HEMPSTEAD — Like many CSEA members, Sharon Sweeny devotes her time to giving back to her community.
Sweeny was recently honored for her philanthropy when she was presented with the Angie Cullin Hempstead Town Employee Award at the town’s annual Pathfinder Awards ceremony.
Cullin was the town’s first councilwoman, as well as the first woman to serve as Receiver of Taxes. She was well known for her philanthropy.
The Long Island Reporter sat down with Sweeny to discuss her honor and why she thinks it’s important to give back to the community.
Long Island Reporter (LIR): How did you feel when you found out that you were being honored with the Angie Cullin Award?
Sharon Sweeny (SS): I was very surprised. Someone nominated me, and I still don’t know who it was. It was very humbling that someone would do that for me. My children and my grandson came to the ceremony. It was really nice.
LIR: What other kinds of charitable organizations are you involved in?
SS:[I’m involved in the American] Red Cross. I’ve taught children to swim at Hofstra University. I’m a team leader for the March of Dimes’ March for Babies and participate in the American Heart Association’s Wear Red Day and the United Way. I’m also the point person for the Town of Hempstead’s Angel Tree Toy Drive.
LIR: What drives you to be involved with all of those different organizations?
SS: It’s something that I feel I need to do. I want to help people whenever I can. It started when I was a little kid. My dad always talked about what a great organization the Salvation Army was. He was in the Navy and he always felt that was a wonderful group to give back to.
LIR: Let’s talk a little more about the Angel Tree Toy Drive.
SS: We send out a memo to everyone in the Hempstead Highway Department and ask them for donations. We get brand new, unwrapped toys and monetary donations that we use to buy toys. We get toys for kids from 2 years old to 13 years old and deliver them to the Hempstead Salvation Army and they distribute them.
Our local president, Charlie Sellitto, helps us out a lot. He’s a wonderful person and very supportive. He’s donated bicycles on behalf of CSEA for the older children. We usually get a lot of donations geared towards little girls; people forget about the boys. Charlie helps us fill in that gap.
LIR: Why do you think other CSEA members should be philanthropic?
SS: Well, in the case of the Angel Tree Toy drive, the toy that we give a child may be the only toy that they get. We have so much to give and we forget that everyone isn’t as fortunate as we are. If I know that one child got one thing that made his life a little more pleasant, that’s what really truly matters.
LIR: What about the other CSEA members? They seem very generous.
SS: They are very generous. They are wonderful, loving people.
LIR: It seems like you have very strong relationships with your colleagues. How did you cultivate those relationships?
SS: I’m very fortunate that I work with a lot of wonderful people. It’s very easy to build on our relationships because it’s very easy to be with them.
LIR: Do you have any future plans for your philanthropy?
SS: Not at this moment, but if anything comes up, I’m always willing to give a helping hand to help someone else. I’m fortunate enough to be in the position in my life that I am able to give and I’m happy to do it.
