The Diocese of Beaumont is full of people who give more than their share. One of those people has been honored in Orange.
The Altrusa Club of Orange has named Mary McKenna Woman of the Year. McKenna is the executive director of the Southeast Texas Hospice.
“I feel like the good Lord blessed me. I love this community so much, and I feel like I am blessed to be here. You can’t love the place you live and not be active,” McKenna said.
She said that the award is a great honor and she hopes to continue being an active member of her community.
“When they told me I was speechless. It’s just such an honor to be recognized and to be in the company of these renowned women of Orange,” McKenna said.
McKenna moved to Orange with her parents at the age of 7. After graduating from St. Mary High School in 1968 she attended the University of Texas Medical Center in Houston, majoring in biomedical science.
She was studying emotions and their relation to brain chemistry when she moved back to Orange to help her mother Peggy with the Southeast Texas Hospice she and four other members of the community had founded.
In addition to running the Hospice, McKenna serves on a number of boards and committees throughout the city including the United Way board, Leadership Southeast Texas, Lutcher Theatre, and she is active at St. Mary, Orange, as an extraordinary minister of holy Communion.
“The hospice cares for terminally ill people. We’re available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We care for the dying person and their family. The family is involved a great deal in the process,” McKenna said.
The Altrusa Club of Orange was founded in 1949. They strive to be leaders in service and exemplify that though civic activities, service projects and various programs.
Their projects include literacy and scholarship programs for local schools as well as holiday gift basket drives and donations to other organizations.
Membership to the club is extended to women who are classified as leaders in the community and display a strong sense of responsibility.
