May 2015

Welcome

 

Dear Members,

Have we got a month for you! May will bring a flurry of activities to BWA.

First, there is our monthly meeting, always uplifting. May is women’s health month and we hope to be able to leave you smiling when we discuss creating (or reinforcing) a PMO (Positive Mental Outlook).

On Thursday, May 14, you are invited to come to our quarterly social event, hosted by Diana Plucienkowski at her home in Plantation. In addition to the “just a good reason to get together” event, there will also be featured jewelry items that you can purchase- in case you didn’t get what you wanted for Mother’s Day.

Finally, our committees have been bringing their work to closure.

The nominating committee, chaired by Connie Lowenthal has developed a list of proposed board members/officers for next year. That slate will be announced at the meeting and voted on by the membership in June.

The scholarship committee, chaired by Tracy Carroll, received 42 applications and narrowed down the list to the top applicants. With so many top notch women vying for our support, the committee is working diligently to cull the list. They hope to have the recipients identified and the list finalized within a week or so.

The Bylaws committee, chaired by Janet Erlick, has reviewed our Bylaws and will be presenting recommendations for bringing them into the 21st century at the next board meet.

And of course, our wonderful scholarship committee continues to propose wonderful new additions to our wonderful community of women supporting women.

Thank you to everyone who served on a committee this year. The members were well represented by your efforts. 

All the best, Merrie

        
Important Registration Details

We have a great meeting planned for this month. Our own Maria Soldani will speak to us, and if you have ever heard her, you know how FUNNY she is. You can't miss this one!

On line registration closes Wednesday  May 6.

Your on-line registration is very important to provide an accurate count.   If you attend without registering OR you register and do not attend, you will be charged a fee.

If you must cancel after Friday, May 8 or, if you have questions about registration you must contact Debbi Hartman at Browardwomensalliance@gmail.com  or 954-483-3060

 

Member News

You are invited to a private social evening for BWA members and their guest on Thursday, May 14th from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m,  The event is hosted by BWA member, Diana Plucienkowski

Enjoy good company, wine and appetizers as well as jewelry for sale to benefit the scholarship fund.

Members & Guests:  Complimentary

RSVP by 2pm Tuesday, May 12th

Questions?  Call Diana at  954-288-6374

Special thanks to Diana Plucienkowski, Hillary Gurman and Bambi Nikolakis-Williams!

Here is a note from a former scholarship recipient, shared by Maria Soldani.

Good morning,

I have been truly blessed by your organization scholarships. I was awarded a scholarship in 2013 from you and because this is my last semester at Broward College I have asked them to return to you the excess in the amount of $1544.77.

With your continuous financial help I completed my Associates Degree in Civil Engineering at BC and I am looking forward to getting my Bachelor's degree.

I already transferred to FIU and registered for 3 summer classes. I was hoping there is a way to transfer this excess l funds to my FIU student account.

Please let me know if this is possible and what information I need to provide you.

Thank you, Leilamar Mousseau

This from Maria Pierson- The Broward Education Foundation will celebrate 32 years of educational excellence during the Black & White Gala beginning at 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 9 at the Hyatt Pier Sixty Six, 2301 S.E. 17th Street, Fort Lauderdale. 

Community leaders Jarett and Dara Levan and Dwight and Dinah Stephenson and BrightStar Credit Union are the honorees. Gala chair is Phyllis Schiffer-Simon and honorary chairs are Broward County Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie and School Board Chair Donna Korn. Tickets are $150. For more information, call 754-321-2030 or visit www.browardedfoundation.org.

Jené Kapela, Ed.D. is very excited to be offering a Myers-Briggs workshop on Thursday, May 14th from 9:30am-12:00pm at ArtServe in Fort Lauderdale.

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is an assessment that considers differences in how people perceive the world and make decisions.  The tool is fantastic for personal growth and professional development because it explains why people communicate differently and how they approach their work in different ways.  The workshop will result in greater self-awareness and teach people techniques for working more effectively with others. 

The cost is only $45 – this includes the assessment, personality profile, a copy of the Introduction to Type book, AND the workshop.  Participants will complete the assessment online prior to the workshop.  At the workshop, we’ll focus on understanding and applying the assessment results through fun and interactive learning.

Individuals can register online at http://jenekapela.com/events/myers-briggs_workshop/.

Nancy Olson received the first every “Faculty Appreciation Award” from the NSU Student Athlete Advisory Council at the University’s Annual Athletic Awards Banquet on April 26, 2015.  The award is given to a faculty member who works outside of NSU Athletics and truly embodies the ideology of enhancing the student-athlete experience.  According to Nancy, the award came as quite a surprise and is right up there with winning a World Series!

Also from Nancy…The Third Annual Cliff Floyd Charity Bowling Tournament raised $24,500 (net) for RBI, Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities, and NSU Sport and Recreation Management Scholarships.  The event was planned and produced by Nancy Olson’s students at NSU.

Anita Finley tells us The 4th CURE Symposium was well attended and all of the distinguished 14 doctors kept the audience intent on innovative medical information.  Anita Finley noted the next Symposium will be on October 24 at Palm Beach State  College in Boca Raton.  Www cure~symposium.com

A Child Is Missing Alert Program, a nationwide program to find missing children (Autistic/Down syndrome), elderly (Alzheimer’s/Dementia), and other cases has been supporting Child and Elderly Missing Alert Program (CEMAP)… the bill has been introduced in the US House of Representatives HR 1742., competitive bid, no funding designated, but would allow a like program to go to law enforcement nationwide FREE of charge.  They now get that program from A Child Is Missing. We would appreciate your support to your US Representative and US Senators Nelson/Rubio.

Thank you, Sherry Friedlander
 

Board List

BWA's 2014-2015 Board

President - Merrie Meyers

President-Elect - Lorna Brown-Burton

Immediate Past President - Catalina Avalos

President Emeritus - Connie Loewenthal

Communications - Sally Gress

Membership - Ruth Spiegel

Program - Hillary Gurman

Treasurer - Diana Plucienkowski

Secretary - Diane Hatcher

At-Large Members - Tracy Carroll, Diana Metcalf, Janet Erlick
 

Meeting Dates

May 11, 2015

June 8, 2015