Michelina is my mom. Everybody knew her as Mickey. She crossed in June of 1999 after surviving lupus for nearly fifty years. My sister Joanne and I, along with my niece and nephews decided to institute an award for outstanding service to love and community in her honor and memory.

Mickey taught me community. Mickey loved community. She especially loved this community at Moonfire. Every opportunity she had she would join us for retreats, encampments, ceremonies, circles and events. She loved "her girls". That's what she called the women in The School of Women's Ways. She stood in as their surrogate mother when we celebrated the school's first Rites of Passage ceremony, washed an endless assembly line of dishes, pots and pans at our annual Fall Equinox retreats, and danced and drummed all night long at our "Goddess in Winter" Retreat at Gurney's Inn in Montauk. It was a pleasure sharing her with the Moonfire community and sharing the community with her. Everyone cherished and enjoyed her spirit. I'm pleased to remember her and that spirit in this award.

We are proud to announce last year's recipients of The Michelina De Angelo Simone Award - for outstanding service to love and community ...