Under the Umbrella
A message from WPF President, Cecelia Anderson
I hope you are enjoying the longer days and warmer temperatures as much as I am. Something about summer feels so freeing to me. Schedules become more relaxed as school lets out, evenings are much less stressful without homework and afterschool activities, and work tends to calm down a bit (at least for a week or two). Sitting on the patio or at the pool with a cold lemonade in hand doesn’t feel so lazy if it’s 90 degrees in the middle of July. It feels like that’s what you’re supposed to do in the south during the summer.
However, a few years ago I didn’t have such a relaxed attitude about summer. In fact, I was an anxious mess. I was 35 years old when I was diagnosed with stage 1B melanoma. My son was 4 and my daughter had just turned 2. And I had cancer. And not just any cancer. It was one that is known to be very aggressive and deadly. That first summer after my diagnosis I didn’t leave the house unless I was covered head to toe: a hat, long sleeve shirt, and long pants. It made for a very hot summer. Given my fair skin and blonde hair, I was already predisposed to skin cancer. What really did me in were all the years of baking at the tanning bed and lying in the sun with very little sunscreen. Fortunately, after a few scares in my early 20s (and multiple biopsies after), I realized my tanning addiction was likely going to kill me if I didn’t stop. So I spent the next 10 years being extremely sun safe. Unfortunately, the damage I did to my skin in my younger years had finally caught up with me. It only takes one bad sunburn at a young age to more than double your chances of developing melanoma, and exposure to a tanning bed before age 30 increases your risk 75%. Skin cancer doesn’t discriminate- it can happen to anyone regardless of your skin color or ethnicity. And let’s not forget about the wrinkles.
A few surgeries and 8½ years later, I’m happy to say I’m cancer free (knock on wood!) Many of you have had cancer scares of your own or have known someone affected by this terrible disease. I know we all want to look our best and for many, being tan is part of that. But please don’t take your skin (or your health) for granted. Melanoma is rare in that there is actually something you can do to prevent it. Wear sunscreen. Avoid the tanning bed. Stay sun safe. See your dermatologist for an annual exam. Your skin and future self will thank you.
So, grab your (wide-brimmed) hat, SPF 50, and cold lemonade and meet me at the pool! I’ll be the one sitting under the umbrella!
JUNE MEETING …June 14. 2023
Welcome Regina Robinson, President & Owner of RM Robinson Solutions
Regina Robinson has a 25-year background in the field of workplace education and training. She is the president and owner of RM Robinson Solutions LLC. Ms. Robinson uses her passion for African American history to create curricula and activities for adult learners, K-12 students, teachers, and local historical sites that engage and stimulate learning.
She has a BA in Communications from Marymount Manhattan College and an MA in Media Ecology from New York University. Regina lives in Philadelphia in the 172-year-old Queen’s House with her husband John and their rescue dog-son Iggie.
She will be discussing “Finding Strength Through the Power of History” using the story of “The Invisible Warriors” – the movie that depicts the stories of the 600,000 Black women who fled lives as domestics and sharecroppers to work in factories and government offices during WWII. Regina will focus on how we find our gifts through history.
NEWS & UPDATES
MEMBERSHIP NEWS
From Meryl Mullane, Membership Committee Chair
The Membership Committee has received new member applications that we’re really excited about. We’ll be reviewing all applications in June and notifying the sponsors and co-sponsors after decisions are made. The approved new members will be presented at our August meeting and a New Member Social will be held in late September/early October. Many thanks to all sponsors for your diligence completing the applications to providing everything we needed.
We look forward to welcoming our new class of members for 2023! If you have any questions, please email merylmullane@gmail.com or call me at 336-312-3381.
FOUNDATION NEWS
From Kim Eder, WPF Foundation President
Thank you for supporting the Foundation! We were so excited to present our 2023 Grant Recipients, made possible by your donations over the past 39 years. The variety and reach of the projects we are supporting this year is broad and will be felt far beyond Guilford County. Despite this impressive list of grantees, the need to empower women and girls in our community is great. Thank you for supporting our Foundation as we try to meet that need. We are so grateful for your contributions of time, energy, talents, creativity, passion and donations. If you have not committed to donate yet this year, we certainly hope you will consider a gift to the WPF Foundation in 2023.
RECAP OF OUR 2023 GRANTEES
• Beloved Community Center: $6,500 for their Sharing the Light program to train the next generation of leaders in the Social Justice Sector.
•. Fuerza Latina Unida para Triumfar (Latina Force United to Succeed): $4,600 for their newly launched Mujerxs Liderando Projcet (Women Leading) which will include the delivery of the WPFF Girls Leadership Edge Program.
•. Journey Adult Day Center: $5,000 for their Our Health, Our Wealth program. They will host middle school girls in an eight week intensive summer program to educate them and help create a pipeline for employment and entrepreneurship in the fields of healthcare and human services.
•. NCCJ: $2,400 for 2 female scholarships to attend their Anytown program. Anytown is a long running week long human relations leadership program for rising high school students in Guilford County. They will live and interact with a diverse group of peers of workshops, discussion groups, and activities.
•. Sister Circle International: $3,500 for their She Works & Wins program to support underserved women in Greensboro and High Point to gain self-sufficiency, insight, knowledge, and resources to empower them to function at their full potential.
•. Sudan House: $3,500 for their Workforce Development program intended to support 30 immigrant and refugee women entering the workforce as well as pursuing educational opportunities.
•. UNCG Center for New North Carolinians: $2,500 for their Umoja Women’s Group Women’s Initiative which offers leadership development training to UWG members and other refugee women.
SUMMER SOCIAL!
Thursday, August 10 @ 6pm
Tuggle Duggins P.A., 400 Bellemeade St. Suite 800
Please mark your calendars for the Summer Social! We are thankful to our WPF sister, Kris Landrum, for securing this year’s convenient location. We will have fun appetizers and drinks to share while we visit with each other. Stay tuned for a detailed invitation with RSVP instructions. We look forward to socializing with you! – Jennifer Mencarini and Nicole Hayes, Directors At Large
Special Interest Group Upcoming Events
LADIES OF LEISURE
Friday, June 2 @ 2pm
Greenway Walking Tour
Join us for a tour of the Greenway’s history, infrastructure, art, social significance, financing – click here to learn more! We expect our walking tour to take about 2 1/2-3 hours, depending on the size of the group, the pace, and how chatty everyone is. The tour can accomodate up to 20 people and is free, but donations are welcome. We’ll meet at the Loft Park (corner of Smith and Eugene in front of Joymongers); we can refresh ourselves at Joymongers after the walk. Thanks to Denny Kelly for coordinating this event. To RSVP email your name, cell phone # and email to retired@wpforum.org. Backup rain date is Friday, June 9, at 2pm.
BOOK CLUB
Tuesday, June 6 @ 7 pm
Home of Kris Landrum
Ronnie Grabon will lead our discussion. We will be discussing a highly recommended book – Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray. It is a remarkable novel about J. P. Morgan’s personal librarian, Bella da Costa, the Black American woman who was forced to hide her true identity and pass as white to leave a lasting legacy that enriched our nation. Please RSVP to Kris at KLandrum@tuggleduggins.com.
SERVICE TO OTHERS
Saturday, June 10, 11 am-6 pm @ Dunleath Porchfest
Join us as we help kids in attendance make banjos and guitars! We’re looking for 3 volunteers per time slot. We’ll be under a tent with table and chairs. It was a really fun event last year and the kids love it! You can sign up for a shift and then take time to hear some of the music. Please email Amy Baradell @ amyb@windowworksstudio.com to sign up.
Here are the shift opportunities. Report to the information tent at the corner of Cypress and Percy for instructions and supplies when you arrive.
11-1:30 at 107 Cypress (arrive at 10:45)
1:30-4 at 107 Cypress (arrive at 12:45)
4:30-6 at Sternberger Park (arrive at 4:15)
Mebane invites you to stop by her house at 675 Percy before or after your shift. She has cool drinks and a bathroom!
WHINE DIVAS
Saturday, June 10 @ 1 pm
Chateau Morrisette Winery, Floyd, Virginia
Let’s head up to Chateau Morrisette for music in the courtyard with Kat Mills. Admission is free for the concert. We can enjoy wine tastings in the tasting room, carry picnic baskets to share snacks, and enjoy the beautiful view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The concert starts at 1:00 pm. RSVP to Lorri Yaskiewicz at Lorriyaskiewicz@gmail.com
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WORKING MOMS
Tuesday, June 20th @ 4-5 pm
The Loaded Grape
2915 Battleground Ave, Suite F
Join us for happy hour at the Loaded Grape. Open to moms of all ages! RSVP to Marlee Foster at marlee.foster@conehealth.com
BOOKS & ARTS
June 26 and June 27 @ 6 PM
Culinary U
1709 Fleming Road
There’s been a lot of interest in the cooking classes that we have scheduled at Culinary U! We added the class on the 26th when the 27th date was nearly full. We currently can accommodate 5 more people for the class on Monday, the 26th, and one more on Tuesday, the 27th. We’ll be cooking and eating four different dishes (menu to be determined). The cost is between $55 and $59 per person (depending on the menu). Menu selection will be done by those who sign up…it’s going to be hard! Everything except alcoholic beverages is provided, but we’re welcome to bring our own wine/beer, etc. Class size is limited to 12 so reach out to Kris Landrum asap if you want to participate (klandrum@tuggleduggins.com).
WOMEN OF WALL STREET
We will not meet in June nor July as many members are on holiday during the summer. Our third quarter Business Meeting will be Thursday, August 24 at 6 pm, Mt. Pisgah Church, if you want to mark your calendar. September 21st will be our Dinner Meeting, and October 19th will be the final segment of our Topic Meeting entitled “Taking Action—My Financial Confidence Workbook.” Hope everyone has a terrific summer!
FINANCIAL DIVAS
Wednesday, June 28
9-10 am
Weaver Park Center Bldg,
324 W.Wendover Ave, Suite 140
Financial Divas will gather to discuss “What You Should Be Thinking About 5-10 Years Before Retirement – And the Five Years After”. This is your opportunity to create a checklist and see where you may have gaps – NOW, when more options are open to you. Attend not only for yourself, but also for clients, friends and loved ones who depend on you. Company benefits, retirement income, retirement expenses, withdrawal strategies, etc. Nothing is off the table. Come and join us in the O to share, learn and prepare for 30 years of inflation, taxes, market ups and downs and no paycheck. Questions? Contact Paula McMillan at pmcmillan@stearnsfinancial.com or 336.337.9507.
DINING OUT
Wednesday, June 28 @ 6:30 pm
Green Valley Grill
622 Green Valley Rd
Host: Kim Trone
Questions: Contact Amy Meinecke at diningout@wpforum.org
BOOKS & ARTS
It’s Eastern Music Festival Time!!
July 10 @ 5 pm Green Valley Grill
followed by concert at Dana Auditorium, Guilford College
July 24@ 8 pm Dana Auditorium, Guilford College
Summer is arriving in Greensboro. And, summer in Greensboro means Eastern Music Festival! Join us for a two-part exploration of EMF’s Conducting Scholars program and a behind the scenes view of how orchestral music is made. On Monday, July 10, we will meet at Green Valley Grill at 5:00 pm, where one of the EMF faculty will join us for dinner and conversation. From there, we will go to Dana Auditorium on the Guilford College campus to attend the first rehearsal of the student conductors with the Eastern Festival Orchestra.
Two weeks later, on July 24, we will attend the Conducting Scholars performance with the orchestra at Dana Auditorium at 8:00 pm, preceded by dinner at Melanie Tuttle’s home. There is no cost to attend the rehearsal. For the concert, EMF asks only that you “pay what you can.”
If you are interested in attending either the rehearsal or the concert or both, please contact Melanie Tuttle at 336-210-1280 or mstuttle54@gmail.com. Also, please let her know if you wish to join us for dinner on the 10th at Green Valley Grill or at her home on the 24th. Reservations and space are limited.
Happy Summer!