The Rev. Marva Edwards delivers a prayerful speech at the annual Women of Achievement awards presentation. Edwards, pastor of the New Life African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, was among those honored.Photo Gallery
When you start down the road of psychoanalysis, Linda Glover chuckled, it doesn’t take long to get to your mother.
When Glover learned she’d been named a 2010 Woman of Achievement, she considered what she’d accomplished — as a businesswoman, civic booster and champion of nonprofits and the needy — and arrived back at her mother.
Glover’s mother, a tireless volunteer and board member with groups like the YWCA and Campfire Girls, was responsible — along with a circle of women friends — for all kinds of good works and community improvements, from new playgrounds to arts festivals. It was her mother’s example that taught Glover how people can pull together to achieve something great.
Now executive director of Gifts for Our Community and president of Vancouver’s Downtown Association, Glover was one of eight leading local women celebrated at an annual luncheon at the Hilton Vancouver Washington on Friday. Sponsored by the Clark County YWCA and Clark College and now in its 26th year, the Women of Achievement award honors outstanding community contributions by women.
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But here’s a secret confided by honoree Renate Atkins, the chief operating officer of Southwest Washington Medical Center: “Extraordinary people are really ordinary people with extraordinary determination.” That wisdom came from Atkins’ mother — we’re back to Mom again — who added that if you’re someone lucky, someone with a voice, you must speak out on behalf of the unfortunate and voiceless.
Atkins urged the appreciative women (and their male fans and friends) who packed the luncheon to be on the lookout for great opportunities cropping up in unlikely places.
For example, there’s Sole Purpose, a manicure salon on East Evergreen Boulevard where Donna Bleth works as a nail technician. Bleth, a dedicated community volunteer, was chatting with a client who had extra money but not necessarily extra energy — so she offered to do the shopping and make the delivery if the client would just write a big enough check to feed everyone at Share House a real Thanksgiving dinner.
The meal got paid for and delivered; 500 hungry people got fed and gave thanks.
“I found a small niche connecting those in need to those who have resources,” said Bleth.
Another special niche is filled by Bobbi Bindreiff, a certified public accountant. That’s generally considered “one of the world’s most boring occupations,” Bindreiff said, so she decided to “spice it up by working for nonprofits.” She has been president of the YWCA board and of Women in Action, encouraging women to get involved in politics, and a board member of Affordable Community Environments, a nonprofit housing developer.
People make fun of boards and committees, she said, but the ones she’s been on have been a source of delight and progress for the community.
Bindreiff has long aspired “to become the person my dog thinks I am” — but now that she’s been named a 2010 Woman of Achievement, she said, she’ll be changing that motto to: “I hope I can become the person my friends think I am.”
The other 2010 Women of Achievement are:
• Joyce Carter, music educator, volunteer for the YWCA’s Court Appointed Special Advocates program and a founder of the Vancouver Counseling Center.
• Leslie Durst, philanthropist, president of Friends of the Arts and “I Have a Dream” sponsor.
• The Rev. Marva Edwards, pastor of the New Life African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church.
• Nancy Simmons, busy volunteer and community partnership program coordinator at Larch Corrections Center.
Also honored were three Young Women of Achievement:
• Nadia Mousleh of Prairie High School, recipient of the $1,500 Violet Richardson Scholarship from Soroptimist International of Vancouver.
• Holly Vogel of Ridgefield High School, recipient of a $1,500 First Independent Scholarship.
• Jing Xue of Mountain View High School, recipient of a $1,500 Donna Roberge-Nozel Scholarship.
Plus, five Young Women of Achievement were honored specifically for community service: Michelle Taylor of Vancouver School of Arts and Academics; Shailah Ricketts of Heritage High School; Hannah Jones of Camas High School; Shelley Adao of Hudson’s Bay High School; and Madeline Thompson of Vancouver School of Arts and Academics.
