Event Friday, October 26th Celebrates OK Women

A Full Circle Centennial Celebration Honoring 'Voices from the Heartland' Friday, October 26 at 6:30 p.m. Everyone is welcome.

Join us for a book signing and reception in honor of this thought provoking collection of essays on life and living featuring fifty remarkable Oklahoma women. We will have the editors on hand, many contributors, as well as wine and cheese for this very special occasion.

From former Cherokee principal chief Wilma Mankiller, First Lady Kim Henry, novelist Billie Letts, and prima ballerina Maria Tallchief, to OU basketball coach Sherri Coale, the authors share their personal reflections on finding balance as they look back on defining moments in their lives, mull over what they wish they had learned sooner, and convey the wisdom they've unearthed on their journeys thus far.Other contributors include Carolyn Hart, Jean Gumerson, Betty Price, Pam Fleischaker, Jane Jayroe, Anita May and Jean Richardson, all Oklahoma City residents.

Voices from the Heartland is a celebration of women's contributions to Oklahoma's recent past. It records defining moments in women's lives whether surviving the Oklahoma City bombing or surviving abuse and represents a wide range of professions, lifestyles, and backgrounds to show how extraordinary lives have grown from the seeds of ordinary girlhoods. This is an important event...and will be great fun...join us Friday at 6:30 p.m.For a complete list of future events, click here to go to the Full Circle website.

Hiatus

I leave for Kenya on Friday and don't return until early November. If I have Internet access, I will be posting to my Kenya mission blog at http://merukenya2008.blogspot.com/.

Connie Masters is into McAlester History

Read about Spiro Mounds and other SW history. Click here to read news article.

Oklahoma Women's Legislative Coalition & WIPP Advocacy Training October 23rd

Several organizations and individuals interested in empowering women and girls in Oklahoma recently organized as the Oklahoma Women’s Legislative Coalition. In the weeks ahead, you will be hearing more about this exciting initiative. We hope to have a website in place soon where you can learn how to join/support this exciting statewide effort.

One of OWLC's tasks will be to lobby the Oklahoma Legislature on behalf of Oklahoma women and girls. For that reason, I’m thrilled that Terry Neese’s WIPP Institute is offering an extraordinary advocacy training workshop in Oklahoma on Oct. 23, 2007. WIPP stands for Women Impacting Public Policy and the WIPP Institute is a non profit public charity dedicated to the economic empowerment of women.

This one-day training (9:00 am to 4:00pm) will be held at the Financial District of Oklahoma’s Conference Center at 1725 E. 15th Street, Edmond, OK. The workshop features excellent national trainers so the cost of $50 (which includes lunch) is a real bargain. WIPP's target audience is women business owners but everyone can benefit from this training!

I hope you will consider attending this workshop yourself. Also please help spread the word about this workshop by telling your friends and colleagues.

You can read more about the workshop and register for the event at http://www.wipp.org/institute/events.htm or by contacting Lin Weigel at 405-943-4474 ● lweigel@wipp.org.

Women Inducted Into Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame

Last night the Oklahoma Higher Education Heritage Society held their 14th Annual Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Dinner at the Oklahoma History Center. As usual, it was a wonderful evening. Highlights for me included getting acquainted with Dr. Sara M. Freedman, OSU Dean of the William S. Spears School of Business (left), induction into the Hall of Fame of Langston University's Jean Bell Manning, OSU's College of Business Professor Jeanine Rhea (right with my husband, Larkin, and OSU's Earl Mitchell) plus special recognition of "Centennial Pioneers" Jessie Thatcher Bost and Alice Mary Robertson. What a night!

Oklahoma's Five Ballerinas

The Oklahoman had a nice article in the Sept 30 paper on Oklahoma's famous five ballerinas. Read more here >>

October Is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

So, you know, do what you are supposed to be doing! Read, research, do the self checks, hug someone you know currently fighting breat cancer and find an awareness event to attend. you might even participate in the 14th Annual Susan B. Komen Oklahoma City Race for the Cure® on October 20, 2007. Learn more here >>

Certified Women-Owned Businesses in Oklahoma

The Oklahoma Department of Commerce has a list of certified women-owned businesses in Oklahoma as of May 2006. I know there are many more but these are the ones willing to fill out the forms. Click there to review the list.

Oklahoman Kay Stout Has a Blog

I am constantly searching for blogs authored by Oklahoma women (that go beyond family matters or general ranting). So I am delighted that Kay Stout now has a blog where she dispenses advice about employment, management et al. I hope she will expand into broader policy topics as I respect her opinion greatly. Kay is a well known management consultant and is managing partner of Pacheco Stout Consulting. She has done political campaigns, school district projects, construction projects - you name it. I got to know her through a friend and admired her contributions to the Oklahoma State Chamber of Commerce's Prosperity Project initiative. Check out her blog here.

Are there any other Oklahoma women out there blogging? Send me a comment or email!

Remembering Jeannine Tuttle Rainbolt

Oklahoma has lost a very special woman with the death of Jeannine Rainbolt. She was smart, kind, generous, thoughtful, productive and appreciative - a woman of true grace and wit. There will never be another quite like her. Take a moment to honor her as the great person and role model that she was. Stop and read the lovely article about her in The Oklahoma today and her obituary here. We Kivas have sent love and prays your way, Jeannine, especially over these past 5 years. Now we salute you and wish you peace.

Five Oklahoma Tribes Have Women Leaders

Oklahoma has 37 federally recognized tribes; five - or nearly 14 percent - are led by women. They are Glenna Wallace (Eastern Shawnee), Kay Rhoads (Sac and Fox Nation), Bernadette Huber (Iowa Tribe), LaRue Parker (Caddo) and Jennifer Onzahwah (Absentee Shawnee). More...