Now featuring:

• 2010 Charity of the Year: ALS Association
• 2009 Woman of the Year Jacquie Easley
• Pages on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter

Our next event: Thursday, March 18 at 5:30 p.m. We’ll meet for dinner at Graze, West Des Moines, featuring Rebecca Meyer, at-home winner of NBC’s “The Biggest Loser” season 8! Learn more on our calendar.

Opportunity Grants

Members: Applications for 2010 opportunity grants are due April 1 – don’t miss out!

From the President’s Desk: March 2010

Hello all,

I’m really looking forward to our March meeting at Graze. The speaker’s story is inspiring and motivational – just what I need to clear the winter blahs!

I’m also getting ready for vacation – leaving March 22 for  Italy. I’m so excited, I can hardly think about anything else! I will fly into Venice March 23, where a gondola ride and sightseeing are in store. On the 25th, we’ll move to Florence with a stop in Padua (where St. Anthony is interred). So much to see in Florence with the history of the Renaissance and fabulous art, including the Uffize gallery. On the 28th, we’ll take a side trip to a Tuscan winery for a tasting and more sightseeing through Tuscany and Umbria. On the 29th, we’ll head to Rome to visit the Vatican and Sistine Chapel, the Collosseum, and St. Peter’s Basilica, with a side trip to Pompei. Heading home April 1 (hoping they’ll tell me “April Fools – we aren’t leaving until later!”).

Anyone who has been to Italy and can share “must do” and other helpful hints: PLEASE e-mail me or talk to me at the March meeting!

March is a month of celebration – from the wonderful women in our history to those who are proud of their Irish heritage (and those of us who pretend to be Irish for awhile).  The change of season (yeah SPRING!) and March Madness basketball give us hope that winter really does come to an end! Here are a few things we can celebrate:

• Great movies on Oscar night, March 7
• International Women’s Day March 8
• Saint Patrick’s Day March 17
• Spring (vernal equinox) March 20

March is also Women’s History Month – celebrate those who broke ground for us and inspire us to do the same for future generations! I hope to see everyone at the March meeting on the 18th!

-Becky Patton-Quigley

Now featuring:

• 2010 Charity of the Year: ALS Association
• 2009 Woman of the Year Jacquie Easley
• Pages on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter

Our next event: Thursday, Feb. 18 at 5:30 p.m. We’ll meet for dinner at Irina’s Restaurant and Bar, featuring Heather Soener of the Young Women’s Resource Center. Learn more on our calendar.

New – win an Irina’s gift certificate! Bring diapers for the Young Women’s Resource Center’s diaper drive to receive your first entry in the drawing. Increase your odds of winning when you renew your dues, and again if pay your meeting fee via PayPal!

From the President’s Desk: February 2010

I want to take this opportunity to thank last year’s steering committee members for their work! We had a great year – fabulous restaurants with awesome programs and networking opportunities! I appreciate all the work and effort that went into making this past year so successful and FUN!! Kudos to Mindy O’Kane,  Sherri Johnson, Didi Loynachan, Beth Grabau, Michelle Patrick, Pamela Henkel, Theresa White and Nichole VanHorn!

I’m also looking forward to the year ahead.  I am honored to be serving as president for such a wonderful group and want to thank the membership for giving me the privilege!

Well, February is a month with quite a few sporting events and holidays. I thought I would highlight a few:

• Please help celebrate National Wear Red Day Feb. 5! “Go Red For Women” celebrates the energy, passion and power we have as women to band together to wipe out heart disease and stroke. Thanks to the participation of millions of people across the country, the color red and the red dress now stand for the ability all women have to improve their heart health and live stronger, longer lives.
• Superbowl XLIV Feb. 7 with the Saints and Colts in Miami. If you’re not a football fan, it’s still fun to watch the commercials!
• The Olympics will run Feb. 12-28 in Vancouver, BC, Canada.
• Valentines Day Feb. 14 brings fond wishes (and don’t forget the chocolate) for friends and family! Yes, a lover’s holiday, but really – isn’t it about the chocolate?
• Chinese New year also falls on Valentines Day; 2010 is the year of the tiger.

February is also friendship month. In MWN, I’ve met so many great women – so many different occupations, so many different personalities – what a blessing to find so many kindred spirits! I hope to see everyone at the Feb. 18 meeting!

-Becky Patton-Quigley

Now featuring:

• 2010 Charity of the Year: ALS Association
• 2009 Woman of the Year Jacquie Easley
• Pages on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter

Our next event: Thursday, Feb. 18 at 5:30 p.m.

We’ll meet for dinner at Irina’s Restaurant and Bar, featuring Heather Sooner of the Young Women’s Resource Center. Learn more on our calendar!

Coming soon: Photos from our annual membership meeting held Jan. 21 at Glen Oaks Country Club, featuring Debra Landwehr Engle, author of “Grace from the Garden” and cofounder of Tending Your Inner Garden. Thanks to all the wonderful women who attended!

NEW – 2010 membership drive: The MWN member who brings the most guests to our annual meeting Jan. 21 will win a one-year paid membership renewal! See the Calendar for details.

  •  2010 Charity of the Year: ALS Association
  •  Learn more about 2009 Woman of the Year Jacquie Easley!
  •  You can now find us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter!

From the President’s Desk: November/December

Wow, I get to cover two months of news, greetings and knowledge. Decision… Do I write twice as much? Easy answer, NO! The end of another year is closing in on us. That means we’re all getting older, wiser and more like a fine bottle of wine. How wonderfully exciting!

We’ll soon gather for our annual winter social. A splendid time to catch up with ones you know and chat with those you don’t. MWN will also donate $$ to a chosen charity; you will also be able to make a contribution of your own.

Keep in mind that nominations for next year’s committee members will also be discussed. If you are having doubts, try it… you’ll love it!

In the meantime, here are a few tips for a more relaxing holiday season:

• Maybe in our eagerness to impress and bedazzle our guests, we’re missing the point entirely. Warm, relaxing social interaction should be the main concern when rolling out the welcome mat. Here are some strategies that will help you keep your eye on that objective.
• Have small intimate get-togethers. Big parties are expensive, time-consuming and a heck of a lot of work. A big bash can be fun, if you’re not the one throwing it. Smaller parties are easier to arrange, less work, less expensive, and leave lots of time to enjoy your guests, who feel more special, too. Entertain fewer people…more often.
• Keep the menu simple. Focus on the quality of what you serve, not the quantity, and on making your guests feel relaxed and comfortable. Your parties can’t help but turn out special.
  Expect people to cancel out on you. Last-minute dropouts and no-shows can be disappointing — especially when you’ve gone to a lot of trouble. So be ready for it. If everyone does show up (slim chance), you’ll enjoy an unanticipated bonus.
• Invite someone over for coffee, tea, a glass of wine, or a beer. Informal drop-by visits with friends and neighbors is a great way to catch up, share experiences, vent concerns, and give yourself a needed break from the rat race. Pure, uplifting social interaction…without all the fuss. Try it.

Entertaining is supposed to be fun, remember? When you throw a dinner party or host a gathering, it’s not an audition, you’re not on trial and your guests aren’t judges and juries. It’s about inviting people into your home and making them feel welcome and comfortable. If you’re tense and unsure, that’s what they’ll pick up on. (How many times have you attended a tautly wound event and had a perfectly lousy time?) So make it fun. Be casual, gracious, spontaneous. You’ll be a hit, and so will your party.

Warmest wishes for a blissful holiday.

-Mindi O’Kane

New:

• The votes are in: ALS Association is our 2010 Charity of the Year!
• You can also find us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter!

From the President’s Desk – October
It’s hard to believe that fall is here, along with the chilly temperatures. We all know what that means…snow is on the way!

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Energy Awareness Month. Pet owners can go green with their furry companions. Below are a few ideas:

• Instead of throwing out old towels or bedding, contact a local shelter and donate it. They also accept old pet toys and used litter boxes.
• Don’t give your pet bottled water. Give them tap water. They won’t care.
• Use biodegradable bags to scoop up your dog’s mess, or for cat owners, use eco-friendly cat litters.
• Earth-friendly (and pet-friendly) shampoos and grooming products are available, so why not use them?
• If your pet makes a mess, use an all-natural cleaning solvent like vinegar rather than bleach.
• If you have reptile or fish tanks, use energy-saving lights and put them on timers.
• Wearing shoes in the house brings in extra dirt and pesticides that your pet doesn’t need exposure to.
• If you buy pet treats, make sure they come in recyclable cardboard. Or better yet, make your own!
• Buy pet food in bulk – less packaging, plus less cost overall.

Hopefully the tips that weren’t insanely obvious will be a help to all the pet-loving readers out there!

October is also a time when we all need to think about MWN’s new officers.  There are a lot of fun things to do as we continue to make MWN membership grow and bring new and exciting topics,  great dinners and a wonderful way to meet new friends.

See you Thursday at Maverick Grill!

-Mindi O’Kane

From the President’s Desk – September
Well, summer is over. The State Fair has packed up for another year, the kids are back in school, the pools are closed and the leaves are beginning to turn.  I hope you all had a spectacular season!

September is National Preparedness Month, a time for us to take important steps to prepare for emergencies.  Following are some tips for preparing in the event of disaster.

You may need to survive on your own after a disaster. This means having your own food, water and other supplies in sufficient quantity to last for at least three days. Local officials and relief workers will be on the scene after a disaster, but they cannot reach everyone immediately. You could get help in hours, or it might take days.

Basic services such as electricity, gas, water, sewage treatment and telephones may be cut off for days, or even a week or longer. Or, you may have to evacuate at a moment’s notice and take essentials with you. You probably will not have the opportunity to shop or search for the supplies you need.

1. Begin with a kit of emergency supplies including water, food, a flashlight and a first aid kit.
2. Make a plan for your family in an emergency, including how to stay in touch, shelter in place or evacuate.
3. Know about possible threats at home and in the work place and how to respond.
4. Get involved to help your community prepare.

September’s birthstone is the sapphire. The meaning is clear thinking, and the flower is the forget-me-not.  Absolutely appropriate for the remembrance of those who were lost Sept. 11, 2001.

It’s not too early to begin thinking about next year’s steering committee.  Wouldn’t you like to be a part of the planning and decision-making for Metro Women’s Network?

See you Thursday at Chicago Speakeasy,

-Mindi O’Kane

Congratulations to Barb Livingston on her retirement from the VA!

From the President’s Desk – August

Happy August! I truly hope you all have had a great summer so far.

It’s almost state fair time. Are you ready?

Well, I made my trip to Washington, D.C. and it was FABULOUS! There were BBQs, luaus, receptions, lunches, sightseeing and, of course, the ceremony. For those of you who do not know, my youngest son, Mike, was selected as the 2009 Chief of Naval Operations Shore Sailor of the Year. To put it in perspective, four sailors out of nearly 500,000 were chosen. Am I proud? Well, yeah, a little!

My oldest son and I stayed over the weekend and were lucky to have the honor of seeing Stacey Keatch in “King Lear.” I even got his autograph. I’ve never done that before. It was truly a treat.

We also saw the Capitol, the White House, Washington monument, Lincoln monument, and the Jefferson, WWII, Vietnam and Korean memorials, to name a few. I hadn’t been to D.C. since the late 70s. The history and architecture is fascinating and breath-taking. I would suggest a family vacation there. Most of the sites are free admission, within walking distance of each other, and it’s a great place for educating children and adults alike.

Keep in mind that August is Women’s Small Business Month. Support the women you know who own small businesses.

Until September,

- Mindi O’Kane

From the President’s Desk – June
June is here and at the end of the month we will be halfway through another year. Summer begins on the 21st – officially, that is… We all know it really begins Memorial Day weekend!

Following up on last month’s newsletter, I wanted to let you all know that my youngest son, James Mikel George Nicholson, won the competition and is the 2009 Sailor of the Year for the entire US Navy! He also turned 29 on the 26th. I will be going to Washington, D.C. in July for the formal ceremony. I’ve experienced a lot of things in my life, but I must admit, this is the most exciting and rewarding thing I will ever do. For those of you who don’t know, I’m retired Navy and so was his father.

2009 Sailor of the Year

To be fair, I must also announce that my oldest son, Alan Gyles Douglas Nicholson, has been accepted to the Louisiana National Guard’s Officer Candidate School and is finishing up his last year for a social work master’s degree and has been accepted at the Alexandria, Louisiana Veterans Hospital for his internship. Wow… we are an all-military family. Rewarding!

On with business. There has been some conversation in regard to our monthly meetings, the reservations and payments. Please allow me to remind everyone that Metro Women’s Network MUST pay for all meals that have been ordered, whether or not you can make it. We do not operate on a large budget, and when RSVPs are received and we turn our numbers into the restaurants, we are locked in. We are all aware that emergencies pop up and cannot be avoided, but we must also realize that the bill still has to be paid. The same goes for RSVPs received past the deadline. These issues seem to have been occurring more frequently and I hope we can all attempt to improve.

Again, I encourage everyone to invite your friends, family and even your enemies…God bless – see ya on the 18th at Baratta’s!

- Mindi O’Kane