By:Angela Marshall
Margarita Grasing was one of six Nassau County women honored by the New York State Division for Women last week. As the executive director of the Hispanic Brotherhood of Rockville Centre, Grasing is credited with making great strides on behalf of the Hispanic community on Long Island.
The women were selected because of their strives to improve the quality of life throughout Nassau County.
What makes Grasing so effective? She says it's her refusal to take no for an answer. All my life, anything that I've planned to do, I've done it,she told those attending the ceremony in Rockville Centre's Village Hall.
In her position as executive director, which she has held for 17 years, Grasing oversees scholarship programs for young adults, housing counseling, senior citizen programs as well as an after-school child-care program.
Village Trustee Mary Bossart, who serves as co-chair of the Nassau County Advisory Council for the state Division for Women, said, [Grasing] is a wonderful community leader and we really value her.
After Bossart read a short bio on Grasing, she said, This doesn't even begin to scratch the surface with her.
It was Grasing who pushed for a new home for the Hispanic Brotherhood.
She is also the chairwoman of the Nassau County HIV Commission, a member of the New York State Hispanic Housing Corporation, and past vice-president of the Nassau County Hispanic Association. In addition, she is a member of the Molloy College President's Advisory Board on Multicultural Concerns, past member of Catholic Charities of the Rockville Centre Diocese and past charter commissioner of the Nassau County Commission on Governmental Revision.
Grasing thanked her husband Bob and her family for their support over the years.
Also honored were Dorothy Goosby, Town of Hempstead councilwoman; Marion Terry; Jeanine Bondi, Mary Adams and Iris Johnson.
