Virginia Wyne Hammond, a Bryn Mawr family therapist whose son is serving a life sentence for murder, has been honored as Volunteer of the Year by the Pennsylvania Prison Society, writes Lynette Hazelton for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Hammond and her husband, Wade III, a Philadelphia teacher moved to Bryn Mawr from West Philadelphia in 1977. They enrolled their two sons in Haverford High School to give them a high-quality education, striving to fulfill the American dream.
Their lives were disrupted in November 1997, when their eldest son, Christopher Wade, murdered a night manager at an Upper Merion Dunkin’ he was robbing.
After her son was caught and sentenced to life in prison, Hammond began volunteering to help families of incarcerated people and those reentering society. She is a member of the Prison Society’s Community Advisory Council. Hammond participates in a mentoring program to ease the stressors of reentry.
She was recognized for her hard work in November with the 2024 Volunteer of the Year award.
“My goal is to be available, to be supportive, to be helpful,” said 85-year-old Hammond.
Read more about Virginia Wyne Hammond and the Pennsylvania Prison Society in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
