Linda McCrillis Honored With Women’s History Month Award

Linda McCrillis, a longtime Bucks County resident who has touched countless lives through her involvement in three local charitable organizations—the Doylestown Rotary, Roxy Therapy Dogs, and Pearl S. Buck International—was recently named the recipient of the Bucks County Women’s History Month award.

Women’s History Month

In 1987, Congress passed legislation designating the month of March as Women’s History Month. Additional resolutions were passed to authorize the President to declare March of each year as Women’s History Month. In Bucks County, sponsoring organizations including the Bucks County Commissioners Advisory Council for Women, have been celebrating accomplishments of women and awarding the Annual Bucks County Women’s History Month Award since 1981 to a woman who has shown herself to be an ideal role model and has demonstrated exemplary character and integrity with outstanding leadership. Women representing about a dozen Bucks County organizations serve on the nominating committee. McCrillis was nominated by Pearl S. Buck International, a member of the nominating committee.

McCrillis arrived in Bucks County 20 years ago and over the years, has demonstrated leadership, advocacy which spans a variety of fields, a love for Bucks County history and a passion for telling its story, and a commitment to supporting our local nonprofits through volunteerism, fundraising and community grant making.

Pearl S. Buck International

As a volunteer at Pearl S. Buck International in Hilltown, McCrillis provides countless hours of important work in teaching others about racism and bringing people together in a safe environment to have meaningful conversations.  She was one of the first facilitators trained to give the “Taking Action” Tour and now trains incoming facilitators to give the tour as well. This tour of the Pearl S. Buck House museum shares the story of Nobel and Pulitzer Prize-winning writer, humanitarian, and activist Pearl Buck’s forward-thinking human rights advocacy for issues that remain relevant today. McCrillis is also a child sponsor at Pearl S. Buck International and is currently supporting her sponsored child through college.

Roxy Therapy Dogs

McCrillis’ tireless efforts as a leader for Roxy Therapy Dogs has had a tremendous impact on the lives of young children in schools and youth involved in the dependency court system for more than a decade. She began her volunteer work with Roxy Therapy Dogs with her Mini-Poodle, Maggie, in 2008 and continues to support the program to this day with her dog Daisy. The programs she helped develop and implement provide an irreplaceable and dependable support system for children in the central Bucks County, Pennsylvania community. Trained and certified therapy dogs deliver self-esteem, relief from anxiety and fear, and a sense of well-being. To a child who feels safe and relaxed, learning is accessible, and both physical and emotional healing are accelerated.

Doylestown Rotary

McCrillis’ work with the Doylestown Rotary has provided numerous non-profits in Bucks County with community grants and recognition. She served on the Board for a dozen years and supported the development of a community grant program for local nonprofit organizations which awarded over $250,000 (which continues to grow to this day) in community grants. Her “butterfly effect” on her community impact is immeasurable. Her advocacy for those in need goes beyond one institution, one cause and one mission.

McCrillis explained that she “always enjoyed being involved and giving back,” especially with organizations that work with or benefit children. She has been doing it since her children were in school, and while she noted that she always intends to volunteer or participate in a way that doesn’t involve “bringing the work home” with her, she has found she is so passionate about the missions of all three of the organizations she is involved in that she can’t help but give back more. “I’m just doing so much interesting stuff,” she said.

McCrillis will be honored at a dessert and coffee reception on Thursday, March 16 at 5:45 pm in the James-Lorah Memorial Home Auditorium at 132 North Main Street in Doylestown. Tickets are $15 and are expected to sell out quickly. Proceeds from the reception will benefit Roxy Therapy Dogs and Pearl S. Buck International. To purchase tickets, contact Susan Savage, Vice President of Development at Pearl S. Buck International at ssavage@pearlsbuck.org.

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Pearl S. Buck International^® provides opportunities to explore and appreciate other cultures, builds better lives for children around the globe and promotes the legacy of our founder by preserving and interpreting her National Historic Landmark Home.

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