Lyrics of Our Lives
A message from WPF President, Amy Baradell
It’s October! We know that just around the corner are the holidays and we will be ringing in 2023. It’s amazing, as we always say, how quickly this year has gone! In September, my husband and I were able to attend the Saturday night performances at the NC Folk Festival. The rain had cleared, and we enjoyed the Black Opry Revue followed by Karan Casey. They were both amazing! Most of the songs for both groups were original. As the singers introduced their songs, they shared the events that were happening in their lives that inspired them. Some during COVID, some during transition, some in bad times and some in good times. I really wanted to hear their words and to understand their meaning. As I listen to songs with my husband, I am asking about the words. For example, in the song The Weight by The Band, I want to know what was meant by “take a load off Fanny.” The answer is still up for debate.
Music touches all of us in unique ways. It brings up feelings and memories. It can stir you up and calm you down. Every time I hear the song What a Fool Believes by the Doobie Brothers, I am sixteen years old, driving solo for the first time in a ‘69 rambler with the windows down.
Every generation has its own poets in the songwriters of that era. Their words concisely sum up our deep joys, sorrows, and dreams. There is wisdom there.
Here are a few lines from a few songs that make me think and reflect. They need no explanation. They will have their own unique meaning to each of us.
Beautiful Boy by John Lennon: Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.
The Gambler by Kenny Rogers: You’ve got to know when to hold ‘em, Know when to fold ‘em.
When You Say Nothing at All by Allison Krauss: You say it best when you say nothing at all.
What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong: And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.
Lyin’ Eyes by The Eagles: Every form of refuge has its price.
Against the Wind by Bob Seger: Wish I didn’t know now, what I didn’t know then.
You can’t always get what you want by The Rolling Stones: You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you just might find you get what you need.
Lean on Me by Bill Withers: I just might have a problem you’ll understand, we all need somebody to lean on. The last line from “Lean on Me” sums up WPF in many ways. It’s so nice to have someone to lean on.
Follow the link below to hear people from around the world sing, The Weight. It was produced by Playing for Change, an international non-profit foundation whose goal is to inspire and connect the world through music. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ph1GU1qQ1zQ
Please email me at amyb@windowworksstudio.com with some of the lyrics of your lives. There will be a little gift for those who do!
OCTOBER MEETING …OCTOBER 12, STARMOUNT COUNTRY CLUB
Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
What are the sustainable business practices organizations are embracing? How are the words defined? What do we add when we add equity to our practices? WPF members, Kim Gatling and Jennifer Mencarini will speak about best practices, what they have seen in organizations and the work they are doing at Fox Rothschild.
Kimberly Bullock Gatling is a partner and the Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at Fox Rothschild LLP. She is a United States Registered Patent Attorney and a North Carolina State Bar Certified Trademark Specialist who focuses her legal practice on intellectual property and information technology. As the Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer across all of Fox Rothschild’s 28 offices nationwide, Kim serves as part of the firm’s leadership team and develops strategies that increase and promote a diverse workforce and inclusive environment at all levels. Throughout Gatling’s professional career, she has invested in her community through service and leadership with various other entities. She is a Director for Culp, Inc., a public company headquartered in High Point, North Carolina. She serves the Chair of the Board of Directors for the Cone Health Foundation and serves as an Associate Director for Truliant Federal Credit Union. She is also a Trustee for North Carolina A&T State University, serving as Secretary. In prior roles, Gatling chaired the Board of Directors of United Way of Greater Greensboro, and served on the boards of Habitat for Humanity and the Gateway Research Center. Gatling’s legal and business experiences have resulted in her development of a robust skillset including technological innovation, product development, intellectual property protection and enforcement strategy, data protection, marketing and advertising, e-commerce, board leadership and collaboration, strategic planning, and governance.
Jennifer Gibert Mencarini is a former litigator with 10-plus years of law practice and six years of law school career services experience. Jennifer’s work now focuses on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at Fox Rothschild, LLP. She works directly with Kim Gatling, the Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer. As Director of Career Development at Elon Law, Jennifer provided holistic professional development and support services to law students and graduates. In addition to providing 1:1 career coaching and group programming, Jennifer taught professional development in the Lawyering, Leadership & Professionalism Program, managed Elon Law’s pro bono program, and co-managed the law school’s DEI work. Jennifer is an active community volunteer. She is the NALP Southeast Region Employer Representative for the 2023 Annual Education Conference Planning Committee, and serves as a board member for Ms. JD. Jennifer is the Vice Chair of the University of Virginia’s IDEA Fund, and board member of the Women’s Professional Forum Foundation. She serves on three North Carolina Bar Association Committees and in 2021 was elected a Director of the Greensboro Bar Association. She is a Master member of the Guilford American Inns of Court.
WPF FOUNDATION NEWS
WPF FOUNDATION NEWSA Message from Jean Pudlo, WPFF President Jean Pudlo
When I reflect, I realize again all the opportunities that I have had in my life. To fulfill many dreams – including lots of camping such as my current trip in the Ozarks. That’s not everyone’s dream, I know! I also dreamed that I could learn how to manage organizations and help nonprofits do it well. I had the opportunity to go to business school, and transfer what I learned then and since to dozens of organizations.
The opportunities I had were based on my family support, my education, my privilege as a white woman, my friends and colleagues, and many other advantages. To me, the WPF Foundation is about opening opportunities for the many women and girls who have not had such advantages.
I am so pleased to be a part of our Foundation — where a couple hundred women over the years have been able to support girls and women as they find their dreams and then begin to live them. Thank you for being part of that with me. We hope you’ll join us anytime in financially supporting the Foundation.
Small Group Dinners – Fall edition
It is time for the Fall Small Group Dinners (SGD), yay! The dinners, and now a few lunch options, will be scheduled between mid-October and mid-November. Please sign up for one meal via Signup Genius ( https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0F49A4A628A6FC1-wpfsmall1) by Oct. 7.
Please reach out with any questions to Lorri Yaskiewicz lorriyaskiewicz@gmail.com or Christie Soper christiesoper@gmail.com.
Special Interest Group Upcoming Events
FINANCIAL DIVAS
Wednesday, October 5 @ 12 PM via Zoom
Join us for 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. RSVP to Cecelia at anderson@investdavenport.com.
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 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 home
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 soon at rsgrabon@gmail.com.
Whitehead also wrote The Underground Railroad and will appear at the Bryan Series on April 12th (maybe people who have tickets can arrange some small group events to watch the Zoom presentation).
LADIES OF LEISURE (LOL)
Friday, Oct. 14 @ 10AM
Lunch @ the Table in Burlington + Pumpkin Patch
Lunch at the Table in Asheboro and visit to the Pumpkin Patch at The School Houses Gallery and STARworks Center. Carpool available; please let us know if you need a ride when you RSVP. Please RSVP to retired@wpforum.org.
Sunday, Nov. 13 @ 2PM – Underground Railroad Walking Tour
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.
WORKING MOMS
Tuesday, October 18 @ 8 AM
Scrambled – 2417 Spring Garden Street
Join the Working Moms for breakfast as we gather to support each other. Please RSVP to Marlee at marleegfoster@gmail.com or 336-235-1596.
SIPPIN’ SISTERS
Tuesday, October 18 @ 6 PM
Nancy Radtke’s house
Do you know a story about an unsolved murder? Do you have a ghost story? Bring your best (creepy, scary or gruesome) story to Sippin’ Sisters and tell the group! Do you jump when things go BUMP in the night? Then you are the perfect audience for a ghost story! Listen, laugh and gasp! We will have plenty to eat and drink. RSVP To Nancy: nancy.radtke@allentate.com or 336-202-6181. Venmo $25.00 to @Nancy-Radtke-3.
Tuesday, November 15
Havana Phil’s Cigar Company – 1628 Battleground Avenue
Mark your calendar! Upcoming special Private Anniversary Party. Join host Erica Parker on the patio. More details to come.
WOMEN OF WALL STREET (WOW)
Thursday, October 20, 2022 @ 6 PM
Lucky 32 Restaurant – 1421 Westover Terrace
At this dinner meeting we will have an informal follow up discussion about the September Topic Meeting, “Own Your Worth”. Please RSVP to Katrina Solomon, katrinak.solomon@gmail.com by Monday, October 17 so we know how many to expect.
Our final Business Meeting of the year will be Thursday, November 17, at 6 pm at Mt. Pisgah United Methodist Church located at 2600 Pisgah Church Road which is at the intersection of Battleground and Pisgah Church Road.
We open the Club for new members once a year in January. If you are interested in joining, please contact Peggy Ward at peggy.ward8@icloud.com
Members who wish to withdraw from the Club for 2023, please notify in writing either president Laura Burton(lburton@foxrothschild.com) or secretary Sandy Doyle-Jones (Sdoylejones@gmail.com) by October 31, 2022.
DEVOTED TO DIVERSITY
Saturday, October 22 at 8 p.m.
Carolina Theater
The Devoted to Diversity SIG invites WPF members to join us on to see The Hidden Truth of Black Wall Street at the Carolina Theater. 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.
We would like to arrange for WPF members to sit together. Tickets range in price from $42.50 to $150. If you are interested in joining us, please email DTD co-chair Jennifer Mencarini (jennifer.g.mencarini@gmail.com) to reserve your spot and make payment arrangements.
If you have any ideas for activities in which you would like to participate, please reach out to SIG co-chairs Jennifer Mencarini and Judge Teresa Vincent.
DINING OUT
Wednesday, October 26 @ 6:30 PM
MJ’s Restaurant & Catering – 620 Dolley Madison Rd.
This month’s gathering will be hosted by Amy Meinecke. We will be eating on the patio and there will be outdoor heaters. RSVP to Amy Meinecke
SERVICE TO OTHERS
Saturday, October 29 from 8:30 – 12:00
One Step Further Grocery Distribution Center
1806 Merritt Drive, GSO
We might be helping fill grocery orders, unloading donations, sorting donations, stocking shelves, loading groceries for patrons or assisting patrons with ordering or registering.
Lunch afterwards! To join us, RSVP to Jody Susong at jsusong@triad.rr.com.
One Step Further addresses the critical Guilford County issue of food hardship in efforts to reduce the cycle of poverty by providing grocery assistance, and educational and informative nutrition support services. Their goal is to help their patrons become self-sustaining through their programs.
