Woodbridge honors Patricia Osborne and marks Women’s History Month

Woodbridge Township presented the Maria Theresa of Service Award to Patricia Osborne on March 6 as part of a Women’s History Month event, and heard a keynote-style address from Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin praising women’s leadership.

Council member (speaker 1) introduced Osborne as a former teacher in the Woodbridge school district, a past councilwoman and former vice chair of the Human Rights Commission, and said the award honored her “outstanding dedication to the Woodbridge Township community through steadfast public service.” Patricia Osborne accepted the award and spoke about the role of women in history and community life, telling the audience she considered it an honor to accept on behalf of “many unsung heroines” who keep society functioning.

Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin congratulated Osborne and the assembled honorees, described women’s expanded roles in government and his own legislative staff, and cited his equal-pay bill as an example of policy work aimed at gender equity. “The first bill I passed when I became the speaker…was an equal pay bill,” he said, adding that there remains work to be done on pay parity.

Council leaders also recognized recently sworn female firefighters and police officers and encouraged young women in the audience to see public service careers as an option. The event included short remarks from several council members, a ceremonial flag presentation and the Pledge of Allegiance. The council moved into regular meeting business after the ceremony.

The township did not provide detailed historical citations in the remarks; the award citation read in part that Osborne’s public service spanned municipal council work and the Human Rights Commission.