Contents

October Luncheon
Program

From the Board

Pace Center for Girls

FX: Future Executives: Athena Ransom

Women Empowering Women (WEW)

Book Club

Cannon Circle

WEC Means Business

Member Profile: Virginia Howard

Grapevine: News and Notes about WEC Members

Cultural Corner

WEC Board of Directors

Luncheons and Board Meetings

October Program:

September Meeting

A 15’ Python? Yes, a 15’ Python was a guest at our September meeting. Ron Magill of Miami Metrozoo was our speaker and he brought the Python as his guest.
Ron entertained us all with tales of Africa, sex and the animals, growing up in Brooklyn and how he achieved his goals. We didn’t want the meeting to end.
Ron also told us of the women’s spirit in Africa and his efforts to improve women’s lives in Kenya.

From the Board

WOW! We have a lot of great stuff going on!! The September luncheon was incredible, according to you… Thanks for the emails you’ve sent me! I so appreciate your support.

PACE
The girls from PACE were totally awed! Imagine never having been in an elevator, let alone getting out on the 28th floor and looking out at the view, seeing in the distance the place where you live and go to school… Imagine being in a room with over 50 powerful women (that’s you) and taking the opportunity to stand up and say what you want to be when you grow up. How about the young lady that said she wants to be an entrepreneur?! She was NOT a plant! We didn’t tell her to say that! There’s so much we can do to impact their young lives! I couldn’t be anymore excited about launching a program than I am about WEC partnering with PACE. Dee put it perfectly and I’d like us to adopt this slogan: WEC helps set the PACE for girls.

How can you get involved? I strongly urge you to take the time to take the tour of the PACE Center. I know you are busy but it’s really worth the time! I left there feeling like I already did something meaningful by gaining an understanding of both, their achievements and their challenges. Melissa is working closely with Kathleen Ryan and Aggie Pappas so that we can let you know on a “as need” basis how else you can get involved.

5K WALK/RUN
Coming up in October, Wilton Manors is hosting a 5K Walk/Run with all proceeds going to PACE. We’re dusting off our sneakers and bringing friends and family out to participate in the event. Walk, run or just cheer us on and you’ll receive a specially printed WEC T-shirt. Watch your email and call me 305-819-2500 for more details.

The two young ladies that said they wanted to be a veterinarian and a marine biologist, respectively, weren’t plants either! Ron Magill seemed to somehow be speaking to everyone personally and yet to the entire group. I honestly have never seen the whole room sit so still, so riveted, and way past one o’clock! No wonder he catches flack from his guy friends! Do you think his Sex and the Animals presentation is G-rated? Perhaps that could be another event?

LUAU
Speaking of events… we’re having a Luau on Ft. Lauderdale beach (right in front of the Yankee Clipper) from 2pm until dark on Saturday, October 22. The weather should be beautiful by then. We’ll cook on the grill, have some beverages, play some volleyball, do a little limbo… Details to follow!

THANKS
I want to extend special thanks to Nancy and especially to Susie and Margaret, Susie’s office assistant, for dealing with the wrath (albeit minor, thank goodness) that Katrina handed us. The coordination for the luncheons can be overwhelming at times. They didn’t do it once this month; they had to do it TWICE! Kudos to everyone that made it happen! We had 62 people attend.

MEMBERSHIP CHALLENGE
So here’s your challenge… if we can have 62 for a “regular” luncheon, how many can we get when we are targeting prospective members? 75? 80? 100? Who do you know?
If you don’t have the time to send out your invitations, give the information to Marilynn membership@wecftl.com and she’ll get them out for you. We’ll gladly pay for lunch for all your guests! REMEMBER TO WEAR YOUR WEC ANNIVERSARY PINS! Anyone who is a WEC member the end of October will receive a special gift!

DUES
If you’re reading this newsletter and you haven’t paid your 2005 -2006 dues.
You are late. Please contact Dorothy finance@wecftl.com or (954) 522-3202, immediately.

Please feel free to email president@wecftl.com or call 305-819-2500 me with your comments, anytime!

Keep watching www.wecftl.com for upcoming events! Thanks for having me as your president!

Thanks for your Generous Sponsorships

Prospective Member Luncheon Invitations by Marilynn Obrig and Intercoastal Realty
Mini-Directory by Deb McLaughlin and WMJX, Majic 102.7 FM

Pace Center for Girls

The PACE Mission

"PACE provides girls and young women an opportunity for a better future through education, counseling, training and advocacy."

*PACE Center for Girls Broward is an alternative educational and counseling program for at-risk girls ages 7– 17. For many of our girls, PACE is the last hope to avoid a life of conflict, despair and failure and instead embrace a life filled with achievement, dignity, serenity, and grace.
Two Fridays a month, the girls at PACE go “shopping” at the Incentive Store.
For currency they use points earned from completion of class work, good attendance and participation in special projects. Most of the 80 girls at PACE earn a trip to the store on Incentive Friday. In addition, girls with the highest points have their names entered into a special auction. The girls love Incentive Fridays and always know when there are new items on the shelves.

Thank you for believing in girls!
Pursuant to the permission granted by the WEC Board, I have a sponsorship opportunity to offer WEC members:

(1) Sponsor the WEC T-shirt for the 5K Race Benefitting PACE. The cost is $200 for one sponsor, or $100/each for 2 sponsors. The sponsor(s) name would be listed on the shirt - for example, "Invitations sponsored by ABC Widget Co."

Depending on the # of participants we get to sign up for the race, we may require a second sponsorship…

(2) Sponsor the item WEC T-shirt for the 5K Race Benefitting PACE. Cost is estimated to be $200 for one sponsor, or $50/each for 4 sponsors. The sponsor(s) name or logo would be listed on the back cover of the director - for example, "Directory sponsored by ABC Widget Co. and XYZ Bolts, Inc."

Please note: First come, first served. The sponsorship opportunities will go to the first solo sponsor or the first two partial sponsors to respond to each item.

Email your responses to rkarlin@globalresourcepartners.com, please be sure to identify which item you are proposing to sponsor, and whether you propose to sponsor the entirety or half the cost of the item.

FX: Future Executives

Our new FX, Athena Ransom a.k.a “The Vagabond Chickie”: writes:

I was born in Illinois, lived in California and moved to South Florida at an early age of seven. I have been riding since I was fifteen and working on choppers since the sweet age of sixteen.

I had to learn mechanical applications from my boyfriend at the time and after hours while working in the parts department of a few motorcycle shops over the years.

I have two great kids, Axel & Desiree’ and they are bikers by birth. Both kids have ridden thousands of miles on my rigid chopper. I am a “Daddy’s Girl”- my dad Chicago Phil, is the reason for the family “Biker” status. Chicago Phil and his brothers have been riding choppers since the 60's.

I have had my motorcycle shop for almost two years now, but I have been riding & building motorcycles for what seems like forever. Guys always gave me a hard time about being a chick that rides and wrenches on bikes. I never let that stop me, and I have always worked in the motorcycle industry, just not as a mechanic or builder because I was a woman, and to the guys that was taboo.

“I like to build choppers, because when you’re done you can see and feel the birth of ideas that evolves in your brain.” I work in the shop at least five days a week.

My Dad always encouraged me to do what I wanted, he and I are very close and I help to care for him with anything he needs as he is disabled after falling twenty-two stories from the Sears Tower in 1989. He was caught by the safety rope and the jolt from the fall pretty much snapped his back, he was expected to never walk again - he does and he rides his motorcycle. My parents were divorced when I was twelve, and I am now eighteen twice (36) hehehe...

Well, my mom got sick in 2000 with Lou Gherigs Disease and I quit my jobs to care for her full time in my home. My mom lost everything due to a bad situation, a man who was a roommate in her home saw her rapidly deteriorating and took her one day to the courthouse and married her even though she could not speak or sign her name. I fought for a year in court to prove what he did and get custody, the court appointed people sucked up everything she had worked her whole life for, but she still had me and my two wonderful children and even my dad after all those years.

We loved her and took good care of her until she died in our home in November 2003. While caring for her, I started to attend college to get a paralegal degree part-time when my best friend Patzy would come to sit with her twice a week. My mom always wanted me to be a lawyer not a biker, but she did love the fact that I rode big cool choppers that I put together myself.

Before my mom got sick she would let me take her around on my chopper every once in a while. After she passed away, I began school full-time to get my paralegal degree to make more money as shoes, food and small amounts of fun for two preteens was a growing expense. While in school and getting A’s, I took my Internship and landed a great job in a small law firm, I liked it but I really just missed motorcycles.

I was working on a big case as an intern and stayed as an employee to work on the case to secure my future in a legal environment with the title paralegal.

I finished the research and after one day of mediation with the information I had put together, the case settled for a nice sum. I worked for another month and received a small bonus, I wanted to go back to motorcycles and the smell of rubber and oil.

I used the bonus to open my own shop- Vagabond Chopper Company in Deerfield Beach, Florida, where I repair and build motorcycles. My best friend Don Ransom, who is now my wonderful husband left a famous builder to come and work in my shop for way less than what he is worth. We had been friends for years and after working together we realized that we are just made for each other. We were married in August of 2004 and someday in the future (after the kids are grown) we plan to get on our choppers and ride off into the sunset.

www.vagabondchoppers.com

Women Empowering Women

Pat McCarthy sent in a sample of her recent work:

The Third of May is a painting in which I combine my experience as a graphic designer with the painting techniques I have learned during my studies at FAU. It is a look at our current state of war and the news headlines that surround the subject matter. Although it is a powerful and emotional painting, my opinions remains neutral about the subject of war, giving more attention to the people directly involved with the fighting. This piece was recently exhibited at the Broward Art Guild. Entry into this exhibit was by competition, so when I was invited to show my work at the Guild, I was very excited since this was the first time I had ever shown my any of my paintings. I have also included two close up details so you can get a better look at the technique used.

WEC Book Club: *rescheduled*

WEC members are invited to Emily Rushin's at 6:30 on Monday, November 7 for pot luck supper and talk about "Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Zora Neale Hurston. Everyone brings a dish (yes, it's often take out) to share and we sit around, talk about the book (at least some), and "dish."

The book begins "Ships at a distance have every man's wish on board. For some they come in with the tide. For others they sail forever on the horizon, never out of sight, never landing until the Watcher turns his eyes away in resignation, his dreams mocked to death by Time. That is the life of men. Now, women forget all those things they don't want to remember, and remember everything they don't want to forget. The dream is the truth. Then they act and do things accordingly."
You don't even need to RSVP. Emily is providing wine and other refreshments.
Come join us!

Cannon Circle

The Cannon Circle will be co-hosted by Pam Dearden, Executive Director of the Gold Coast Jazz Society and Maureen Kohler, Executive Director of ArtServe.
Enjoy a spooktacular jazzy evening filled with art, music and fun. There will be an enchanting witch’s brew and gobblin’good finger food. Enjoy the current art exhibit on display in the ArtServe gallery, listen to some great jazz, take a quiz and win some prizes!

Date: Thursday, October 27, 2005
Time: 6:30pm
Place: ArtServe (located in Ft. Lauderdale branch library,
          1350 E. Sunrise Blvd., Ft. Lauderdale.
          RSVP to Gold Coast Jazz Society – 954-524-0805.

WEC Means Business

Ginny Forster writes:

I typically do my travel bookings at a travel agency near Davie/Plantation, where I currently live and previously worked. I am now working by Commercial and #95.

My husband and I were looking into cruise options and I needed to chat with an agent. I selected an agency - at random - close to my office, called Dolphin Travel.

When I went in I was pleasantly surprised to see Liz Mendel - one of our October luncheon guests - who said she had just written out her new WEC membership dues check. The ink is not even dry on the check and already we are networking!

P.S. They had just the info I was looking for, and I will look forward to booking through Liz and her husband, who are the owners of Dolphin Travel, sometime in the near future.

Member Profile: Virginia Howard

Virginia is a licensed psychotherapist in private practice with 40 years of experience and training. She attended Gettysburg College and Florida State University, and moved to Ft Lauderdale because she had enjoyed spring-break partying here.

Virginia began her career as the first guidance counselor at Nova High School and began intensive training to be a psychotherapist; she attended the Esalen Institute in California and the Gestalt Institute in Miami for many years. Virginia was instrumental in bringing the National Organization for Women to Broward County and led conscious-raising groups, and helped start the Rape Crisis Center which became Women In Distress.

She has had her own business for over ten years and really loves her work...in her high school yearbook, she said she wanted to enter the field of psychology. She says that being in therapy is an empowering experience that requires risk and change. Virginia uses humor, dream analysis, makes practical suggestions and recommends journaling; she is very interactive with clients. She says that so many of us have old unresolved family issues and hurts that can be resolved by short-term therapy; and these unresolved issues can hold us down and interfere in our business and personal success.

As the mother of three grown sons, she understands how busy women in business can be; her practice is client-friendly with flexible hours, 9am to 9pm, during the week and weekends if necessary; she accepts most insurance plans and, of course, all visits are confidential. Virginia works with adults, adolescents, children over 10, couples and families; she treats issues such as depression, grief and loss, insomnia, anxiety, panic attacks, anger, stress, road rage, addictions, unresolved childhood issues, toxic relationships (with spouse, children, boss and in-laws), low self-esteem, couples counseling, conflict resolution, abuse issues and clarification of "why aren't I happy".

She is an expert witness for post-traumatic stress disorder related to domestic violence or personal injury and is skilled at writing reports.

On a personal note, Virginia has been an artist for the past 10 years, beginning with clay figurative sculptures to collages, to acrylic paintings and now watercolor and mixed media; you can see some of her sculptures on her web site: http://www.virginiahoward.com.
She continues to lecture on art and psychology for the American Institute of Medical Education in Santa Fe, Italy, New Zealand and in South America this November...
She says art is her therapy!!

The Executive Grapevine: news and notes about WEC members. (send them email by clicking on their name)

Congratulations to Vivien. Amy Martinez wrote a great article featuring Bluewater Books & Charts in the September 26 issue of Business Monday in The Herald. Read the article at: http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/business/12726993.htm

Barbara Ryan, is starting a new magazine. It's called St. Marys, and will be the definitive publication for the enchanting town she's fallen in love with.
She says, "St. Marys Magazine endeavors to showcase this extraordinary coastal
village in a fashion that will inspire readers to experience, in person, the captivating spirit of Historic St. Marys."
More about Barbara's new magazine can be found at http://www.stmarysmagazine.com

Deb McLaughlin’s daughter, Sarah Rodgers, got engaged - at Disney World on her 20th birthday! Sean Odle proposed to her on Main Street in front of Cinderella's Castle, surrounded by friends and family (including both proud and happy moms!)
Yes, she accepted, with the date tentatively set for 4/14/07. Sarah is a junior in Hospitality at UCF and Sean is a UCF grad in Psychology and works for DCF.

Emily Rushin got back from Bhutan just in time to make our postponed September luncheon. "It is a beautiful country," she told us, "old-growth forests, warm and friendly people, mountains, valleys, and religious festivals." She didn't have photographs yet, but brought three watercolor paintings she did while in Bhutan. "It takes an spirit of adventure, not to mention over 26 hours in airplanes, but well worth it!" she added.

Cultural Corner

Thanks to Pam Dearden for keeping us abreast of cultural events.
Click on www.broward.org/arts for a complete listing.

WEC Board of Directors
2005-2006

President Ronnie Karlin

Past President Dee Moustakas
Nominating Committee
Cannon Circles

President Elect Vivien Godfrey
Fun(d) Raising Committee

VP Finance Dorothy Eisenberg
Treasurer

VP Corporate Records Cynthia Hardy
Corporate Records
Historian
By-Laws Committee

VP Internal Involvement Nancy Fischer
Social Committee
Programs Committee
Greetings Committee
Newsletter

VP Community Involvement Melissa Rapkin
Mentorship (FX) Program
Women Empowering Women (WEW)
Community Outreach
Public Relations

VP Membership Marilynn Obrig
Membership Committee
Membership Luncheon
Directory
Webmaster

All contact information is available for WEC members on our Members Only website. If you are a member and you don't have a name and password, you can contact Chris Guld for more information.

Upcoming Events

Board Meetings

Friday, November 4
Friday, December 2
Friday, January 6
Friday, February 3
Friday, March 3
Friday, April 7
Friday, May 5
Friday, June 2

Membership Attendance:
The membership requirement is to attend a minimum of five (5) club events every year in order to maintain regular membership. This is calculated on a fiscal year basis (i.e. August-June, not calendar year).