PTA Council honors local volunteers

The East Meadow PTA Council hosted its 39th Annual Founders Day Scholarship Dinner on March 19 at Crest Hollow Country Club of Woodbury where 29 individuals were honored for their contributions to the East Meadow Union Free School District.

More than 400 individuals attended the event where outstanding men and women were noted for unselfishly devoting themselves to advocate on behalf of local students. Receiving the top council award during the ceremony were Maryann Riggs and Jacki Rudin.

Riggs became involved in Meadowbrook PTA when her only child, Brianna, entered first grade and she continued on with Clarke PTSA when Brianna entered middle school. Among many roles throughout the years, Riggs went on to chair the committees for ACCESS, Arts & Education, and Safety and Transportation. She is currently the First Vice President for the Clarke PTSA Board and is chairperson of PTA Council.

Rudin is a life-long East Meadow resident and became actively involved in PTA when her sons, Scott and Brett, entered school. She is the former President and Vice President of Woodland Middle School PTA, has participated in numerous committees and was a valuable asset to the Barnum Woods and East Meadow High School PTAs. She continues to serve the community as the Parkway Teacher Representative and the District Teacher Representative to PTA Council and has held both positions for the past 12 years.

In addition to the commitment seen by the women mentioned above, individual school PTAs took an opportunity to recognize up to four individuals who volunteer their time and were a noticed asset in the East Meadow PTA.