Every year, the Mercer County Commission on the Status of Women selects honorees for the awards; Woman of Achievement and Young Woman of Achievement. These honorees are chosen for their outstanding volunteer work and contributions to the Mercer County community.
This year one of the honorees is from our very own Pennington neighborhood. Halina Bustin, is originally from the Soviet Union in what is now known as Ukraine; she later moved to England and eventually Belgium where she realized her passion for helping people. Mrs. Bustin has lived here for just 13 years, but she has accomplished more than most.
Bustin volunteers for numerous programs and shows a passion for helping the less fortunate. She uses this passion by volunteering at Womanspace -a shelter for Women; the Trenton Rescue Mission – a local homeless shelter; Task – a local soup kitchen; and Homefront. Bustin also gives back to her community by volunteering in literacy and learning services such as Literacy Volunteers of New Jersey -a nonprofit tutoring service and Learning Ally – a service that helps students reach their full potential. She also is the on-call interpreter for Polish victims at local police stations. Working and volunteering in these places has allowed Bustin to create an environment where she could use her talent for helping people to improve the lives of others around her and give back to the community.
Bustin learned that giving back to a community that treated her so warmly allows her to live a fulfilling and purposeful life while helping others live their best life too. Bustin says she “hopes to continue volunteering through her dotage,” further contributing to the lives of those around her with nothing holding her back.
As an honoree this year for the Woman of Achievement Award for outstanding acts of volunteer work and contributions to the Mercer county community, Bustin is truly deserving of this recognition after her years of work helping others. Defying age and skillfully learning the best way she could help others in her new home, Halina Bustin has become a pillar of the Mercer County community.
Submitted by Oscar Ellery. Ellery is a student at Hopewell Valley Central High School where he is an honors student in Language Arts and Social Studies. His future plans include writing, politics, and journalism.
