The First, The Last
A message from WPF President, Amy Baradell
Happy Fall WPF sisters! This is absolutely my favorite time of the year. I love everything about it. The colors in leaves as they change. The crispness in the air. The wardrobe changes to cozy sweaters and favorite jeans. The change in the daily rhythm that happens as the longer daylight hours of summer gradually shorten and we find ourselves driving home in the dark. In WPF the fall will bring a class of new members, a walk or run at the Women’s Only 5k on October 1, and shopping at the Holiday Bazaar on November 9th.
I have always appreciated the change in seasons that we have in North Carolina. In a way we get to begin and end, four times a year. Our lives and the events in our lives have beginnings and endings. Those beginnings and endings deserve space. They deserve celebration and grieving. I read a book years ago and a line from it has stuck with me. It basically said we celebrate the “firsts”, but not the “lasts”. It can be the first baby, the first day of school, the first kiss, the first job. It’s exciting. We know it’s the first. We celebrate in some way, even if it’s just an acknowledgment. But the last, that is different. So often we just don’t know that it is the last.
I have a childhood friend, Nickie, that I met when I was four years old. When we were in 7th grade, she heard a presentation by a pilot at her school and decided that was what she would be. She earned her aviation degree and then headed to Texas, flying for FedEx to earn her required flying hours. In the mid 90’s she was hired by Northwest. At that time there were very few women pilots. She loved it. She flew until July of 2015. At the time, she was flying the long flights to Asia. She had worked hard, done well, and was doing what she loved. That July she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She never flew again. She flew her last flight not knowing it was her last. I am sure that we can all think of situations that ended up being the last and we had no idea they would be.
I share this to encourage all of us. Jim Rohn, a motivational speaker and entrepreneur, wrote, “Wherever you are, be there.” As professional women we wear many hats and lead busy, multi-tasking lives. It is so easy to live our lives, not really seeing those around us or appreciating all that is happening. I have driven to my shop for almost twenty years. Every day, I drive the same roads, put my lunch in the refrigerator, go to my office, sew in my studio, and work with my team and customers. One day, it will be my last day to do that. I may know it’s my last. I may not. I want to live each day really seeing it and living it. I am thankful for my WPF sisters. We are “doing” life together. We celebrate and grieve together, acknowledging the many “first” and the many “last”. We help each other to give space to both, as they deserve.
SEPTEMBER MEETING …September 14, 2022
Welcome New Members!
Join us as we welcome the WPF Class of 2022
Jasmine Beard is the CEO and Founder of AJOY Consulting. She delivers strategic planning with holistic plans that are tailor-made to align with her clients’ mission and vision. She speaks four languages fluently, is dedicated to her daughter and is happy to be building her family and business in Greensboro.
Jill Duffield came to Greensboro in December 2020 when she was called to First Presbyterian Church as the Senior Pastor where she now serves. She is an author with 6 books in publication. She is committed to addressing social issues in our community and bringing leaders of different faiths together to do so.
Lou Anne Flanders-Stec is the Executive Director of Launch Greensboro with the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce supporting entrepreneurs and small-business owners with creating and growing their local companies. She has held positions from Greensboro to New York to Italy and back to Greensboro. Lou Anne has three step-children and two grandchildren.
Maria Gonzalez is the CEO of ClubFitness in Greensboro. She was born in Colombia where she grew up as a competitive swimmer, playing water polo all the way to the National Team. Maria moved to the US in 1998 with her husband and family. Her goal is to enhance the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being of every person as she encourages people to build lifelong healthy habits.
Ashley Hawkins is a diagnostic radiologist specializing in breast imaging who joined Solis Mammography with Dr. Margaret Bertrand in 2013. Ashley now serves as the Medical Director for Solis, is married to Greg Hawkins and they have three children, Hannah, Caleb and Luke. The Hawkins love the outdoors especially sailing and biking and are always looking for the next adventure.
NEW MEMBER SOCIAL!
Thursday, September 29 from 6-8pm at the Law Offices of Tuggle Duggins, located at 400 Bellemeade Street, Suite 800.
Park in Bellemeade Deck directly across the street.
Please RSVP to Jody Susong at jsusong@triad.rr.com if you plan to attend.
We are excited to welcome and get to know the new class of members for 2022!
WPF FOUNDATION NEEDS YOU!
We’re looking for a couple good women!
Do you get excited about providing leadership opportunities for girls and women? Helping them succeed in their careers? Have you been following what WPF Foundation is doing and wished you might get involved?
You may not have thought this spring when you filled out your interest sheet about the foundation. Right now you have a chance to put your name in the hat since we’re looking for a couple more candidates to put in our pool for new board members. If you have questions or any interest, feel free to reach out to Chandra Hachenbruch, nominating committee chair. Chandra.Hackenbruch@analog.com
Special Interest Group Upcoming Events
WOMEN’S HEALTH & WELLNESS
Women’s Only 5K Walk & Run – October 1
Early Bird Registration Closes 9/2/2022
Sign Up Now!! This is the 30th year of the Women’s Only 5k and we want a team of 30 sisters. It would be inspiring to have 30 to celebrate the 30th year of this event in support of our WPF sister survivors and those who fought valiantly but lost to this disease. Proceeds from the race benefit the Mammography Scholarship Fund, which provides screening mammograms to women who are uninsured or unable to afford it on their own, as well as the Alight Program, which helps with the everyday needs of breast cancer patients in treatment. Here’s the link to register for the WPF Team:
Team: WPF Sisters
No password needed
$30.00 registration
For more information, contact Co-chairs: Polly Sizemore pollysizemore@triad.rr.com 336-202-6188 or Ashley Madden ashley.maddennc@gmail.com 336-314-9857
WhINE DIVAS
Thursday, September 15 @ 6pm … Amy Meinecke’s Home
Did you know several actors and musicians have created their own wines? Join us for a Celebrity Wine Tasting to discuss and sample their wines. The cost is $25 to be paid in advance via Venmo or check to our host, Amy Meinecke (@Amy-Meinecke-1). Please RSVP to Lorriyaskiewicz@gmail.com as soon as possible.
__________
BOOKS & ARTS
Saturday, September 10 from 6-10:30pm
North Carolina Folk Festival – Downtown Greensboro
WPF Sisters will be in charge of the Beer Area on Saturday night. Festival organizers love having WPF volunteers because they know that we will check IDs! You will get a free T-shirt to keep plus fun with your WPF Sisters. Go to North Carolina Folk Festival to register and enjoy your community and a fun evening. Contact Paula Pile at imagolady@aol.com if you have any questions.
WOMEN OF WALL ST
Thursday, Sept 8 @ 6pm
“Own Your Worth” at the Greensboro Country Club
A female UBS Financial Services executive will discuss values, money, and the pursuit of more intentional lives. Meeting open to both WOW and WPF members; wine and food will be served prior to the meeting. Contact Peggy.ward8@icloud.com if you wish to attend.
Also mark your calendars to the following:
OCTOBER 20, 2022, Dinner Meeting, 6 p.m., Lucky 32
NOVEMBER 17, 2022, Business Meeting, 6 p.m., Mt. Pisgah United Methodist Church
SERVICE TO OTHERS
Saturday, September 17, 9am-12pm
Healing Gardens @ Cone Health Cancer Center
2400 West Friendly Avenue
Service to Others will be working in the Healing Gardens at the Cone Health Cancer Center on the Wesley Long Hospital campus. The gardens provide peace and respite for cancer patients and their families as well as hospital staff and visitors. The Healing Gardens were a gift from the community to the Cancer Center with our own Mary Magrinat and Sally Pagliai being instrumental in making the healing gardens come to life.
Lunch afterwards to better get to know our WPF sisters. To join us, RSVP to Jody Susong at jsusong@triad.rr.com.
WORKING MOMS
Tuesday, September 20 @ 12 PM – Pho Hien Vuong
4109 Spring Garden Street
Join the Working Moms for lunch as we gather to support each other. Please RSVP to Marlee at marleegfoster@gmail.com or 336-235-1596.
_________
LADIES OF LEISURE
Tuesday, Sept 20, 2022 @ 3:30pm
Weatherspoon Art Museum, UNCG
Join us for a free docent-led tour of the exhibition, “Gilded: Contemporary Artists Explore Value and Worth,” in the museum’s main gallery. Afterwards there’ll be time to explore on our own. Then those who’d like may head off for an informal discussion over drinks (place TBD). Please RSVP to retired@wpforum.org by Sept. 13. Limited to 15 people. Also, please save the date for the following future outings:
- Friday, Oct. 14 @ 10AM – Lunch at the Table in Asheboro and visit to the Pumpkin Patch at The School Houses Gallery and STARworks Center
- Sunday, Nov. 13 @ 2PM – Walking tour of the Underground Railroad trail, led by Max Carter, Quaker chaplain and professor (retired) at Guilford College. Sponsored by Devoted to Diversity and LOL SIGs.
DINING OUT
Wednesday, Sept. 28 @ 6:30 pm
Print Works Bistro
702 Green Valey Road
This month’s gathering will be hosted by Laura Burton. RSVP to Amy Meinecke at diningout@wpforum.org.
__________
FINANCIAL DIVAS
Wednesday, October 5 @ 12pm via Zoom
Our upcoming meeting will be a Q&A session with a panel of WPF “experts” in the field of finance. We encourage you to bring all of your financial planning and investment questions and we will do our best to address them. Financial Divas meet to discuss all things financial with a different topic/speaker each meeting. Join us to expand your fiscal knowledge and to discuss your money and investment related questions. All are welcome and we are always looking for speakers. Please contact Cecelia Anderson canderson@investdavenport.com if you’re not already on the email list or if you are interested in being a speaker.
BOOK CLUB
Tuesday, October 11 @ 7:00 pm
Ronnie Grabon’s house
The Book Club and Devoted to Diversity SIGs will come together for a combined event to discuss the book All That She Carried: The Journey of Ashley’s Sack, A Black Family Keepsake by Tiya Miles. This award-winning book focuses on a mother’s love for her enslaved child. A renowned historian traces the life of a single object handed down through three generations of Black women to craft a “deeply layered and insightful” (The Washington Post) testament to people who are left out of the archives. NATIONAL BOOK AWARD WINNER. Nancy Radtke will lead the discussion.
Ronnie can accommodate 15 people – please RSVP to her at rsgrabon@gmail.com
__________
DEVOTED TO DIVERSITY
The Hidden Truth
Oct 22 @ 8 pm at the Carolina Theater
Join us for this play told from the perspectives of both Black and white people, the play will challenge everything you thought you knew and shine a light on the unabridged truth about the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921, one of the deadliest, untold, and unforgettable massacres in American history. Many thanks to Mona Edwards for suggesting this as a DTD activity.
Tickets $42.50 to $150; email Jennifer Mencarini to reserve your spot.
Have ideas for activities in you’d like to participate in? Contact Jennifer Mencarini and Judge Teresa Vincent.
