Jyl Dowd

Name: Jyl Dowd

From: Ithaca NY
Family: 3 sisters & 1 brother, 1 niece & 3 nephews. Partner: Andy Norberg. Children: Emily Dowd, Co-Children: Lindsey, Chelsea & Miles Brous
Hobbies: Organizing events, fundraising, photography, movies.
Volunteer Work: Taste of the Nation Committee and the Cancer Resource Center, RZP, BJM, IYB, LACS, IAD, Grassroots fest, Obama campaign, Fall Creek school playground, Ithaca Festival
Quote to Live By: “Volunteerism is not a choice, it’s a responsibility.” – Ashley E. Hyder.
“You’re either part of the solution or you’re part of the problem.” – Eldridge Cleaver.

It gives me great pleasure to nominate my friend Jyl Dowd to be one of this years 20 Outstanding Women You Should Know. In fact, if you attend fund raisers in our town or volunteer to help with one there's a very good chance you already know her. For myself, I have had the privilege to work with Jyl for several years now. She has served as a volunteer on the committee that organizes two very successful fundraisers in our community for hunger relief and nutrition education programs - Taste of the Nation and Chef's Night Out. Jyl's amazing organizational skills, her solid work ethic and her keen sense of humor have been the backbone of why putting on these events is both fun and profitable.

And it hardly stops there. Jyl works at the Cancer Resource Center of the Finger Lakes which makes perfect sense really - her job is just an extension of how she lives her life. When she's not helping to plan the Cancer Center's annual Walkathon she's helping someone whose life has been affected by the disease to get the information and support they need.

When you know Jyl, you also have a direct line alerting you to every pancake breakfast, spaghetti supper, benefit concert, bake sale or any other event taking place to raise money for a good cause in Ithaca, if not all of Tompkins County. Not a week goes by that at least one email doesn't come my way from Jyl spreading the word. And the thing is she's more than likely actively involved in, or at least planning to attend, whatever event the cause supports.

I've always said that if you look up the word "involved" in the dictionary you'd find Jyl's name. I have no doubt the same applies for the word "Outstanding".

Nominated by Jerry Dietz