World Neighbor's "Work of Women" to be Honored October 4

At their 31st annual Woman of the Year Gala on October 6, The Journal Record is also honoring five Oklahoma nonprofits that benefit women. One of the five honorees this year is World Neighbor's Work of Women! (WOW!).

Members of the WOW! program are committed to improving women's lives in poor, rural villages throughout the world. By joining together in this work, their efforts are multiplied and truly create change.

In keeping with World Neighbors approach, members partner with women in World Neighbors program sites to support collective work that builds skills, community trust and better living conditions. Women are encouraged and supported to join together for development work that moves them beyond subsistence, improves their and their families' health and inspires increased participation and leadership in their villages and beyond. Involvement with this work changes our lives as well.

WOW! members join this effort by donating $35 ($25 for students) or more per year to WOW! at World Neighbors. Membership is spread throughout the world, but WOW! members are predominately girls and women living in the U.S. of all ages, backgrounds, races and religions.

Suited For Success to be Honored Oct 6

At the Woman of the Year Gala on October 6 in Oklahoma City, The Journal Record will honor five outstanding nonprofits that benefit Oklahoma Women.

One of the five organizations to be honored is Suited For Success. This nonprofit provides professional clothing and career development services to low-income women who have completed a job training or job readiness program and are actively seeking employment.

They strive to empower clients to successfully obtain and maintain employment thus ensuring their economic independence. These services are available at no charge. Clients are referred by a number of social service agencies and job readiness programs in Central Oklahoma. Clients range in age from 18 to 65; many entering the job market for the first time. 95% are single mothers, many of whom have been abused, and many come from area shelters. They recently opened their doors to those coming out of prison, too. Almost all of the clients report incomes of less than $10,000. Suited For Success is the only organization in the central Oklahoma region providing these services.

Mike Korenblit, Respect Diversity Foundation, & NBA's "Oklahoma City Thunder"

Mike Korenblit spoke to my Sunday school class this morning. The son of Holocaust survivors, Mike grew up in Ponca City, worked 19 years with the Close Up Foundation in Washington, D.C. and moved back to Oklahoma in 1992. He is co-author of the book Until We Meet Again: A True Story of Love and Survival in the Holocaust, the story of his parents Manya and Meyer Korenblit. He and his wife, Joan, are co-founders of the Respect Diversity Foundation, a non-profit organization that teaches tolerance and inspires people of all ages and backgrounds to reevaluate their prejudices and biases. The foundation is headquartered in Edmond.

The foundation sponsors an annual state-wide Respect Diversity Symbol Exhibit with art collaborations, by students, that teach the community respect for diversity through the arts. Children across Oklahoma do an amazing job of reflecting the concept of respecting diversity visually. Not an easy thing to do. I have posted just a few of the great art it generates.

That got me thinking. I have heard a rumor that the Oklahoma City NBA basketball team will be called "the Oklahoma City Thunder." But how does one depict thunder visually?