Women’s club announces Jennie Award nominee

Suzanne Cox Raymond of Dover-Foxcroft and a member of the GFWC/Miosac Club, has been nominated for the Jennie Award. The award is named in honor of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC) founder Jane Cunningham Croly who wrote for national newspapers under the pseudonym “Jennie June.”

This award is considered to be the highest and most prestigious award given by GFWC to clubwomen who epitomize her spirit of independence, courage and persistence in purpose through their roles as volunteers within their clubs, elsewhere in the community and as members of a family or extended family. The GFWC Jennie Award is the only national honor that recognizes individual members for personal excellence.

Suzanne is a 1972 Foxcroft Academy graduate and has served as class agent for 25 years. She plans class reunions, gathers news for the alumni newsletter and keeps her class up to-date on happenings at the Academy.

As a founding member of York County Parent Awareness in 1979, Suzanne served as its first president. This is a group of parents with special needs children who came together to gather information on medical and mental health issues so they could be a resource for others. This group grew rapidly and became incorporated

Suzanne served on the York County Head Start Council 1981-85. While reaching out and serving others, she discovered she was being served as well.

Volunteerism is at the heart of everything Suzanne does. For more than 15 years, she has been a weekly volunteer at Hibbard’s Nursing Home. Visitation is a priority while giving out smiles, encouragement and hugs.

A member of the “Memory Makers Quilt Group” since 2001, this group has kept Suzanne well connected with “Project Linus.” Many quilts and pillowcases have been made for local boarding homes and the Spruce Run/Womancare Alliance.

In 1994 Suzanne taught technical writing and accounting as well as computer classes to local adult ed students. Since then she has been the property manager and acting executive director for Dover-Foxcroft Housing Development Corporation. She is a member of the Maine Real Estate Managers Association and was elected to serve on the board in 1997. She served as treasurer from 2004-08.

At 10 Suzanne tragically lost her father. She stepped up to the plate to help her mother raise her five brothers. She married her high school sweetheart, Bruce, and will soon celebrate 45 years of wedded bliss. Their second child was born with Eagle Barrett Syndrome with a long list of medical issues. Many trips to Boston, Portland and Bangor for the next 34 years ensued to give their son the best of care and allow him quality of life. Regrettably, Jason lost his lifelong battle in 2012.

Suzanne said, “I was the one chosen by God to be his Mom. We were the ones blessed as we learned so much from him about inner strength and to never give up.” Her strong faith was the guiding light and rock for her family.

Suzanne joined the Dover-Foxcroft Cosmopolitan Club in 1999. She served as treasurer for four years, secretary for two, vice president for two, president for four, advisory committee chairman for two and committee member for six years. She held numerous club chairmanships between 1999-2014.

Suzanne became a member of the GFWC/Miosac Club in November 2014. She has served as advisory committee chair for two years, by-laws and policy review committee chairman for two, community improvement committee member for two and as a Marion Doore Park Committee member for two years.

She served as GFWC Maine recording secretary and state membership chair from 2004-06, GFWC Maine vice president from 2006-08, GFWC Maine president-elect from 2008-10 and GFWC Maine president from 2010-12. Operation Smile was her special project during her presidency with over $5,000 being raised, and 24 children’s lives changed due to corrective surgeries.

Suzanne was also GFWC Maine meetings chair and GFWC Signature Project committee member 2012-14, GFWC Maine leadership chairman, GFWC by-laws committee member, and GFWC New England Region (NER) Secretary 2014-16. She is currently serving as GFWC Maine International Outreach chair, by-laws review chair and GFWC NER Standing Rules chair. Suzanne has been recently elected to serve as GFWC NER treasurer 2018-20.

Everything Suzanne has done and endured in her lifetime has made her the woman she is today. She is a committed wife, mother, grandmother, sister, friend and GFWC clubwoman. Her strength and determination are beacons for all of us. The members of the GFWC/Miosac Club are honored and pleased to endorse Suzanne Cox Raymond as a candidate for the GFWC Jennie Award.