For Immediate Release

2010 Women of Distinction Honorees Recognized

WAUKESHA, Wis. -- (May 12, 2010) -- Eight area women were recognized at the 26th Annual Waukesha County Women of Distinction Luncheon held yesterday at the Country Springs Hotel and Conference Center to a near-sellout crowd of 500. Joyce Garbaciak, WISN 12's award-winning journalist, served as Mistress of Ceremonies for the sixth consecutive year. The awards recognize women living or working in Waukesha County who have demonstrated qualities of outstanding leadership and excellence in their professional endeavors and/or community involvement. They are women whose efforts have improved the quality of life in their communities.

Honored this year as 2010 Women of Distinction were Karen Dalessandro of New Berlin, Linda Kons of Menomonee Falls and Brenda Ness Marineau of Waukesha. Marian Etzel and her daughters, Diane Harley and Janet Kenny of Menomonee Falls, and granddaughter, Kathleen Farvour of Germantown, were named the Family of Women of Distinction. Stacey Lynn Bjorgaard from Kettle Moraine High School was named the Young Woman of Tomorrow. Honorees were presented with silkscreened, collaged paper constructions patterned after ancient reliquaries and housing charms and amulets that symbolize aspects of the award winners' achievements, created by Waukesha artist, Peggy Thurston Farrell.

Grants totaling $42,000 were also presented at the luncheon from the Women and Girls Fund of Waukesha County to the following organizations for their important programming:

• ARCh (Association for the Rights of Citizens with handicaps), Waukesha - $5,000 for "eSPECIALly Safe," a 24-week safety education program for daughters (age 13-18) with disabilities and their mothers.
• Children's Service Society, Milwaukee - $2,500 for the Girls Circle Program, an after-school program for 100 Waukesha low-income/at-risk girls (age 8-18) to teach self-esteem and build confidence.
• Family Service of Waukesha County, Waukesha - $4,000 for Child Trauma Programs at Children's Place, to partner with Waukesha School District to provide training and consultation regarding child trauma for administrators, educators and counselors.
• Healthy Families of Waukesha County, Waukesha - $4,000 for Prevent Child Abuse America program support, to provide home-based services to teach child development, age appropriate expectations and how to interact with their baby to parents with newborns.
• Interfaith Senior Programs, Waukesha - $2,500 for the Transportation Collaborative, to provide money or gas cards, taxi rides and bus passes for transportation to services throughout Waukesha County to low-income women and families, in collaboration with numerous agencies.
• Lake Area Free Clinic, Oconomowoc - $5,000 for the Patient Assistance Program to provide staff support for coordinator of pharmaceutical medications for women and girls.
• Parents Place, Waukesha - $5,000 for Parenting through Depression, a program to educate and counsel women experiencing depression or other mental illness.
• Pregnancy Support Connection, Waukesha - $2,500 for housing assistance through Linden Cherish Place and Transitional Living Programs for homeless, pregnant and parenting young women (age 18-21) and their infants.
• WCTC Foundation, Pewaukee - $4,000 for Certified Nursing Assistant Program for scholarships for women in CNA technical diploma program, over 2 years.
• The Women's Center, Waukesha - $7,500 for staff support for a community educator who will educate young people about sexual assault and abuse and dating violence.

The Women of Distinction 2010 honorees recommended $5,000 in additional grants to charitable organizations serving Waukesha County. The organizations are:

• Menomonee Falls Scholarship Foundation, in honor of Linda Kons
• Scholastic Fund for Students of Hispanic Descent, in honor of Brenda Ness Marineau
• Wisconsin Breast Cancer Coalition, in honor of Karen Dalessandro
• Kettle Moraine Education Foundation/KM Fine Arts Fund Endowment, in honor of Stacey Lynn Bjorgaard
• Menomonee Falls Food Pantry, in honor of the Etzel Family

Congratulations to both the 2010 honorees and grant recipients for their important contributions to our communities.

The Women and Girls Fund of Waukesha County, a permanent fund within the Waukesha County Community Foundation, has contributed about $250,000 in total cumulative gifts since the first awards in 2005. The Women and Girls Fund recently reached its initial fundraising target of $1 million for the fund.

To make a contribution to the Women and Girls Fund of Waukesha County or for more information, contact Dave Schultz at 262-513-1861 or email to wccf@waukeshafoundation.org.

About the Women and Girls Fund
The Women and Girls Fund of Waukesha County supports programs and organizations that help women and girls overcome obstacles and achieve success. Grants focus on programs that offer education arts, cultural opportunities, and health and human services. The Women and Girls Fund is a permanent fund of the Waukesha County Community Foundation. For more information, visit www.waukeshafoundation.org.

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Contacts:

Name: Dave Schultz
Company: Waukesha County Community Foundation
Phone: 262-513-1861
Email: dschultz@waukeshafoundation.org