| Women's Center Award |
HIGH ACHIEVERS HONOREDWomen's Center at Lakeland Community College recognizes four Lake County Women by Bonnie Gruttadauria On vacation in the Dominican Republic with her husband Robert in November, Pat Grisar noticed a shy, self-conscious woman in a mountain village outside the city of Puerto Plata, wearing a tattered wig. The woman had been burned in an accident. Disheartened by the deplorable conditions she witnessed in the poverty-stricken country, Pat's heart was set afire by the possibility of what she and Robert could do to help. In response, the Grisars created Rainbow Families Foundations and gathered more than 3,000 pounds of donated clothing, toys, school and medical supplies they distributed during their return visit one month later. One of the contributions included wigs. “I purposely intended to donate the wigs to this woman. When we met again, I showed her what I was offering. We both cried,” Pat Grisar said. Grisar, a Kirtland resident, was selected as one of four women honored Wednesday during the 2001 Women of Achievement awards program at Lakeland Community College for their efforts in touching the lives of women around the world. The other recipients are Janet Blanchard, MD of Eastlake; Virginia Hoose of Painesville and Nancy Sharpe of Concord Township. The Women's Center at Lakeland Community College in Kirtland sponsors the Woman of Achievement awards as part of the annual recognition of National Women's History Month. Since 1993, 25 women have been bestowed with this award. An international theme was chosen for this year's award to identify women whose lives personify a spirit of generosity, dedication and caring for people throughout the world. The theme is in keeping with the Women's Center mission statement that promotes “encouraging and supporting women in achieving equity in education, economic and community life.” “We are recognizing women who have made a difference for women in other countries or in other cultures in this country,” said Merry Ring, Women's Center director. Each award recipient has had a unique impact on global society. Blanchard, a local plastic surgeon on staff at Lutheran Medical Center in Cleveland and Lake Hospital System, makes a difference in the lives of children in Ecuador and Brazil who need repairs for cleft palates and other health problems. She has been traveling to South America for two weeks every other year over the past 20 years to provide pro-bono surgery. “There aren't a lot of cleft lips or palates we don't take care of in the United States. Volunteering my time in South America is my way of giving back,” Blanchard said. “It's a sacrifice, but it's so worth the time and effort.” As head of the migrant education and English as a Second Language (ESL) programs for the Painesville City Schools, Hoose provides communication and academic support to Hispanic families throughout the school year. In addition, she works with the Hispanic community to provide a variety of services and runs the summer migrant program which provides English lessons and cultural trips and activities for Hispanic children. For more than 16 years, Sharpe, an employee of Lake Hospital System, has been actively involved with American Field Service (AFS) promoting cross-cultural understanding. She also volunteers two evenings per week in an English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classroom through Painesville Adult Basic Literacy Education. “I will never be a delegate to the UN (United Nations), but I can make a difference at home one person at a time,” Sharpe said. Women living or working in Lake County who have not already received the award were eligible for the 2001 Women of Achievement Award through open nominations to the Women's Center. An independent panel of judges selected the top four from a list of 10 finalists. The other nominees were Maria de la Camera, Jacqueline Macy Cerar, Monique Cicco, Carmencita Damian, Renate Knuth and Rose Kolar Cook. Each award winner was given a hand-crafted award designed and created by Tamara Dalrymple. The award features a singing figure made of polymer clay signifying a woman finding and using her own true voice. The awards program concluded with a presentation by featured speaker Faith D'Aluisio, author of “Women in the Material World.” In her book, D'Aluisio uses poignant photographs and stories to offer a telling glimpse into the cultures and lives of women worldwide. She shared some of her insights about these women and their families in her effort to promote universal understanding and celebrate female roles in diverse societies. Under picture (to be provided) is the title: |