Martinsville Bulletin, Inc.
P. O. Box 3711
204 Broad Street
Martinsville, Virginia 24115
276-638-8801
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Woman of the Year recipient Cathie Carter (from left) is shown with the other nominees: Gladys Carter, Lynn Ward, Kara Carter-Hundley, Roslyn Simmons, Paula Burnette, Jeannie Frisco and Alyson Rothrock. Not pictured is Marsha Nance. (Contributed photo) |
Friday, July 30, 2010
By BULLETIN STAFF REPORTS -
Cathie Carter of Martinsville was named Woman of the Year on Thursday during the United Way’s annual “FORWOMENONLY” event.
The series of events for women, also sponsored by the Women’s Leadership Initiative, is in its third year. It began Thursday and will continue today and Saturday.
Carter was presented with the first Woman of the Year award during a ceremony at the Rives Theatre. The award was designed to honor a woman who gives back to the community, volunteers for various organizations and advocates for an issue about which she is passionate, according to a news release.
“The whole idea of the Woman of the Year is really the inspiration it provides to other women and girls in the community,” said United Way Director Tiffani Underwood. “We hope to make this an annual event.”
Carter, who is marketing director for Tacoma, was nominated by Lynda Cahill and Susan Moss. She was instrumental in bringing Boys & Girls Clubs to this area, according to United Way intern Alison Parker.
Carter also volunteers with the SPCA, Piedmont Arts and people in crisis during Thanksgiving and Christmas.
She has been active with Chatham Heights Baptist Church where she served as the head of homecoming, a Sunday school teacher, children’s mission class teacher and a volunteer with vacation Bible school. Carter also formed a group called “KNIT WITS,” which is group of women who knit hats for children and caps for the troops serving overseas to wear under their helmets.
Carter was chosen as winner by consensus of the Woman of the Year committee. Its members are Janie Brazier, Kathleen Brown, Kelly Crawford, Marsha Frith, Jeannie Frisco, Ariel Harrington, Kris Landrum, Stefanie Milroy, Dana Murdock, Erin Patterson, Barbara Redd, Lynn Ward and Patricia Williams.
Nomination forms were sent out in e-mails and distributed at local businesses in early June.
“All of the women (nominated) are so deserving,” said Parker, who organized the committee along with Tiffany Haworth, United Way’s director of capacity/resource development. “I would give it (the award) to all of them if I could.”
According to the news release, other finalists were:
• Kara Carter-Hundley, who was nominated by Monica Carter.
Carter-Hundley is vice president of the board of Gateway Streetscape and is a member of Charity League. On behalf of Piedmont Arts and the Boys and Girls Clubs, she teaches art weekly at the Southern Virginia Artisan Center. She also was on the board of the Martinsville and Henry County Chamber of Commerce.
• Roslyn Simmons, who was nominated by Jenniffer Jamison.
Simmons has been a volunteer with TheatreWorks for the past year and the Patrick Henry Elementary School PTO for five years. She is involved with children’s music and Sunday school at Chatham Heights Baptist Church.
• Gladys Carter, who was nominated by Whitnie Spencer.
Carter is employed by the Boys & Girls Club at Patrick Henry Elementary School, where she started the “Give-Back Garden.” The garden was put in with help from students and parents.
• Jeannie Frisco, who was nominated by Vicki George.
Frisco serves on the board of Gateway Streetscape, which she has been involved with for three years. For the past 10 years, she has helped with an animal rescue organization each week. She is on the MURA Promotions Committee, Uptown Partners Committee, Rivers and Trails Committee, Skate Park Committee and a health committee through New College Institute. She was on the governing committee for the Non-Profit Leaders Network in 2009, is a former Woolwine Ruritan and recently accepted a position on the American Red Cross committee.
• Lynn Ward, who was nominated by Barbara Parker.
Ward has served as president of the board of the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Blue Ridge and was the education coordinator for Piedmont Arts. A former Martinsville School Board member, she brings music to the community and schools through the Artisan Café and Piedmont Arts.
• Allyson Rothrock, who was nominated by Katherine Eanes.
Rothrock helped launch a commission that presented the recommendation for the New College Institute to the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. She is executive director of the Harvest Foundation.
• Marsha Nance, who was nominated by Deborah Gray.
Nance is an advocate for children with disabilities and cancer. She has been a volunteer for the American Cancer Society for nine years, the Victory Junction Gang Camp for four years, CONTACT for 10 years and the Brenner Children’s Hospital Festival of Trees for four years. She supports the MS Society Walk and United Way.
• Paula Burnette, who was nominated by Marsha Frith.
Burnette served for 15 years as the Iriswood District representative on the Henry County Board of Supervisors before retiring in December. While on the board, she was a governor’s appointee to the Secure Commonwealth Panel, served on the board of the Virginia Association of Counties and was appointed to the Council on the Status of Women. She is a member of the Blue Ridge Public Library board, Piedmont Arts Association board Axton Life Saving Crew board, Mount Olivet Ruritan Club, Community Pride Committee and Citizens Against Family Violence.
“FORWOMENONLY” will hold a financial seminar, “Females Financing Their Future,” at 11:30 a.m. today at the Dutch Inn and a 3-mile walk beginning at 8 a.m. Saturday at Tasty Creme in uptown Martinsville. |
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