Nancy Porter Morrill

Nancy Porter Morrill of Newtown, founder and interim vice president of the Bucks County Women's Fund, will be honored on Tuesday, March 18 as recipent of the 27th Bucks County Women's History Month Award. This annual event, to be held at the James Lorah Auditorium, 132 North Main Street, Doylestown, beginning at 5:45 p.m., is co-sponsored by several women's organizations and is an occasion to acknowledge and celebrate Bucks County's own talented and dedicated women. Nancy has made history in Bucks County in many significant ways. Thirty years ago Nancy Porter moved to Bucks County from Washington, DC to marry Bill Morrill and carry forth her management consulting work.

Kay Renninger introduced Nancy to Planned Parenthood of Bucks County, and Kay and Gov Denoon recruited Nancy to head up the fundraising committee for the new clinic in Doylestown. That led to Nancy’s pro choice commitment at the regional, state and local levels, ultimately serving as President of our Bucks County Planned Parenthood organization and Secretary of the Board of the Family Planning Association of S.E.PA. 

When John Anderson declared himself an Independent candidate for President, Nancy co-chaired his Bucks County campaign. After traveling with Bill to Aspen, Colorado and Ashland, Oregon, she returned home convinced that Bucks County needed a Food and Wine Festival and voila: it was born and they co-chaired the event for five years.

The Bucks County Commissionersappointed Nancy to the Community Development Advisory Council, the Human Services Advisory Council and, most importantly, the Operations Review and Evaluation Committee on which Nancy chaired the Prison/Justice System Review (where she “spent” three months in jail!). Joining the Phillips Mill Community Association, Nancy was a member of the Art Committee and together with Bill, reinstituted the long defunct Mill Forum. 

Most important are Nancy’s instigation of two major non-profits in Bucks County: the Bucks County Women’s Fund and the Arts & Cultural Council of Bucks County. Seeing a need, Nancy moved to convene people who, believing in her vision, could make these entities happen. She is not known as the Founding Mother for nothing!

Our review of her accomplishments must include her work on behalf of School Works!, the Pennsbury Arts Foundation, Friends of Andalusia, Pennsbury School District, the Lower Bucks County Chamber of Commerce, and many Republican and Democratic candidates for elective office.  

Congratulations, Nancy!