Debbie Curran McGarity ’91 was recently elected a member to the Board of Directors of Bonds of Courage, a NJ-based a community organization.
Below are links to the online article as well as to Bonds of Courage website:
1) http://thealternativepress.com/articles/mcgarity-takes-leadership-role-in-troop-support–2
2) http://www.bondsofcourage.org/
Also, below is the Q&A article that was recently published in the company’s newsletter:
Employee Spotlights:
Debbie McGarity, Senior Director, U.S. External Affairs, sanofi-aventis U.S.
Name of Organization: Bonds of Courage (Bonds) formerly known as Summit Supports Our Troops
How long you have been involved: About a year.
How you are involved: My family and I are volunteers – we pack boxes for the troops, write letters to the troops. Also, I am a planning committee member for Bonds of Courage’s “Tribute to the Troops,” which is its annual fund raiser, and I was just recently elected to its Board of Directors.
Why you are involved: I was looking for ways to engage my two young sons (6 & 7) in community service. I wanted them to understand the value and benefit in helping others, especially in our own community. My husband is former military and we talk a lot about Daddy’s time in the Army; so when I learned about Bonds, I knew it was an organization we could support as a family.
Advice to others looking to get involved in a group like SSOT:
For me, it was the personal connection Bonds provided on two fronts: first, with my husband being former military, Bonds means something to our entire family because of its mission and the important job it does supporting and providing programs and services to our troops and, second, it is a local organization helping those right in our own backyard in NJ as well as beyond. Supporting and/or getting involved in an organization that aligns with your personal interests and beliefs makes it that much more rewarding.