Lillian Reese Award
Named for the founder of The Twenty-Five Club, the Lillian Reese Award is given every five years to an outstanding member of The Twenty-Five Club.
Winners of the award are: Dolores Bold (2009), Carol Massaro (2014) & Doris Shepherd (2014), Susan Snavely Fitzsimmons (2024), J. Faye Sampson (2024), Kathleen Patrinos (2024) and Veronica Guarino (2024)
When the Club celebrated its 70th anniversary, The Twenty-Five Club decided to create a Life-Time Achievement/ Lillian Reese Award. This first time award was presented to Mrs.Dolores Bold. Dolores has been a member of the Twenty-Five Club for over 30 years. Her unwavering support and endless hours of service has been a guiding light to the clubs existence.
Carol Massaro was an active member of The Twenty-Five Club for 26 years. Carol chaired the Holiday Ball in 1994 and served as President from 2005-2007. In 2008, Carol chaired our highly successful event “Please Take A Seat”. The proceeds from this event enabled The Twenty-Five Club to help establish The Twenty-Five Club Chair in Newborn Medicine.
Becoming a member of The Twenty-Five Club in 1983, Doris Shepherd was our only active lifetime member in 2014. Lifetime status is earned after being an active member of The Twenty-Five Club for thirty years. With her artistic talents in sewing, Doris has always donated a one-of-a-kind item to our auctions. Throughout her 31 years, Doris has enthusiastically supported all the endeavors of The Twenty-Five Club.
Susan Snavely Fitzsimmons is one of the cornerstones of The Twenty-Five Club, having been a dedicated member since 1994. At our 75th Anniversary Celebration, held at the William Penn Hotel, her exceptional fundraising skills, in collaboration with MWRI and UPMC Magee, helped The Twenty-Five Club pledge $500,000. Since that memorable evening, we have surpassed this amount in contributions towards research and neonatal care at Magee. Susan also served as President of The Twenty-Five Club from 2013 to 2015, further demonstrating her commitment and leadership.
Faye Sampson has been a valued member of The Twenty-Five Club since 2007. In 2012, she was pivotal in hosting and chairing our “Western” Cradle Will Rock fundraiser at her Keepsake Arabians Equestrian Center in McDonald, PA., all proceeds going to The 25 Club. Her dedication to The 25 Club is unwavering, as she consistently supports our efforts by sponsoring numerous events, showcasing generosity, creative genius and steadfast commitment.
A member since 2008, Kathe Patrinos has contributed to The 25 Club not only as a donor but also as a member of the Executive Committee and served a term as President from 2015 to 2017. She hosted an event at Primanti Bros, with all proceeds going to the Club, Co-Chaired an evening event, and initiated and underwrote the Tote Bag campaign. She also has hosted luncheon meetings at her lovely home in Pittsburgh.
Veronica Guarino became a member of the Club in 2008 and transitioned to an Associate member status in 2019, continuing her active involvement and commitment to The Twenty-Five Club’s mission. Through Louis Anthony Jewelers, she provided the “Radko Christmas” and “The Silver Booties” programs to The Twenty-Five Club with all proceeds going to the charity. As an associate member, she has consistently welcomed all requests for donations her support is always available for any needs that arise within The Twenty-Five Club.