The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. – Eleanor Roosevelt
Local Women Dare to Dream
Photo Credit: Kevin Seabrooke, Warren Sentinel.
Pictured left to right: Mary Ellen South, Regina Frye, Pamela Price, Cadyn Speziale, Laura Ann Jenkins, Kasia Voll.
Seventy—two individuals attended the annual Dare to Dream Breakfast held on Tuesday‚ March 20‚ at Joe’s Steakhouse. We gathered on a brilliant spring morning to help meet and celebrate our new Dare to Dream recipients and share in a morning of inspiration and womanship. This year‚ for the first time in our history‚ the FRWRC was able to present 13 awards – 11 Dare to Dream Grants‚ 1 Girl Grant‚ and our first Elaine Bromfield Memorial Scholarship for a grant total of $8‚550.00!
For many‚ it was the completion of a circle begun almost fifteen years ago when the FRWRC held its first breakfast at the same restaurant‚ then called Dean’s Steakhouse. Mark Speidel‚ owner and manager of Joe’s Steakhouse‚ has beautifully restored the restaurant to create an open and elegant atmosphere – a perfect setting to celebrate our new grant recipients. Seven of the 13 grant recipients were able to attend the breakfast and shared with us their dreams and hopes. Those in attendance were Regina Frye‚ Pamela Price and Laura Ann Jenkins who will all use their grant money to attend LFCC. Cadyn Speziale and Kasia Voll will use their grant money towards their businesses while Sally Meredith‚ the first Elaine Bromfield Memorial Scholarship winner will attend Old Dominion University in the fall. Finally‚ this year’s Girl Grant Award went to Holly Goode and Addie Jones who have created the Wings of Empowerment Club for girls at Warren County Middle School. The club now has more than 75 girls participating.
Photo Credit: Kevin Seabrooke, Warren Sentinel.
Pictured: Dr. Judith James‚ Director of Lord Fairfax Community College’s new Office of Transition Programs.
The featured speaker was Dr. Judith James‚ Director of Lord Fairfax Community College’s new Office of Transition Programs. Dr. James began with Maya Angelou’s famous poem‚ Still I Rise‚ before informing us about the new programs available at LFCC for non—traditional students and presenting some sobering facts about the state of education for underserved populations. Referring to the important work of the President of Lord Fairfax Community College‚ Dr. Cheryl Thompson—Stacy‚ James quoted that “…women need to make sure that decisions made for us are made by us.”
Our deep gratitude goes out to all our sponsors — LFCC‚ Joanne Cherefko‚ Beth Waller of Reichert Realtors‚ Blue Ridge Meats who provided the delicious sausage for the breakfast‚ Betty Tice who also organized the breakfast and Betty Showers of Front Royal’s Fussell Florists who always donates the speaker’s bouquets. We couldn’t do it without you.
In this newsletter‚ you will find a complete listing of the 2012 grant and scholarship recipients. The funds for the grants were supplied by United Way of Front Royal/Warren County‚ The Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund‚ The Max and Bella Black Foundation and generous individual donations. Thank you all for making a difference in women’s lives.
A Taste for Books
The FRWRC participated in Samuels Library’s delightful fundraiser‚ A Taste for Books‚ held at Samuels library on Saturday‚ April 14‚ 6:30 p.m. It was a delicious evening featuring 25 different organizations who each hosted a table with decorations‚ costumes and food based on a favorite book. The book chosen by the FRWRC was Chili Con Corpses‚ one of the supper club mysteries‚ set in a small town in the Shenandoah Valley. Our ‘tastes’ featured a delicious venison chili made for us by Andi Robinson and corn bread baked by Barbara Greco. We also served guacamole and jalapeno yogurt dip made for us by Costco. Barbara Way‚ Barbara Greco‚ Andi Robinson‚ Joyce Wimmer and JoEllen helped with the booth decorations and served tastes to the more than 150 guests who attended the event. Prizes were awarded for best food‚ best costumes and best decorations. Our table did not receive one of the prizes but we received rave reviews on Andi’s chili and our “corpse‚” complete with Mexican clothes and a skeleton foot‚ got lots of attention. A great time was had by all and we look forward to participating in next year’s event. Now we know how serious the competition is!
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Tea with Agatha Christie… WomanLore Returns!
Once more the FRWRC teamed up with the Friends of Samuels Library to bring Betsey Means of WomanLore back to Front Royal. On Sunday‚ April 22nd‚ Betsey became Agatha Christie who we find in the process of packing for a trip to Syria with her husband‚ Max. “Agatha” shared stories of how she met Max‚ why she disappeared for awhile‚ how she came up with the characters and plots for her books and other intriguing stories of her life of travel‚ mystery writing and grand adventures.
Betsey conducts extensive research on the history of each of her women along with the history of the times and the clothing worn. Her one-woman performances are entertaining and educational and appropriate for all ages. We were delighted to co-host Betsey again along with the Friends of Samuels Library. Her performance was followed by a lively question and answer period and a delicious tea provided by FRWRC women and the Friends. We hope to have Betsey again next year to bring to life another fascinating woman from history.
A Dear Friend Moves On
May is the month when we honor our mothers and other important women in our lives. This May‚ we are proud to honor a woman who has been very important to all of us here at the FRWRC‚ Mary Ellen South.
Mary Ellen and her husband‚ Mike‚ moved to Front Royal in the late 90’s. At the time‚ the FRWRC had a small office in the Haynes Building. We wanted someone in the of fice one day a week so we put out a call for help and it was Mary Ellen who answered and volunteered. Since our focus at the time was to be a resource center where women could find information on all the services available to them‚ Mary Ellen took over the job of building our files. Within a few weeks‚ she had boxes of pamphlets and samples of products pouring in from all over the state. We knew right away we had found an amazing woman.
Mary Ellen officially joined the board in November of 2000 and remained an active member until she moved away this April. In September 2004‚ Mary Ellen took charge of our new monthly radio show‚ Valley Women Today‚ and became “the voice of the FRWRC” for the next six years‚ scheduling and interviewing over seventy shows.
In 1999 we presented our first Dare to Dream grant. We were dependent on our own funding so we could only afford to give one $400 grant to a local woman. We added a little more funding over the next few years but it wasn’t until 2003 when Linda Taylor‚ then the Director of our local United Way‚ offered us $2‚500 for the grants if we could find matching funding. Mary Ellen called up one of her neighbors‚ who happened to be Beatrice Von Gontard‚ and over coffee managed to get a pledge for the matching $2‚500. Just like that‚ the Dare to Dream grant was funded for $5‚000 annually and has continued to remain at that level. Without any one of these three important women‚ the grant program would not be what it is today.
In 2006‚ in memory of her daughter‚ Mary Ellen founded the Girl Grant program. She funded the grant‚ worked with the counselors at the local Jr. High and Middle Schools and presented the first Girl Grants to three 8th grade girls at Warren County Junior High on June 1 of that year. She worked with each girl individually to help them clarify their dream and since two of the girls that first year simply wanted school clothes and materials‚ Mary Ellen took them shopping. In another year‚ she took a young girl out to dinner that had never eaten outside the home before. Since the Girl Grant began‚ 9 grants have been awarded to girls for a total of $4‚800.
During all her years with the FRWRC‚ Mary Ellen could always be counted on to “just get ‘er done.” When we decided to do a yard sale‚ Mary Ellen took charge and made it happen. When we had our breakfasts and needed table decorations‚ she would supply them. When we wanted certificates for the grant recipients‚ she would produce them. Anytime we needed someone to represent us or cover for someone or help out in any way‚ Mary Ellen was there offering her skills and ideas. Meanwhile‚ when she wasn’t helping out with the FRWRC‚ she was very active with the youth programs in Kiwanis and the gift shop at Warren Memorial Hospital which she ran for years as a volunteer.
Needless to say‚ we will miss Mary Ellen so very much. She did so much for our organization and was instrumental in so many of our important events and programs. Most of all‚ we will miss seeing her shining presence that always brought light‚ laughter and activity‚ no matter where she was. She slipped away before we could give her a worthy send-off but‚ that is how she wanted it. We wish her the very best of everything in her new life in Lewes‚ Delaware. What an amazing woman! What a wonderful friend. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Let’s Make 2012 “The Year of Facebook”!
It’s our place to interact. If you don’t use it‚ we are losing a great resource to reach lots of different people quickly and to make sure that we stay connected with our community! Discuss something you saw in this weekly email‚ share book reviews‚ recipes‚ movie suggestions. Maybe you know of something fun happening in the community that you’d like to share. Many of you are small business owners-talk up your services! Facebook works best when we use it and keep it active. Think of it as an extension of our community!
Connect with our local Business women at Business Connections!
For more about the FRWRC and Membership Get the FRWRC Brochure!
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