Soroptimist International of Butler County recently named its 2008 distinguished women of the year.

The award honors women in the community whose work has benefited both the organization and the community. This year's recipients are Maureen Gray for the community and Diane Dancik for the organization.

In addition, the club selected Sarah Pierotti as the 2008 recipient of the Violet Richardson Award.

This award is named for the first president of the Soroptimist Club and is given to a young woman who shows dedication to volunteerism and commitment to the community.

Gray is a senior executive for the Butler Health System where she started as a nurse and worked through many management roles and now serves as vice president of patient care services. During her tenure with the health system, she has been part of the team that led the hospital to be recognized as one of the Top 100 Hospitals in America and the 4th Best Place to Work in Pennsylvania 2006.

Dancik has been a member of Soroptimist International of Butler since 2002. She has served the organization in many capacities. Her dedication has been vital to the club's annual fundraisers, Rose Day and the Live Your Dream Fashion Show. Last year, she volunteered with the club's Parker Personal Care Home Shower, a unique fundraiser to gather household items for the new YWCA facility in Parker. She is employed by the Butler Health System as a registered nurse in the SICU at the hospital. She also volunteers for the Reality Tour, American Heart Association and BMH Foundation.

She is the wife of Dennis Dancik, mother of two and grandmother of four.

Pierotti is a senior at Butler High School. She was chosen for this award because of her work with the Butler Memorial Hospital Junior Auxiliary, also known as the Candystripers. She has provided countless volunteer hours at the hospital and has worked within the Transitional Care Unit. After high school she plans to pursue a career in medicine.