Women of Legacy Award Presented at BHS Foundation Crystal Ball

March 11, 2007- (CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, PA) – Leslie Osche of Meridian was awarded the fourth annual Women of Legacy Award presented by the Butler Health System Foundation during the Crystal Ball on Saturday, March 10 at the Pittsburgh Marriott North in Cranberry Township.

Few individuals have had the impact on the overall health of a community like Leslie Osche.

A lifelong resident of Butler, Osche is the Executive Director of The United Way of Butler County and has been one of the key players in developing Butler County's first expanded community solutions assessment.  While Butler Memorial Hospital has conducted community health assessments every two years to determine the health of the community and  what services to offer in what ways, Ms. Osche brought together the hospital, the Butler Collaborative for Families and the United Way to develop a broader, more comprehensive assessment that encompasses the health and social needs of Butler County residents. Her goal is to use the assessment data to help drive United Way dollars to those organizations that address the needs outlined in the study.

“Leslie's vision is incredible,” said Stephanie Roskovski, the BMH administrator that worked closely with her on the community assessment. “She so clearly sees how the health and social components of care dovetail into one another and how important it is to have a coordinated approach to community issues.”

Leslie Osche has had a strong bent toward improving health delivery and community in a variety of settings in Butler County. In addition to serving as Public Relations Director for St. Barnabas Health System and as Vice President for Development and Community Relations for Lifesteps, Inc, she has also lead the community as Assistant Director for the Butler County Chamber of Commerce and Director of the Butler County Tourism Promotion Agency.

She currently serves on the Board of Directors for The United Way of Pennsylvania, the Butler County Chamber of Commerce and Leadership Butler County; on the Advisory Board of Community Action, the Butler Emergency Relief Initiative and the Emergency Food and Shelter Board; on the Public Relations Committee for the Community Development Corporation; the Facilities Committee of the Community Health Clinic; and is active with the Butler Collaborative for Families.

Osche is a member of the Rotary Club of Butler.  She was the recipient of the 2000 Distinguished Service Award for Butler County and the 2002 International Athena Award presented by National City Bank and the Chamber of Commerce.

Osche is a member of Trinity Lutheran Church where she has served on Church Council, as a Sunday School teacher, a Bible study leader and a member of the Capital Campaign Committee to build a new sanctuary.  She has also served as President of the Auxiliary to Meridian Volunteer Fire Company; Chairman of the Playground Committee for Meridian PTO, raising $40,000 to build a new playground; as a Girl Scout counselor and a Cub Scout leader.

Osche resides in Meridian with her husband James and two sons; Joshua, 17 and Nathan, 14.  A third son, Zachary, is deceased.

The Women of Legacy Award seeks to honor those who have notably contributed to the health and well-being of our Butler County community through excellence in patient care, overcoming personal illness or crisis, or improving some aspect of our community's health.This award was instituted through a generous donation from William A. DiCuccio, M.D. in memory of his mother, Catherine Mae DiCuccio. Mrs. DiDuccio had an intense desire to see that medical care in Butler was the best that it could be. As a wife, mother, hospital auxiliary member and a community volunteer, she was a woman who understood the essence of family and the fullest sense of healthy living - spiritually, emotionally and physically.