TOMS RIVER – A Toms River resident was one of eight women who were recently recognized at the annual Phenomenal Women Under 40 award ceremony hosted by the Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore.
The fundraising event raised $40,000 towards leadership experiences for local Girl Scouts. The money also funds membership fees for girls who want to become Girl Scouts but whose families are facing financial hardship.
“We are proud to honor and celebrate phenomenal women who go above and beyond to make our communities better places through their work and volunteer service,” said Eileen Higgins, chief executive officer of Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore, which serves nearly 9,000 girls in Ocean and Monmouth counties.
For this year’s Phenom recipients, they had to be selected from a public nomination process. They also needed to be “making a positive difference every day as health care professionals, educators, business owners and nonprofit leaders,” Teri O’Connor said, chairperson of Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore’s board of directors.
“The Phenom honorees are tremendous role models for our Girl Scouts, aspiring to be leaders who make our world a better place,” O’Connor said.
Chelsea Masterson, from Toms River, is owner of Chelsea’s Messy Kitchen serving Ocean County. She’s also a digital managing editor at Townsquare Media South Jersey, on-field emcee for Jersey Shore BlueClaws and hosts the podcast, “Her Product Lab.”
Masterson is an active Girl Scout volunteer, advocate and a recipient of the Girl Scout Gold Award.
Along with Masterson, Girl Scouts recognized Ocean County residents: Kristina Henderson, Pine Beach; Megan O’Keefe, Bayville; and Melissa Schwaner, Manahawkin. The Monmouth County women honored were: Alaina Bontales, Holmdel; Eboné Lawrence-Smith, Neptune; and Danielle M. Jones and Shannon Oreficé, both of Eatontown.
For more information about leadership and program opportunities offered by the Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore in Monmouth and Ocean counties, e-mail info@gsfun.org or call 800-785-2090.
