Recognition Reception Honoree
Barbara Ann D'Ambrosiio

Barbara Ann D’Ambrosio has been an employee at the Abington YMCA and the Abington School District for 18 years.  She currently serves as Housekeeping Supervisor and Supervisor of Community Services at the Abington YMCA as well as Lunch Aide at Roslyn Elementary School in Abington School District.

                        If you work out at the Abington “Y” early in the morning, you will probably run into Barb as she arrives each day at 3:30 a.m.  She takes a break in the late morning to fulfill her duties as a lunch aide at Roslyn Elementary, then returns to the Y for the remainder of the day.  Quite a schedule!

            Barb is also a volunteer supervisor for the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office, providing service opportunities at our YMCA for juvenile and adult offenders.  She has worked with more than 1,000 young people in the last 20 years as well as many, many adult offenders.  The District Attorney’s Office assigns offenders to Barb who, in turn, supervises them in housekeeping chores throughout the YMCA.  She never refuses anyone in her program because she feels everyone deserves a chance.  She gives them her home phone number and provides help to these individuals 24 hours a day.

Barb was awarded the YMCA “Service to Youth” award in 1997 as well as the YMCA “Shining Star” award in 2004.  She has been an avid fundraiser for the Abington Y and has repeatedly received recognition as the top employee fundraiser.  She received the “Youth Community Service” award in 2006 and the “Community Service” award in 2007 from the Montgomery County Courts.

Barb has three children, Kimberly, John, and Tony, who graduated form Abington Senior High School in 1978, 1980, and 1984, respectively.  She feels Abington and Rockledge are highly desirable residential communities that include a major shopping center and many wonderful small businesses.  She believes that the year-round recreation programs conducted by the Abington YMCA and Abington Township Bureau of Parks and Recreation are definitely an asset to these communities.

A community goal for Barb is to see the “Abington Trails” project completed so that it could connect parks, shopping areas, schools, and points of interest.  She feels it would provide a safe place for more recreational activities for families.

Barb states that it is important for the Abington/Rockledge communities to engage interested and responsible citizens to work with our youth through more community activities, mentoring programs, and employment and scholarship opportunities.  She knows firsthand what a little bit of time and caring can do for our young people today.

In her spare time, Barb enjoys being with her children  and all of her family, going to the shore in the summer, and cooking.  She is retiring this spring from both the YMCA and the School District and is concerned about who will take over her volunteer work with juvenile and young adult offenders.  She would like to see more members of the Philadelphia Association of YMCA’s become partners with these juvenile and adult offender programs.  Obviously, Barb has a special talent in dealing with these individuals and has been a most dedicated volunteer. 

The Abington Community Taskforce salutes Barbara for her many years of service to the youth and young adults of our community.

[Back to the Special Events page]