine.
Ilze Petersons
A strong woman who dedicates her life to working for peace, Petersons continually calls for social justice for all. For the last15 years, Ilze has been the coordinator of the Peace and Justice Center of Eastern Maine where she organizes efforts for citizen activism and transformation of the peace community. Her work covers a broad spectrum including writing editorials to raise social consciousness, organizing demonstrations and vigils against the war in Iraq and facilitating discussion and education among Maine citizens. Her role as teacher, mentor and counselor goes far beyond her present work at the Peace and Justice Center. Prior to this job, Ilze worked as the local coordinator of the Displaced Homemakers Project (now the Maine Centers for Women, Work and Community) where she created a safe and encouraging space for women to become empowered through education and employment opportunities. Throughout her life Ilze has shown how one individual dedicated to peace and justice for all can truly make a difference to many, in Maine and beyond.
Kirsten Walter
Eight years ago, as a Bates College student, Kirsten Walter created the Lots to Gardens program. At that time it consisted of a few small communal gardens located at a low-income housing project to help provide food security for residents and connect them to the land. The program went far beyond initial expectations and led to a marked difference in the positive