Lorraine Bruno Arsenault, a 1966 graduate of Canastota High School, earned a bachelor of arts in philosophy at Marymount College in 1970. While at CHS, she served as an officer on student council all four years and as president her senior year. She was voted Most Outstanding Senior Girl by her classmates. As a junior in college, she sailed around the world with World Campus Afloat/Semester at sea, traveling and studying in countries throughout Asia, Africa and Europe.
In 1971, she won first prize in poetry in the Central New York Chapter of the National League of American Pen Women’s poetry contest. That same year she was nominated for Zonta Young Business Woman of the Year.
Lorraine is the author of The Long Run Home, published by Foothills Publishing and has had various poems and stories published in Comstock Review, Healing Muse and Chicken Soup for the Soul. She is co-editor of In the Company of Women, an Anthology Commemorating the 90th Anniversary of the CNY Branch of National League of American Pen Women.
Lorraine served as trustee on the Canastota Public Library’s Board of Trustees from 1993 to 2006, six years as president. She is a founding member of the Canastota Beautification Committee, served on the Canastota Revitalization Committee and helped found the Canastota Writers Group and Canastota Bereavement Group.
In 2003, she received the Canastota Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Service Award for her work at Bruno Properties, her family’s business. In 2005 she was the first recipient of the Vincent V. Albanese Alumni Achievement Award.
Lorraine currently is CEO, investment and asset manager of Bruno Properties and Bruno associates. Having worked in the family businesses since she was 12, she formally assumed responsibilities as CEO in 1991. She is a state-licensed realtor and certified E-RYT200 yoga instructor. In 2000, she founded The Place at Center in downtown Canastota, where she teaches yoga and practices quantum energy healing.
Lorraine, together with her husband, Joel Arsenault and daughters, Elise and Ariana, continues to work to develop real estate, renovate downtown buildings, establish businesses and help Canastota grow in the best possible way.
The annual Canastota Wall of Distinction Banquet will be held at Theodore’s, Route 5 (Seneca Turnpike) Saturday, Oct. 19. Social hour begins at 6 p.m., with dinner following at 7 p.m.
Tickets are $30 per person, with reservations available from Deb Ford at 315.403.0742 no later than Monday, Oct. 14.