Local Residents Honored as 'Women of Distinction'

New York State Assemblyman Brian Curran recently held his "Women of Distinction" ceremony, honoring two local women in the process.

"My Women of Distinction Ceremony is meant to honor the accomplishments of eight women, who through their hard work, commitment, and determination, have made the communities of Lynbrook, Malverne, East Rockaway, Rockville Centre, Oceanside, Baldwin and South Hempstead a better place to live and raise a family," Curran said. "Each of these ladies has earned the recognition as a Woman of Distinction."

The first local woman honored was Marilyn Nunes Devlin, a celebrated Rockville Centre resident for more than 35 years.

Devlin is a firm believer in preserving the foundation our early pioneers of progress left behind. Acting on this belief, she volunteers as an archivist for the Phillips House, the museum of the Village of Rockville Centre.

The RVC resident has dedicated countless hours as a former member of the Board of Trustees of the Rockville Centre Library, a former president of the Friends of the Library and is a member of the board of the Fortnightly Club, a woman’s organization founded in 1989.

Devlin is also a published writer and had her first book signing last November at Phillips House. She has also appeared in the documentary film "Check it Out" and is set to take part in a documentary titled "This is My Long Island." It is evident that Devlin is a pillar of her community and works endlessly to preserve the history of her hometown for future generations.

The second local woman honored was Gail Schwarting of South Hempstead. A woman whose generosity of heart knows no bounds, Schwarting has consistently gone above and beyond in all aspects of her life.

As the mother of young children, she dedicated her time and energy as PTA President of Covert Elementary School, Commissioner of South Hempstead PAL and as a facilitator of Sports Night, which is a program that provides a supervised, safe environment where children can spend their time on Friday evenings.

Each February Schwarting helps design and sew costumes for 200 South Side High School’s Red and Blue Meet. She also assists creating, budgeting, and building a float for homecoming with her home as a construction site.

Schwarting has spent countless volunteering her time, and dedicating herself in every way to her community.

Girl Scouts from East Rockaway, Lynbrook, Lakeview, and Malverne were an integral part of this beautiful event and Curran praised them for their tremendous efforts as well.