Three women and a Kettle Moraine High School student were honored at the 34th annual Women of Distinction luncheon May 8.
The Women and Girls Fund of Waukesha County celebrates the extraordinary accomplishments of women in Waukesha County, who through their passion and leadership, have greatly enhanced the lives of women in their community. The WGF annually awards grants to non-profit organizations that support projects and programs that promote the welfare, independence and self-sufficiency of women and girls of all ages.
Saturn Lounge was extremely proud to be a part of the event, donating photography services by Connor Bruesewitz. Sales Account Executive Kendra Finco, of Saturn Lounge is invited to attend each year, and shared her take-away from the event: “With so much negative going on around us; it was incredibly inspiring to be surrounded by such selfless women who make it their personal mission to give back to their community. One cannot help but leave this event with their hearts full and feeling deeply inspired.”
2018 Honorees are:
- The Rev. Kris Androsky, executive director of Hebron House of Hospitality. Rev. Kris is the former co-pastor at First United Methodist Church in Waukesha, Androsky engages donors, volunteers, community partners, clergy, service providers, elected officials and other stakeholders to help end homelessness.
- Mary Madden, executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Waukesha County. Mary is known as a champion of those with mental illness, using her energy, skills and passion to promote understanding and provide services for those whose illness often causes them to be stigmatized in the community.
- JoAnn Sternke, recently retired after 16 years as Pewaukee School District superintendent. JoAnn is widely respected for her commitment to continuous improvement and for a dramatic increase in student achievement.
- Miranda Spindt, a senior at Kettle Moraine High School’s Global School of Leadership and Innovation charter school. In 2017, Miranda was named a Young Woman of Distinction for Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast. She also received the President’s Volunteer Service Honor from the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program.
Congratulations to the Honorees!
MISSION
The Women and Girls Fund of Waukesha County (WGF) seeks to aid and enrich the lives of women and girls in our community by providing financial grants that enable opportunities otherwise unavailable to them.
The WGF is building a culture of giving dedicated to the unique needs of women and girls throughout Waukesha County. We know that investing in the advancement of women leads to stronger families, more diverse, thoughtful workforces, and more robust communities. That’s why we seek out non-profit partners in Waukesha County and invest in their programs that help women become stronger, better educated, healthier and more empowered.
We are committed to being responsible stewards of each dollar donated. Guidelines established by the Board of Trustees guarantee that every grant dollar awarded is used toward the stated goal.
In addition, each year we celebrate the accomplishments of women, girls and the organizations that serve them through our Women of Distinction luncheon. As our signature fund-raising event, this program recognizes Waukesha County women who have demonstrated sustained excellence, accomplishments, and creativity through community involvement.
For information about the Women of Distinction, visit www.wgfwaukeshacounty.org, or contact Sue Juntunen at 262-875-3126 or contact@wgfwaukeshacounty.org.
Looking for ways to support the Women and Girls Fund of Waukesha County? Visit https://www.wgfwaukeshacounty.org/contribute/