St. Cecilia Music Center (SCMC) is proud to honor Mary Goodwillie Nelson as the recipient of the esteemed Legacy Award on April 29 during the Annual Legacy Award Gala Event.  The Legacy Award honors a woman who has helped to expand and enrich the cultural life of the Greater Grand Rapids community. Mary Goodwillie Nelson is the fourth recipient of the Legacy Award. Past recipients have included Helen DeVos, Stella Royce, and Karen Henry Stokes.

A long-time supporter of St. Cecilia Music Center, Mary Goodwillie Nelson has shown a firm commitment to supporting many arts organizations and endeavors in Grand Rapids for decades. She was a past board member of Opera Grand Rapids, the Grand Rapids Symphony, the Grand Rapids Art Museum, and the Grand Rapids Ballet, for which she also served as Board President. Mrs. Goodwillie Nelson has been associated with St. Cecilia Music Center since childhood when she participated in dance recitals in the performance hall.

The Legacy Award Gala on April 29 will include a performance by the Grand Rapids Ballet Junior Company in SCMC’s Royce Auditorium, followed by a Gala Dinner and an Awards Ceremony in Mary Goodwillie Nelson’s honor, in the Dexter Ballroom.