We are throwing a party and you are invited!
On the first of July we are going to have a party and honor two Greenwich residents as our “Sentinel” of the year. We will be honoring Pam Pagnani who was named our Sentinel in 2020. Unfortunately, we could not hold our event because of COVID. We will be honoring Stephanie Dunn Ashley as our Sentinel for 2021.
Pam is Senior Vice President and Brokerage Manager of Sotheby’s International Realty here in town. A lawyer by training, she manages the day-to-day operations as well as providing transactional guidance to the more than 90 agents in the office. With strong ties to the community where she was raised and lives, and a passionate believer in giving, Pam currently serves on a number of local boards including the Greenwich Land Trust, Greenwich Academy Alumnae Association, Greenwich Riding and Trails Association, and the Inner-City Foundation for Education and Charity.
Stephanie Dunn Ashley has worked and volunteered in the nonprofit sector in Greenwich for over 20 years. Currently, she serves as CEO of the American Red Cross Metro New York North Chapter, which encompasses Greenwich, Westchester and Rockland Counties, and the West Point Military Academy. Prior to joining the Red Cross, Stephanie served as Director of Special Events for Greenwich Hospital, where she planned and executed more than 50 galas, major fundraisers, cultivation events, and community activities, resulting in over 15 million dollars in support of the Hospital during her 13-year tenure.
What are the criteria to be selected to receive the Sentinel Award? The recipient must be a Greenwich resident and exemplify the mission of the paper. The person must be someone who demonstrates leadership and seeks to strengthen our community. It is often said that “strength lies in differences, not in similarities.” Our recipient must understand that. They may or may not be at the conclusion of their career. They may have much to offer our community that is yet untapped or they may have earned this accolade because of a lifetime of achievement for the betterment of Greenwich.
Pam and Stephanie clearly and selflessly exemplify these characteristics, and for those reasons we have chosen them to be our “Sentinels” for 2020 and 2021 respectfully.
The awards are given by The Greenwich Sentinel Foundation, a registered 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to building a stronger local community and working to support community causes in partnership with The Greenwich Sentinel media group and our other local partners.
The Greenwich Sentinel Foundation is dedicated to supporting that which we believe is vital to the Greenwich community, and what keeps Greenwich strong: our local police department, fire department, GEMS and all first responders; our local non-profits doing excellent charity work; and our local faith communities. In addition, we celebrate our local volunteers and leaders through the Sentinel Award and work with student leaders through our new Student Journalism Institute.
The Foundation is also responsible for The Student Journalism Institute, free community copies of the Sentinel, scholarships and donations for special projects (like the GPD signs), the Community Calendar, dedicated space for Faith and for a focus on Children & Education, front Page Calls to Action for Non-Profits and more!
When we think of a Sentinel, we often think of that person standing watch to protect our community. However, a Sentinel can take many forms. James McArdle is passionate about supporting and improving our community through his support of numerous non-profits, and through his advocacy for our environment. He does not like to draw attention to his own actions and is reluctant to accept accolades. But we were honored to have James McArdle as our 2019 Sentinel.
The Sentinel Award reception is always a wonderful way to begin the 4th of July holiday. This year will be no different. The event is not just an opportunity to celebrate Pam and Stephanie and all they do in our community. It is also an opportunity for us to come together as a community, put aside differences, and acknowledge our diversity as one of the reasons our community is so special.
Keep your eye on the newspaper or our social media over the next few weeks to learn how you can purchase tickets to the Sentinel Award reception.
