Magazine honors 3 women for book-related good deeds

McClatchy Newspapers

BILOXI, Miss. — Dian Ross of Diamondhead, Miss., was honored Wednesday at ceremonies in New York for getting new books to Gulf Coast children after Katrina.

This was an extension of her ongoing volunteer work at a Hancock County, Miss., food pantry where, since 2003, she has handed out books to the children along with food to the family.

As one of three recipients of Self magazine’s first “Women Doing Good” awards, Ross received $10,000 for her designated charity, First Books, to purchase books for children in need.

She was selected by reader nomination for single-handedly delivering 30,000 books to children of low-income families and those devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Her award is sponsored by Maybelline New York through its Beauty of Education initiative.

Ann Cooper of Oakland, Calif., was cited for converting school cafeterias into creative culinary classrooms for students through the F3: Food-Family-Farming Foundation. Her award is sponsored by Kashi.

While undergoing treatment, sarcoma cancer survivor Jennifer Goodman Linn of New York City also worked with Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center to develop Spin4Survival, a charitable event that raised $200,000 in January 2007. Her charity is the cancer center and her sponsor is Self.

They also each received $10,000 for their charities.

The magazine’s December issue will feature an advertorial about the awards.

For details on each, visit firstbook.org, cycleforsurvival.org and lunchlessons.org.