My memory of joining Women of Today is being in the Easton Town Hall in a dark cold room in March 1998. There was a very small article in the Easton Journal which invited women (me!) to the meeting about the potential of starting a chapter. We had met a few times and Eileen Murray and other members encouraged 5 of us to take the next step and charter the Easton Women of Today. At the time I joined the Women of Today I was engaged, had recently moved to Easton and knew one person in my town. I wanted to meet people. That was my entire goal in joining – to meet people.

Those of you who knew me then would say that Women of Today has really changedme. Iwasmuch quieter; I hated to speak in public; I was more of a follower than a leader. The Women of Today has given me so much – the opportunity to meet people in my town and develop a wonderful network of friends, to serve my community and to serve in leadership roles that have benefited my personal confidence and my career. Being able to serve as both my chapter and State President allowed me to develop leadership skills. When applying for a managerial position with no industry managerial experience, I was able to explain that I was the leader of a dynamic group of individuals working to positively impact our communities. When asked about projects, I was able to talk about helping to start the Greater Attleboro Women of Today, chair fundraisers and help in my community (I did indeed get the job). The public speaking at National Conventions, State and local meetings forcedme to speak in front of people. Now I am able to conduct training classes of up to 50 people and not feel like I am going to faint. Inmany ways I would say that I have “grown up”with theWomen of Today – I am now married and have three beautiful daughters; I work full time and I am more confident in myself.

I am really honored to have become the 125th recipient of the Ambassador award. I cannot thank enough everyone who supported me on this journey. Thank you to my chapter for giving me so many opportunities. Thank you to my friends for recognizing my contribution and being there for more when things were rough. Thank you to the Ambassadors and former State Presidents who guided me when I took the role of State President. Thank you to the National Staff who support us. It is everyone who has worked on a committee, completed a project, served on an E-board, solicited a donation and been a friend who makesWomen of Today what it is.

Where will the Women of Today take you? What can you become? Take advantage of all of the opportunities that you have – become a leader in your chapter, take a State or chapter position you never dreamed you could do – you cannot imagine where this may take you. You can grow as an individual, make new and lifelong friends, find a better job… and maybe even receive the highest honor you can imagine.

The Town Meeting April 5th will determine the commitment ofOURcommunity to its outstanding and unique heritage. As the Local History teacher at Oliver Ames High School for a quarter of a century and the cooriginator in 1975 of walking tours for all fifth grader students, I have had the pleasure of sharing our unique heritage with many of you. The Ames shovel business not only is two years older than theDeclaration of Independence but also represents the Easton lives of somany generations before us.

The workers in the Ames Shovel Company and related support systems were the backbone of the company that at one time produced sixty-percent of theworld’s shovels. The shovel was the implement during the eighteen hundreds that really developed our country including roads, canals, railroad beds, and the early Boston subway. The profits provided schools, a building for the band to practice and physical education to occur, a park, a free library, religious buildings, a cemetery, and to all who remember— elementary school Christmas parties even during the Great Depressionwhen the only gift one received might be the one from Mrs. Frothingham.

In addition, today we not only receive approximately a million dollars in endowments each year but also enjoy, in addition to the facilities already mentioned, “Sheep Pasture”, “Borderland”, other conservation areas, a Town Office that cost us one dollar, and the works of great artisans such as H. H. Richardson, Frederick Law Olmsted, John LaFarge, John Ames Mitchell, Augustus St. Gaudens, and Stanford White. The heart of this heritage is the Ames Shovel Complex identified as one of the eleven most endangered sites in our country. April 5th is the ONE OPPORTUNITY to preserve our heritage.

Save our past by attending April 5th and voting “YES”, so that future generations will enjoy the extraordinary heritage of OUR COMMUNITY. (The money is available.)

I am writing this letter on behalf of Alison Rutley. She is an incumbent candidate for the Sharon School Committee. I have personally worked with Alison on district initiatives before she took public office. As co-president of the Advocates for Children’s Education in Sharon, her organizational and effective advocacy skills made her a leader in supporting what was in the best interest of all of our children. She worked tirelessly as a volunteer and champion of public schools. Alison was vital in getting the override for the schools passed.

Recently as a School Committee member and Chair of the Public Relations Subcommittee, one of Alison’s responsibilities was to educate the community on the Sharon Middle School project. I worked with Alison as she reached out to the whole district in order to get our input on this project. She collaborated with many community groups in order to run meaningful informational sessions and to produce factual data that eventually contributed to the successful passage of the project.

The election is on May 18th. Please join me in supporting Alison Rutley for School Committee.