UNO's Shirley Davis Honored by Northern Berkshire Professional Women
 Shirley Davis is honored as the Northern Berkshire Professional Women's Woman of Achievement on Wednesday night. |
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Shirley Davis was anxious Wednesday night — not about the award she was about to receive but that there was someone in need.
A man, outside the banquet hall at Holiday Inn.
"He's crying he's so hungry," she said. "We have to feed him."
And so she did, to the gratitude of the gentleman who was thrilled with his dinner of chicken marsala and brussels sprouts.
"I can't see anyone go without," Davis said. "I have to feed them."
And that's just one reason why Davis was being honored as the Northern Berkshire Business and Professional Women's 2015 Woman of Achievement.
"We believe in service to others and Shirley Davis is definitely a wonderful example of how much that service means to the town and to women especially and families in general," said Colleen Janz, the club's president, at the annual dinner at the Richmond Grille.
Davis is the founder of United Neighborhood Organization, an initiative of the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition that she started 25 years ago over concern that her neighborhood was undergoing a transformation for the worse.
"She started out having these meetings in her home," said Janz. "How much more of a commitment to a neighborhood can you have than to invite them into your own home?"
John Barrett III, a longtime friend and mayor when Davis started UNO, said she had called him crying and upset and wanting to do something.
"She organized that neighborhood, and it was a really tough neighborhood at that time and she took it on and she had those tough thugs, she had them eating out of the palm of her hand," he said. "They just melted ... Shirley brought them all together."
UNO recently celebrated the opening of its new community center on River Street, finally giving it a home of its own.
Janz read out a lengthy proclamations honoring Davis from Gov. Charlie Baker, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren and from the state Senate and House. Mayor Richard Alcombright presented a proclamation from the city earlier in the evening.
The Woman of Achievement Award is given to an individual who exemplifies the ideals of diversity and equity in the workplace, community service and support of work-life balance. Past recipients have been Berkshire Community College President Ellen Kennedy, former Attorney General Martha Coakley, real estate broker Jennifer Segala, and former Gov. Jane Swift.
Davis was probably not exactly balanced when it came to work-life balance, Janz admitted.
"Her work is her life and she was able to balance family while giving service to others," she said.
Volunteering and working with community "is a gift to yourself," said Davis, but people have asked why she work so hard without being paid.
"I had great parents, a wonderful brother, a husband that loved me and I loved him for 50 years before he passed away, five marvelous children, nine grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and one more on the way and friends like all of you here tonight ...
"I think I get paid pretty well."
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