Speaker DeLeo Honored As 'Irish Man Of The Year'
|
House Speaker Robert DeLeo with Hillcrest Educational Center President Jerry Burke at Country Club of Pittsfield. |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Sixteen-year-old Anna Rash was teased and bullied so much that she believed she deserved it.
She fell into a cycle of causing harm to herself, distrusted her parents, afraid to meet new people. She was hospitalized five times.
Her mother, Dorothy, didn't know what to do. She begged school officials to help but they couldn't. Finally the Department of Family and Children sent her to Hillcrest Educational Centers.
"It's heartbreaking when you realize you can't help your child," Dorothy Rash said of the day professionals told her Anna should go away.
Anna remembers that day, too. She was nervous that she'd again be bullied when she got into a residential program at Hillcrest.
But eight months later, after a mixture of educational classes with emotional and psychological treatment, Anna could smile again and has her life "back on track." She says that is only possible because of the staff at Hillcrest.
On Thursday, Anna shared her story with hundreds gathered at the Country Club of Pittsfield for the 12th annual Robert "Bees" Prendergast St. Patrick's Reception, one of the largest fundraisers of the year for Hillcrest.
The benefit started as a brunch and about six years ago turned into a dinner because attendance continually rose. The organization raises about $30,000 with dinner, a silent auction and raffles to support its various programming for students with psychological or therapeutic educational needs.
About 300 people attended Thursday's dinner including many of the county's business and political leaders, as well as the Speaker of the House Robert DeLeo of Winthrop.
While the school's $24 million budget is mostly funded by service agencies, it still requires tuition, state and federal grants and donations. Fundraising turned its efforts from "average" to "excellence," according to Director of Development Sheila Mason.
"It strengthens our agency to have those unrestricted dollars," Mason said.
The organization's efforts raise about $215,000 a year. That has allowed the centers to expand its dental program, which will be opening a new clinic at North Adams Regional Hospital on July 1, according to CEO Jerry Burke.
|
The reception even featured former state Rep. Peter Larkin singing 'Happy Birthday' to DeLeo. |
But while the reception is aimed to raise money for the organization, Hillcrest uses that time to honor those who help them. This year, DeLeo was given the Irish Man of the Year Award. (Irish heritage not required for the award.)
DeLeo grew up in East Boston and in 1991 was elected to the House of Representatives. In 2009, he took over as speaker of the House.
"While his rise to leadership is noteworthy, we honor him this evening more for his beliefs than his stature," Burke said. "Robert DeLeo believes in education and hard work. He believes education provides a path up, not a handout. ... There is no better example of these beliefs than his long support for children with special needs."
DeLeo has been supporting and protecting funding for special educational services since the beginning of his career, Burke said, and his efforts have not only leveled the playing field but made sure "every kid got up to bat."
DeLeo joked that Hillcrest must have "scraped the bottom of the barrel" to honor him as the Irish Person of the Year. But he was honored because special education had became a passion for him.
Just three months into his career as a legislator, representatives were looking at ways to handle a fiscal crisis and looked at cutting special education funding. Despite saying he would keep quiet for a while, DeLeo was outspoken.
"I couldn't be silent. I decided back then and it has been a passion of mine that these kids are just looking for special education, they are not looking for a handout. They're looking for an even playing field. They want a chance, that's all," DeLeo said. "I want to see these kids have the opportunity to go on to community college or to college and whatever hopes and dreams they have like any other kid in this state."
To this day, DeLeo says he is a strong supporter of education and continues to protect and back those programs. But it isn't just for the programs in the district he grew up in. Despite being teased by colleagues about an earlier visit to the Berkshires — when he stopped the car because "a horse is in someone's back yard" — DeLeo says he represents the entire state.
"There is no part of the commonwealth that will feel forgotten and that includes where I am right now," he said, adding that in a recent debate over transportation funding he made it clear that he would not support a bill "that does not address the concerns of the people out west."
Tags: awards, fundraiser, recognition event, special education, state officials,
