WiLL

If you have come to help me you are wasting your time, but if you say your liberation is bound up with mine then let us work together.

Aboriginal Woman

This quote has always moved me.  And it inspires even my own commitment to our Women Living Leadership initiative.  I remember Sue Slack calling me when she was leaving Jackson County.  She shared she really wanted to focus her volunteer work on women and making a difference for the rest of her life.  I laughed.  I'm sure she thought I had lost it.  But what she didn't know was we were just launching WiLL and it was perfect for us and perfect for her!  Sue has chaired WiLL mightily these past two years.  Her commitment, energy and enthusiasm are unwaivering.  She is a joy to be around.  The deserves great credit for the magic that is WiLL.  Here's her guest blog.  Enjoy!

Thank you for taking a look at my blog about WiLL.  WiLL (Women Living Leadership) is one of the newer, and in my view one of the most, exciting programs United Way has undertaken.  We are a group of women whose single mission is to improve the lives of other women and children in transition. 

I got involved with WiLL because it was a chance to be connected to women with creative ideas, a giving spirit and women who are just simply a lot of fun.  Every month our WiLL Council meets to plan our fundraising luncheon, hear about programs we fund, and have a good time.  I have a long history with meetings and none leave me smiling and inspired like WiLL. 

I also volunteer as a mentor with the Bridges program offered by OnTrack.  Bridges is just one of the original and new ideas women developed to help out with transitions.  As a mentor I enjoy about an hour a week with one of the most courageous young women I’ve ever met.  She is working very hard to recover from addiction and she’s doing a great job.  I admit I was a little scared to become a mentor.  After all, I have no counseling skills or background that I thought was necessary to become a good mentor.  I was also a little frightened of the women in recovery as I didn’t know any of them and I wondered how difficult it would be to become comfortable with them. 

Well, I was in for a big surprise.  The women in the program just need a friend, someone who will listen to them, someone to take them seriously, and someone to offer an “atta girl” once in awhile.  I feel completely relaxed with my mentee and I hope she feels the same way.  Anyone has the capacity to be a terrific mentor. 

Enough of the fun I’m having with WiLL and my volunteer efforts.  Wouldn’t you like to become part of WiLL?   Please join us for our annual fundraising luncheon on October 21, 2009.  It’s free; it’s at the Red Lion at noon and ends at 1:00.   You’ll hear from one of the women in a program we fund, you’ll learn more about the women of WiLL, you’ll be inspired by Kitty Calhoun a world class, record-breaking mountain climber and you’ll meet lots of great women.  If you would like to stay a little longer and visit with us, we’ll be around for awhile afterwards.  To join us, on October 21, simply call United Way at 773-5339 and reserve your seat.  I guarantee you’ll leave smiling and inspired.