WCW this month
Steady, solid and, for an elected official, she's very quiet. Karen Rushing has the long and somewhat strenuous title of Clerk of Circuit Court and County Comptroller with an equally lengthy subtitle of Sarasota County’s Treasurer, Recorder, Auditor, ex-officio Clerk to the Board of County Commissioners, and custodian of county funds.
But what does she do, actually, you might ask? She and her staff of 300 record almost 200,000 documents and transactions every year related to birth, adoption, marriage, purchase or foreclosure of a home, domestic violence, and death.
In addition to managing the $22 million budget of her office, she annually collects over $180 million in fines and fees, oversees investments of over $855 million, and audits the County’s budget (now over $1.1 billion) every year.
With over 30 years of court management experience in both Florida and New York, she credits her mom for inspiring her to achieve. Like Tax Collector Barbara Ford-Coates, Karen utilizes feedback cards which are in every office and which she reviews personally.
As for last month's West Coast Woman, Christie Lewis, Vice President of Nonprofit Capacity Building for the Community Foundation of Sarasota County’s Nonprofit Resource Center (NPRC), I have the sad and a bit surprising news to report that she will be leaving the NPRC on June 20.
In an email she wrote, “As I reflect back on the journey of the Nonprofit Resource Center over the past six years, I see so many parallels to my personal journey as well. As I focused in the lenses it became very clear that it was time for me to move on. My decision to leave has been incubating for some time now and as you know when you’re open to new possibilities they show up in your life. I will be moving to the Washington, DC, area to pursue my professional goal of a career with more creative freedom and innovative thought as a consultant to nonprofits.”
She closed by saying, “feel free to stay in touch through Christie.MissionMatters@gmail.com.” We wish Christie the best of luck!
We had some fun on May 14, didn't we?
If you had to summarize West Coast Woman's annual Front Page luncheon on May 14 it might sound like this: a great luncheon with really cool women who had great conversations, who relaxed and forgot about work for a bit, who made new friends and who enjoyed seeing women being recognized for their accomplishments. Okay, I can be briefer: it was a big warm fuzzy.
It's hard to be objective about your own party, but I go to a lot of events—many women-centered. But this one was across the board a collection of women you rarely see together: scientists, teachers, businesswomen, businessowners, scholars, lawyers, financial planners, physicians and philanthropists. The age range was 26 to 90 and also reflects the diversity present that day.
I have so many to thank, from my friends who volunteered (several of whom have done this from year one) to the sponsors who helped make the luncheon viable, to the 252 women and men who attended. You believe, as I do, in the unusually powerful role women play here on the west coast of Florida.
Another way to sum up the day: we gave women who have no insurance the ability get mammograms. We sent two Sarasota Middle School children to technology camp who otherwise wouldn't be able to attend, and, last and most fun, we established a partial scholarship for a student through Dance: The Next Generation to attend MCC and did so in Dr. Sarah Pappas' name.
See some Photos from the event here
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WCW networking 101
We had a lovely networking event at the Gwiz Hands-on Science Museum on May 15, the day after the Front Page luncheon. This draws to a close year one of WCW's foray into networking events.
The journey started last October and we knew by the packed first event that we had something that you really wanted: a way to meet other women, do some business, relax, make a friend or a connection, and all with no dues or too much complication.
We'll be back in the fall with themed events, possibly learning sessions, business lunches, even gourmet events. We need partners, worker bees and, most of all, creative idea people who share our belief that getting together beats working all the time or staring at a TV screen or computer. Email me at wcwlmb@aol.com or call 954-3300. And send us your email if you want updates.
Also in this issue...Travel
Girlfriend getaways account for approximately four percent of all American leisure travel spending. Sounds small at first, but check out these facts. A recent survey conducted by AAA and the training and consulting company Aspire found that 24 percent of American women have taken a girlfriend getaway in the past three years, and 39 percent of American women plan on taking one in the next three years. The study revealed that girlfriend getaways are not just a trend, but a business segment bringing in approximately $6 billion annually.
We ran GF getaways some time back and I had great feedback, so here are more. Truth is, if space was not limited I could have printed much, much more. Enjoy yours!
Louise Bruderle
Editor and Publisher
wcwlmb@aol.com |
