Distinguished National and Local Figures to be Recognized on November 1st at The Kittleman Room
Baltimore, Maryland Sep 19, 2025 – The Rotary Club of Howard West (MD) is pleased to unveil its **2025 Beacon of Hope award recipients**, honoring and acknowledging servant leaders who deliver innovation, empathy, and enduring positive change to our communities.
The individuals being recognized this year include:
Ann Heavner, Executive Director, Rebuilding Together Howard County
Col. (Ret.) Edna W. Cummings, Army Reserve Ambassador-Maryland, Six Triple Eight Congressional Gold Medal Champion, and Documentary Producer
Hon. William Barnes, Superintendent, Howard County Public Schools
Somnath Sengupta, PhD, Founder, My Life Learning Center
Jean Accius, PhD, President & CEO, CHC: Creating Healthier Community
“The 2025 Beacon of Hope honorees are truly visionary leaders, insightful strategists, and effective implementers,” remarked Rawle Andrews Jr., Esq., president of the Rotary Club of Howard West. “They cast a powerful light of optimism for present and future generations, particularly benefiting our children and older adults. We are eager to celebrate their extraordinary contributions alongside the entire Baltimore/Washington community. Indeed, there’s no place like hope.”
The 2025 Beacon of Hope award recipients will be honored during the Harvesting Hope Servant Leadership Awards & Annual Fundraiser, scheduled for Saturday, November 1, 2025, from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM ET at The Kittleman Room (DH-100), Duncan Hall, Howard Community College, 10901 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia, MD 21044).
Attendees can anticipate the following at the event:
Culinary Delights: A diverse selection of international cuisines to satisfy every taste.
Performances: A renowned magic show featuring Dave Thomen from D’s Magic.
Auction: Unique items and memorable experiences available for silent bidding.
Connections: Opportunities to network with national and local business, government, and nonprofit leaders, as well as Rotarians from District 7620 and other regions.
Dress Code: Festive and elegant–guests are encouraged to dress to impress!
To acquire tickets or inquire about sponsorship opportunities, kindly reach out to Dr. Geetha Jayaram at or Ms. Rudy Scott at .
Regarding the Rotary Club of Howard West
The Rotary Club of Howard West, situated in Ellicott City, Maryland, belongs to Rotary International–a worldwide collective of 45,000 clubs and more than 1.4 million members committed to serving communities, fostering peace, promoting education, preventing diseases, ensuring access to clean water, improving maternal and child health, stimulating economic growth, and advocating for environmental protection. Established in 2014 within District 7620, Howard West Rotarians have initiated significant local and global service initiatives, focusing particularly on mental health and wellness, advancing the welfare of women and girls, and general community outreach. Our club convenes every week in a hybrid setup on Mondays at 6:30 PM ET at the Glory Days Grill in Ellicott City, MD. For further details about our club or to participate in our guiding principle of “Service Above Self,” kindly visit , or send an email to .
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The Rotary Club of Howard West (Maryland)
Origin : The Rotary Club of Howard West (Maryland)