A Season of Golden Leaves & the Golden Rule!
A message from WPF President, Cecelia Anderson
October is here and I couldn’t be happier. I love the cooler weather, nights around the fire pit with s’mores, and of course, all things pumpkin. October has always been my favorite month of the year.
Another reason to love October is that October is National Bullying Prevention Month.
As a parent to a 5th grader and 8th grader, bullying is definitely on my radar (along with school shootings, drugs, smoking, vaping, screen time; I could keep going but you get the idea).
Bullying has changed from what it looked like when we were kids. In today’s world, it’s not as easy to spot as the mean kid that demands your lunch money. Instead, a lot of bullying is happening online, on social media platforms, text threads, and in video game chats.
I was lucky as a kid – I was never bullied. And luck is all it is, right? If you happen to be the unlucky kid (or adult- workplace bullying does happen) that stands out because you look different or talk or act differently than what some around you may consider “normal,” many times you’re at a greater chance of being picked on and made fun of. Even if the bullying doesn’t turn physical, the emotional scars can be just as devastating, especially to a child.
As adults, we all have the opportunity to help prevent this sort of behavior. Whether you have children in your home or not you still have the power to help prevent bullying. Lead by example- treating others with respect, no matter their background, beliefs, etc., sets an excellent example for others around you. If the head person in your workplace is a jerk to others, don’t be surprised if others then think it’s OK to behave that way in the office. Be kind to others. Be empathetic. Be inclusive.
We all have the chance to make this crazy world we’re living in a better place. This Fall, one of my goals is to make sure I’m setting a good example for those around me. You can never go wrong following the Golden Rule: Treat others as you’d like to be treated. It’s not always easy to be the nice gal, especially when I’m running late for car pool pick up and the guy in front of me just cut me off. But if we all take a deep breath and give people a little grace, those around us just might learn to do the same.
OCTOBER MEETING … October 11, 12:30-1:30pm at Starmount Country Club
The Election Process in NC with Barbara Carter & Donna Peterson
Barbara Carter and Donna Peterson from The League of Women Voters of the Piedmont Triad will share timely information about the election process in North Carolina. Get the scoop on Voter ID and absentee ballots in NC. If you wonder who makes the decisions about voting for Guilford County and NC, they’ll talk about that as well. Do you need a reliable, nonpartisan resource for information about the candidates on your ballot? They’ll have that, too.
Donna Peterson has an MA from UNCG and has lived in Greensboro since 1988. She is Co-Chair of Voter Services of the League. Their goal is to provide voter education through the non-partisan website VOTE411.ORG and through candidate forums. She have been involved in the League since 2015. Donna is passionate about voters having the information they need to make informed choices on their ballot.
Barbara Carter, a native of Cumberland County, NC, has called Greensboro home ever since she graduated (the first of three times) from UNCG in 1970. She taught mathematics from 1970 – 2008 in high schools for 11 years and the remainder of the time at UNCG. An active member of the Greensboro Symphony Guild while teaching at UNCG, her civic engagement focus shifted in the past few years to AAUW Greensboro, LWV of the Piedmont Triad, and others and, time-wise, she is now heavily invested in LWVPT. She enjoys, and has enjoyed over most of her life to varying levels of intensity, reading, gardening, traveling, music, and learning new things. She is Chair, Voter Registration, League of Women Voters of the Piedmont Triad.
SMALL GROUP DINNERS
It’s time to sign up! Sign up now for the lunch or dinner you will attend. If you have questions about your specific event, please contact your hostess directly. We hope you have fun and fellowship with your sisters!
MEMBERSHIP NEWS
From Meryl Mullane, WPF Membership Committee Chair
Thanks to members who took the initiative to meet our 15 new WPF sisters. If you haven’t yet, please get to know these interesting women. And kudos to the 45 members who served as sponsors and co-sponsors to share the love for WPF sisterhood.
Although the June 1st deadline for the 2024 class seems far in the future, some of you are already looking to start the application process for your prospective new members. We ask that you wait until around the beginning of the year when we’ll have the website information modified so it’s easier to follow. Additionally, you’ll have the option of fillable PDF forms for the application and sponsor packet. The basics won’t change. Please contact me if you have any questions about the membership application process. MerylMullane@gmail.com 336-312-3381
FOUNDATION NEWS
From Kim Eder, WPF Foundation President
Hello from the WPF Foundation, and welcome to the 2024 Grant Application cycle! We have opened the application window from October 1, 2023 through January 31, 2024. Please direct any organization you know that might be a good fit for our grants tour website for the application link. They will find the new application link on the grants tab on the Foundation page at www.wpforum.org/foundation/grants/. Additionally, the Grant press release will be going out shortly to alert the public to our application cycle. We look forward to receiving some exciting applications and continuing the work of our Foundation for women and girls in Guilford County!
BOOKS & ARTS BLOWING ROCK 2024!!
We’re taking reservations for next year’s Blowing Rock summer trip (not to be confused with Wild Women in the mountains in March, which you don’t want to miss!) Sixteen of us enjoyed this summer’s trip, with activities including tubing, biking, shopping, spa visits, an outdoor concert, and the Blowing Rock home tour. Next summer our dates are July 18th to 21st to coincide with the Chetola Symphony by the Lake. Unfortunately, we’ll miss the home tour, but the symphony and the home tour are now on different weekends so we’re alternating years. On the positive side, this leaves more time for more shopping, spa visits, tubing, biking, etc., in addition to enjoying the concert. The housing cost usually runs between $200 and $250 per person and other expenses (other than spa treatments and any dining out) probably come in at under $100. Because Blowing Rock is so popular during the summer, we need to reserve accommodations ahead of time. If you’d like to be part of the ’24 trip, email Kris Landrum at klandrum@tuggleduggins.com. Cost to reserve your space is $100, since we have to pay a deposit of half the housing cost when we make reservations. At this point, we already have 13 women signed up for the event. Don’t miss out!
Special Interest Group Upcoming Events
BOOKS CLUB
Tuesday, October 3rd @ 7pm
Ronnie Grabon’s House
Join us as we discuss First Women by Kate Anderson Brower. RSVP to Ronnie at rsgrabon@gmail.com if you plan to come.
Reminder: Book Club will meet December 5th to discuss Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus.
BOOKS & ARTS
National Coming Out Day with Guilford Green
Saturday, October 7 from 12-5pm
504 State Street
Join us in support of National Coming Out Day sponsored by the Guilford Green Foundation. Enjoy vendors, food trucks, and a live performance by the band, Taboo Sue, featuring fellow WPF members Frenesa Hall and Christina Rama. Jeanie Duncan and Christie Soper are hosting, so contact them with questions.
RSVP to christiesoper@gmail.com.
SIPPIN’ SISTERS
Halloween Party!
Tuesday, October 10th @6pm
Home of Joy Shavitz
Sippin’ Sisters Halloween Party!! There will be a BEST COSTUME CONTEST so dress to thrill and chill. Enjoy our Bourbon witches brew punch, Bloody Mary’s, Red wine and delicious catering. Hostesses are Kim Trone and Kimberly Marriott.
Please RSVP to Kim Trone at 336 707-2136 and Venmo her $30 @Kimberly-Trone-1.
Also: mark your calendars for Sippin’ Sisters’ Third Anniversary celebration on November 14 at Christie Soper’s home. More info to come.
SERVICE TO OTHERS
Saturday, October 14th from 10am – Noon
NC African Services Coalition
122 N. Elm St, #1010
Come join us in organizing the warehouse for the North Carolina African Services Coalition. NCASC is a nonprofit, community-based organization dedicated to empowering refugees and immigrants of the Triad through direct social services and employment programs. All refugees have been vetted by the US government, are entering the country legally and come to us from all over the world. It serves as a one-stop information source for refugees and immigrant communities to be self-sufficient and independent.
Community members have donated items needed to setup apartments including furniture, kitchen items, bath supplies, bedding and more. Your efforts will allow volunteers and staff to easily find the treasures needed to setup new homes for refugees. Please contact Judy Piper at jrpiper114@gmail.com or 336.312.5562 for logistics and details.
BOOKS & ARTS
Sunday, October 15th – 10am – 5pm
Salisbury Historic Tour of Homes
Join us for brunch and a tour of homes sponsored by the Historic Salisbury Foundation. The eight homes on tour this year were all built in the late 1800’s or early 1900’s. They are primarily located in the Salisbury Historic District and are an easy walk – no hills. In addition, there will be tours of several historic business buildings, a church and two apartments. There will be trollies available to take us to those facilities.
We will leave Greensboro at 10:00, have brunch at Sweet Meadow at 11:00 and enjoy our tour of these amazing homes from 12 o’clock to 4 o’clock, returning to Greensboro by 5 o’clock. Tickets are $30 and the lunch cost is separate. If you want to participate, or have questions please contact Darlene Ball at darleneballgso.gmail.com or 336-430-6838.
You can learn more about Historic Salisbury Foundation and the October Tour at their website: historicsalisbury.org
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WORKING MOMS
Thursday, October 17 @ Noon
Char Bar 7
3724 Lawndale Drive
Join us for lunch at Char Bar 7. Moms of all ages welcome. RSVP to Marlee Foster at marlee.foster@conehealth.com.
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FINANCIAL DIVAS
Wednesday, October 25th @ 9am
Weaver Park Center, 324 W Wendover Avenue, Suite 140
Contact Paula McMillan at pmcmillan@stearnsfinancial.com or 336.337/9507 for information.
WOMEN OF WALL STREET
Thursday, Oct. 19 @ 6pm
Topic Meeting
Mt. Pisgah United Methodist
2600 Pisgah Church Road
All members of WPF are welcome to attend. We’ll cover the second half of “Taking Action” My Financial Confidence Workbook. This is a continuation of the basics we discussed in March (financial terms, investment strategies, psychology of investing, life events, and how to assess your own individual financial situation and take action). The booklet to accompany the presentation will be emailed to WOW members around the first week of October. If you’d like to attend, contact Peggy Ward at peggy.ward8@icloud.com. Light refreshments will be served.
WOW members final business meeting will be November 16th.
We open WOW for new members in January and allow existing members to leave. Interested in joining? Contact Peggy Ward at peggy.ward8@icloud.com for more information. WOW member who wants to sell your share? Contact Pat Price at patprice4639@gmail.com by Tuesday October 31, 2023, to enable the Club to evaluate ramifications of the sale.
Interested in annual NYC trip? Notify Peggy Ward now at peggy.ward8@icloud.com. Please indicate which date you prefer: January 12, 2024, which is the MLK weekend or a date in April or May. If we are going in January, we will need to coordinate this soon.
DINING OUT
Wednesday, October 25 @ 6:30pm
Salvino Cucina Italiano
Hosted by Cathy Nosek
Join us for a delicious Italian meal! RSVP at https://forms.gle/PwFyRZSEkxBQdf4X6
Questions? Contact Amy Meinecke at 336-848-3198 or diningout@wpforum.org.
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HAPPY FALL!
LAIDES OF LEISURE
Thursday, October 26th @ 10:45am
Wine Tasting & Lunch at JOLO Winery
JOLO Winery is located in Pilot Mountain, about an hour from Greensboro. We will meet in the Whole Foods parking lot at Friendly Center to carpool at 10:30 AM and depart by 10:45 AM. The cost for wine tasting is $20 for 7 pours – 1 sparkling, 1 white, 1 rose, 3 reds and a dessert wine choice, or a 7-pour tasting of reserve reds is available for $40. If you decide to do both, we will drive you home afterward.
Lunch menu options are about $20, so the cost will be in the $50-$75 range with tax & tip. RSVP via email to retired@wpforum.org. Contact Jane Hewitt at jhewitt51@gmail.com with questions.
Friday, November 3rd @ 10:15am
Revolution Mill Tour & Lunch
Nick Piornack, Revolution Mill General Manager, is delighted to provide a tour for us. Please arrive by 10:15, as the tour starts at 10:30 AM. We should finish around 11:30 and can dine onsite. Restaurant operating days/hours might shift; therefore, we will finalize a reservation in October. Parking is TBA. RSVP via email to retired@wpforum.org. Contact Beverly Williams with questions.