2015 Athena Award Nominees Named

Westerly, RI –  the Greater Westerly-Pawcatuck Area Chamber of Commerce has announced that 5 local women have been nominated for the annual prestigious Athena award.  A celebration of their accomplishments and community contributions will take place at Lake of Isles Golf Resort on October 22.  Each woman has been certified as an Athena nominee and has excelled in their career or vocation, demonstrated a commitment to the community through volunteerism, and has helped other women achieve goals and leadership roles. The nominees are:

Heather Bessette, Stonington CEO/Managing Partner at I Can Fitness

For over 20 years, Heather has owned and operated a small personal fitness studio in Stonington and has focused on helping others with their lives. She has worked with mostly women (some men) of all ages encouraging one on one to be their best, work a little harder and stay focused on their goals. She has demonstrated her leadership by encouraging those girls that have come to her for help, which at first was in the physical fitness sense, but with her leadership, the training was about being a stronger person and believing in themselves.  She has lead teams to the top of tall buildings, lead teams through 26 miles of a marathon. She has supported her friends who have been ill and rallied the troops to come to their aid.  She was the founder and the inspiration behind the annual Village Fun Runs, which have been so successful in bringing the community together and focusing on the development of a stronger, healthier community.  Heather won the 1996 Hartford Marathon, a qualifier for the 1998 US Olympic Marathon Trials. She was a nationally ranked runner and was on the New Balance National Running Team for 7 years.

Heather’s community service is measured by her daily acts of helping others. Be it from helping school running team to helping out a young girl looking to find their way. Heather actions every day are all part of her community service and always has the spirit of how can I help other live a better life. From driving a friend to the doctor, to dropping off items at the food bank, organizing a trunk show to support a friend with cancer.

Michelle Gardner, Westerly Group Exercise Instructor, Ocean Community YMCA and Fitness Instructor for Stonington Human Services

In January, 2014, Michele was diagnosed with breast cancer.  She returned to the Y in June, 2014 even though she continued to receive treatments through September, 2014.  She was an inspiration and showed grace, strength and determination.  She started teaching one spin class per week for a month then took on a second spin class and soon after returned to the SilverSneakers class as the spotter at the back of the class. A certified Instructor for SilverSneakers, Body Sculpt, and Spinning, Michele was the catalyst behind the expansion of the SilverSneakers program from 10 participants to over 150 participants in the first two years. These days, participation numbers are in the hundreds and the OCY programs have one of the highest participant enrollments in the country. Michele’s infectious energy and enthusiasm has been instrumental in the growing the program from a basic level to advance and cardio levels. She has caringly coached SilverSneakers members to stronger levels of fitness so they could participate in higher intensity classes. Her guidance has resulted in participants progressing from “frail to fit”. Michele enjoys inspiring others to commit to long-term health and fitness goals.

Michelle’s community service includes volunteering for the Ocean Community YMCA annual triathlons and Roger Schonning Race.  She was the Volunteer Coordinator of the Triathlon in 2011 & 2012.  She was active on numerous committees of Dunn’s Corners Elementary School from 1998-2005.  She supported the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center when she painted a wall mural for their preschool in 2003.

Some of her past awards include: 2012 Ocean Community YMCA President’s Award (all three branches); Outstanding Service Award; 2014 Westerly-Pawcatuck Breast Cancer Awareness Honoree – Terri Brodeur Breast Cancer Foundation.

Ms. Julie Holland, Pawcatuck Community Service Advocate

Julie Holland sees a need and goes about figuring out how to meet it. She has a gift for organizing people, especially women and children, toward common needs. The impact of her community service has spanned across Stonington schools as well as many local non-profit organizations. She uses social media to promote people, organizations and events.  For the past several years she has hosted monthly “benefit” parties at her home consisting of 30 to 40 women with a goal of identifying worthwhile projects and enlisting commitment from the group to move forward.  Groups benefiting from her initiatives include Westerly Library and Wilcox Park, Autism Speaks, Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center and the Terri Brodeur Breast Cancer Foundation, to name a few. She supports other community groups by publicizing their events and fundraisers through social media.

Julie worked as Paraprofessional Teaching Assist at West Vine Street School (2007-2013).  She took her responsibilities to her students to a whole new level helping not only the children but getting involved with families with goal of identifying unmet needs. Through this work she went on to become one of the driving forces in bringing the Light It up Blue to Support Autism Awareness to the greater Westerly-Pawcatuck area. Her benefit parties resulted in a fundraiser at a local venue along with coordinating with businesses, banking institutions and local municipalities to light up their buildings in blue in support of Autism Speaks. Julie’s expansive community service includes serving on the Stonington K-12 Building Committee to gain support for improvements to the elementary schools Past awards include The Golden Apple Award in 2012, bestowed by Stonington Public School and the the Civic Recognition Award for being a positive role model to children helping to teach them to respond to situations in healthy ways that can contribute to individual and community wellbeing. Julie was instrumental in the founding of the West Vine Street School Sensory Garden and currently serves as its Chair. The garden has morphed into an outdoor classroom and provides learning opportunities for students year round.  It has resulted in food production and subsequent donations to the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center and local families. Julie also organized  a hat/mitten/scarf drive for the PNC. Julie Holland sees a need and goes about figuring out how to meet it. She has a gift for organizing people, especially women and children, toward common needs.

The impact of her community service has spanned across Stonington schools as well as many local non-profit organizations. She uses social media to promote people, organizations and events.  For the past several years she has hosted monthly “benefit” parties at her home consisting of 30 to 40 women with a goal of identifying worthwhile projects and enlisting commitment from the group to move forward.  Groups benefiting from her initiatives include Westerly Library and Wilcox Park, Autism Speaks, Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center and the Terri Brodeur Breast Cancer Foundation, to name a few. She supports other community groups by publicizing their events and fundraisers through social media.

Christine Misto, Westerly Marketing & Communications Manager, Westerly Hospital Chairman, Westerly Republican Town Committee
Christine is responsible for helping project the image of Westerly Hospital in the community, and communicate news to the media and public.  Throughout her tenure which included the hospital’s transition to the L + M Hospital family, she has been creative, dedicated and energetic working on events and marketing of this important community asset.   She is a well respected leader who makes a very professional presentation on behalf of the region’s largest employer.

As the Vice Chairman of the Republican Town Committee in Westerly, she is organized, passionate and dedicated in her work to help fellow republicans achieve their goals of getting elected and serving the community.  Christine offers sage advice, savvy marketing tips and strategic vision that has enabled several candidates to excel in their path to public service.  She is role model to other women who may be considering getting involved locally.  She is a long time advocate for quality education and accountability in the school and town budget.  For many years she eloquently and respectfully speaks at town council meetings and school committee meetings, challenging the process of back-door contract negotiations and other issues of concern.  In 2009 she served as a member of the “Westerly High School Renovation Subcommittee”.  Christine was a volunteer dancer for Dancing with the Stars to Benefit the Bradford Schools.  She has been a donor and supporter of the Westerly Education Endowment Fund. She volunteered with a team of 5 others to create 2 unique outfits for the chamber’s Fashion Trashion event.  She serves on the Marketing and Newsletter committees of the St Pius School where her son Louis attends.  She provides invaluable marketing tips, develops advertising materials and is an asset to the school’s community outreach efforts.

Linda Wilkinson, North Stonington Founder, Chikumbuso Women and Orphans Project

Linda has lived all over the world and has made a difference teaching and volunteering. In Mali she taught literacy to women at 25 different training centers. As a volunteer she helped local residents sell earthen ware and beads from Timbuktu to help support their families during the drought and famine. In Senegal she taught a 5th grade class at the International/ American school. In Maryland she taught a technology class to at risk youths.

In 2004 Linda moved to Africa and established the Chikumbuso Women and Orphans Project.  A bar and brothel was for sale in the compound so she bought it and converted into a community room and school.  Today, the group has grown to 45 widows and 25 at risk youth making beautiful handcrafted items. Their skills as artists and entrepreneurs have grown through various classes ranging from learning about color and design to financial training for both their personal and professional lives. English training has helped the women continue learning even though they dropped out of formal education many, many years ago. Their confidence has increased tremendously; they regularly attend local fashion shows and often find themselves speaking to organizations about the project and how they can help.  Chikimbusu also educates and helps feed a total of 450 students, some in its K-6 operation and some through sponsorships to attend middle school and high school.  Linda secures locations to display and sell the Chikumbuso women’s art work in area restaurants and businesses. From New London to Westerly, churches, schools, rotary clubs, businesses and individuals have embraced the group and its work, hosting fundraisers, buying handbags and sponsoring Chikumbuso children.

She is an active member of the Stonington Rotary Club and contributes time and talents to support their many programs.

All 5 of these amazing ladies will have their stories shared with the community during a very special celebration that will be inspiring for all who attend.  Tickets are $50 each, payable to Greater Westerly Chamber Foundation.  For more information, contact Lisa Konicki at 401-596-7761.

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