3 Bedford women honored as part of “20 Outstanding Women You Should Know” contest

Friday, February 17, 2012

Three Bedford women recently were selected to be among “20 Outstanding Women You Should Know” in the 95.7 WZID Outstanding Women Contest.

Mary Hardy, Mary Constance and Amy Ross Norwood will be presented with their awards during the 95.7 WZID Women’s Expo on Saturday, Feb. 18.

This year, about 500 nominations poured in from throughout the state. Judges from WZID, Hannaford and other prominent businesses reviewed each entry. The Outstanding Women Contest is in its third year.

Jennifer Cannon, director of special projects at WZID, said the judges are looking for an “all around good person” – women who excel not just in the workplace, but also in the community and at home. “It’s really amazing the kind of people we get,” Cannon said.

Hardy single-handedly started a service-driven program called “Blue Star Projects” through the Bodyworks Karate School, an avenue for students to give back to the community. Hardy has organized a benefit for the Merrimack County SPCA, raised funds for the Making Strides Against Cancer walk and collected donations for the Louden Food Pantry and Friends of Forgotten Children.

Constance is the executive director at Camp Allen.

The nonprofit camp in Bedford is for children and adults with physical and cognitive challenges.

Camp Allen welcomes more than 600 campers a year; for many, it is their only opportunity to go to a camp.

According to a profile, Constance spends hours “writing grants and organizing fundraising efforts.” Thanks to her leadership, Camp Allen has undergone many improvements, including a new double residential cabin.

Norwood is a founder of Canine Commitment of New England, a nonprofit animal shelter. She takes in puppies from rescue organizations, raises them until they are 8 weeks old, and then places them in homes. She even moved her family from Bedford to New Boston to provide a bigger space for her dogs.

The “20 Outstanding Women You Should Know” will be honored onstage at 3 p.m. at the 14th annual expo. The women will receive a $100 gift card from Hannaford and gift cards to a spa and local shops; Hannaford also will make a $250 donation to each woman’s charity of choice.

At a luncheon in January, the winners were presented with flowers by Hannaford, the contest’s sponsor, and, between Feb. 6 and 12, each woman was highlighted on air on New Hampshire in the Morning.

The Women’s Expo will be from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Feb. 18 at the Radisson Hotel Expo Center in Manchester. Titled “The Great Makeover,” the keynote speaker will be fashion designer Nick Verreos. The event also will feature more than 120 exhibitors and a drawing for a $2,500 Macy’s shopping spree.

Tickets cost $7 and can be purchased online at https://tickets.wzid.com/ or at the door.

Eleanor LaPrade can be reached at copydeskintern@nashuatelegraph.com.