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Renew Your WLI Membership Today!
If you have questions, please contact Terri Slaughter at 610.807.5710.
terris@unitedwayglv.org | |
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WLI Celebrates 10 years in 2012!  In 2002, Betsy Torrance had a great idea - gather the energy and creativity of women in the Lehigh Valley to make a difference in the lives of women and children. Gathering like-minded women, including Frances Hesselbein, the Women's Leadership Initiative was born. In 2012, we'll celebrate 10 years of making a difference in the Lehigh Valley throughout all our events, including a not-to-be-missed reception October 3rd (tentative date). Members Laura Azzalina and Marilee Falco are co-chairing the 10th Anniversary Reception planning committee. Contact Terri Slaughter to get involved with this effort!
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United Way Moves To New Offices In Mid-December
During the move, please be aware of the following:
1.) The United Way office will be closed Thursday, December 15, 2011.
2.) United Way staff will not have email or phone service on December 14-16, 2011. If you need to get a hold of a United Way staff, member please contact them via their cell.
Details... | |
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WLI Needs You!
Join a committee today. For more information, e-mail or call Terri Slaughter at terris@unitedwayglv.org or 610.807.5710 | |
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Upcoming Events!
June 7, 2012 - Women's Summit
DeSales University
7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Women's Summit at DeSales University
In cooperation with the Women's Business Conference
Co-chairs Lisa DeStein and Stephanie Hnatiw
October 3, 2012 - WLI's 10th Anniversary (tentative date) | |
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Kudos to our Members!
Member Ari Diaz and her husband Alvaro Diaz, executive director of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of the LV, with Dr. Debbie Salas -Lopez, former speaker at WLI's Power of the Purse and Women's Summit were representing the organization at it's 4th Annual Gala in October and recognized in the Morning Call. | |
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Clutch Sponsor
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Event Sponsor
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|  | |  | | Unleashing Women's Latent Abilities
By Barbara Bigelow, WLI Treasurer | | |
 Achieving adulthood in the 1960's presented an uncharted
work of opportunity for women. I embraced the challenge wholeheartedly, bolstered by my family's faith that with persistence, I could do or be anything I chose.
Many avenues opened for me and I pursued most of them, ultimately moving from the Midwest to the northernmost town in Alaska to build a varied and interesting career, culminating in my move to Allentown in 1990 to become the city's first female Director of Administration and Finance, a position from which I retired in 2005. Along the way, I met, supervised, and mentored women, many of whom realized the potential for greatness that lay untapped and dormant within them.
I joined WLI at the conclusion of a WLI mixer at Ilene Wood's home where I met a group of 30 women who shared my passion for unleashing women's latent abilities, and who also believed that philanthropy and volunteerism were critical tools in helping others to locate their own bootstraps and giving them the confidence to tug mightily on them. Through WLI, I also found supportive friends, with whom I can laugh, cry and volunteer. I have received a multitude of blessings in my life, for which I am deeply grateful. The very least I can do is pay those blessings forward through philanthropy and volunteering. WLI helps me do that. | |  | |  | |
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Central Elementary School:
Second Signature Report
By Valerie Lane
Second Signature Project, Chair
Central Elementary, with one of Allentown's greatest at-risk populations, is filled with children even after hours. With WLI's financial support ($25,000/year), there are seven after-school programs held weekly - with waiting lists! There are reading and math tutoring for all grades as well as enrichment programs that support the school's learning objectives.
Tinkerbell Science specifically targets girls led by the DaVinci Science Center.
Curtains Up on Reading, led by a teaching artist from the Pennsylvania Youth Theatre, creatively reinforces first graders' reading comprehension skills.
Touchstone Theatre holds a Young Playwrights Lab, which culminates in the students performing original
work for invited guests.
Unseen America, a photography project taught by Banana Factory, is designed for girls to "find their voice: in an atmosphere of respect for art, self and others.
How do we know that our efforts are paying off?
* All classes are full and there's a waiting list
* Regular attendance at the school is greatly improved
* Proficient reading levels have improved dramatically from just 30% to 50%
This really works! And WLI is right there helping to improve the lives of these children.
Central Elementary Needs Your Help
Current Needs:
* Boxes of tissues
* Underwear and socks
* Mittens, gloves & hats
* Small items for incentive give-aways (eg, fun pencils, erasers)
* Volunteers for special Book Blast & Parent Workshop nights
We're holding a WLI membership event at Central on April 11, 2012. If you have never visited the school before, this a great time to see and hear more about our project.
Bring items to future networking events or contact me: vtlane@aol.com or 610-360-7144. | | | |
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