15 local seniors among young women presented during 61st annual Medallion Ball

Fifteen seniors from the Fox Chapel Herald coverage area were honored Nov. 29 during the 61st annual Medallion Ball at the Pittsburgh Wyndham Grand Hotel in Downtown Pittsburgh.

The students and their schools are Ainsley Anderson (Fox Chapel), Claire Auffenberg (Fox Chapel), Ridglee Boychuk (Fox Chapel), Emma Callahan (Our Lady of the Sacred Heart), Ava Condron (Fox Chapel), Anne Dolan (Aquinas Academy), Claire Feczko (Fox Chapel), Brooke Fenton (Fox Chapel), Antonella Folino (Oakland Catholic), Domenica Folino (Oakland Catholic), Ava Persichetti (Fox Chapel), Maria Stiger (Fox Chapel), Bella Urso (Fox Chapel), Sarah Voigt (Shady Side Academy) and Colette Walter (Fox Chapel).

St. Lucy’s Auxiliary to the Blind honored a total of 78 young women for their commitment to volunteer service of 13,000 hours. In 1964, the members began honoring young women at the Medallion Ball. The young women were presented with the Joan of Arc medallion by The Most Rev. Bishop David Zubik of the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh.

St. Lucy’s Auxiliary to the Blind President is Erin Cleary Taylor. This year’s co-chairs were Vanessa McQuiggan and Sabina Mirabelli-Conzemius.

The organization was founded in 1957 by women volunteering their efforts to provide aid to the blind in the community.

Each year, the auxiliary recognizes qualified candidates with the Joan of Arc medallion while raising funds for the visually impaired.

Anne Hanna Freyvogel and Susanna McGraw Freyvogel chaired the first Medallion Ball under the patronage of John Cardinal Wright, who was the bishop of Pittsburgh at that time.

The mission of St. Lucy’s Auxiliary to the Blind is to encourage and inspire a lifetime commitment of volunteer service in young women and to help make a difference in the quality of life of the blind and visually impaired.