Fall 2016 

What a wonderful fall we have had for the Fund for Women (FFW)! 
Great events and exciting things are yet to come before the end of the year. 
Wine, Chocolate, and Cheese from Around the World

Over 100 Founders and guests were excited to pair wines with cheeses and chocolates from around the world at the Cordrey Center on September 22nd. This high-energy event was hosted by our Sussex County Development Committee and welcomed eight new Founders. With food provided by Patty's Catering and the upbeat music provided by a roving a cappella group, Mixed Blessings, an atmosphere of goodwill was created for attendees to learn about the many contributions offered by the Fund for Women.  

Carolyn Strum, Chair of the Sussex County Development Committee, did a stellar job of talking about FFW. Guests were able to hear inspiring stories from Girls on the Run, La Red and Friendship House, all FFW grant beneficiaries. "Fortunate women like us are able to help women and girls who are less fortunate," said Strum. "But the need remains strong and the hope is to reach 2,018 Founders before the Year 2018 so that we can grow our endowment fund that will help Delaware women and girls reach their full potential," she emphasized.
1) Server Curt Mitchell pours a tasty wine for Founder and Board Member Suzanne Feaster.
2) Cordrey Center co-owner and Founder Valery Cordrey, Sussex Chair Carolyn Strum, and Board Vice Chair Lynn   Kokjohn enjoy the Chocolate, Wine and Cheese event hosted by the Fund for Women.
3) Founders Joan Esola-Macre, Deb Quinton, and Paula Castiglione greet guests on September 22 at the Cordrey  Center.
4) The a cappella group, Mixed Blessings, directed by Roo Brown, entertains attendees while guests sample wines  from around the world.
5) New Founders who joined the FFW include: Lynda Dunham, Leslie Sinclair, Debbie Woods, Bonnie Johnson, Joan
Thomas, and Rochelle Cohen; Not pictured: Carole Palmer and Connie O'Donnell.
6) Founder Trena Kelley and Sussex Development Committee Member Jean Lamontagne have fun during the
festivities.
10th First Founder Award Presented to Cynthia Primo Martin

The Wilmington Country Club was packed on September 28th to honor Cynthia Primo Martin with our most prestigious award. (The event sold out and went to waiting list before Labor Day!) Cynthia is known for being a dedicated volunteer and a change agent in Delaware. She has been an advocate as well as an active supporter of the Fund for Women. She sponsored her daughter Heather to become a Founder and has encouraged her wide network of friends to become Founders. Thanks to Cynthia's support, the FFW membership and the Board of Trustees are more representative of the demographics of Delaware. (click here for more about Cynthia).

This event was organized by a committee led by Nancy (formerly Reilly) Michener (yes, she was married this summer!) which included Jane Wilkie, Kay Preston, Marilyn Hyte, and Beth Jones. Congressman Carney could not attend at the last minute but organized congratulations from the Delaware Congressional Delegation to Cynthia for receiving the award and to our Chair Emerita, Michele Whetzel, for her leadership of the Fund for Women over the last two years.



1) Founders Heather Mitchell, Cynthia Primo Martin and Josh Martin celebrate together. Heather flew in from Chicago  as a surprise to honor her Mother.
2) Board Member and Founder Pam Cornforth with Founders Maryann Sterin, Mary Hopkins and Marie Stewart  enjoying a minute of fellowship.
3) Founder Nancy Frederick, Dana Robertson, Founder Margaretta Frederick, Margaret Winslow and Board Member and Founder Molly Giordano discuss the Fund for Women. Nancy and Margaretta are one of our many mother-daughter Founder pairs.
4) Fund for Women Vice Chair Lynn Kokjohn, Chair Kay Keenan, and Chair Emerita Michele Whetzel after honoring and thanking Michele for her leadership of the Board of Trustees from 2014-2016.
5) In Cynthia's award acceptance she discussed the importance of mentors and recognized her mentor Arabella Herring Stallings who joined the Fund for Women in honoring Cynthia.
6) FFW Board Members gather to congratulate fellow Founder Cynthia in receiving the 10th Annual First Founder Award. Pamela Sharpe, Lynn Kokjohn, Jean Dowding, Michele Whetzel, and Cynthia Primo Martin.
7) Cynthia's fan club (well, only a small portion) gathered around to congratulate her. Standing: Daughter and Founder
Heather Mitchell, Founder Natasha Songonuga, Founder and Board Member Pamela Sharpe, Founder Marcia 
Wright-Soika, Schlonn Hawkins, Sophia Hanson, Founder Calisa Emerson, Founder and First Founder Award  Recipient Cynthia Primo Martin, Jessica Gibson, Tamara Brown, Kanani Hines, Sheridan Quarless Kingsberry, 
Founder and Board Member Noreen Poole, LaKresha Roberts, Founder Enid Wallace Simms; Seated: Arabella
Herring Stallings and Founder Wanda Smith.
Join us as a Sustaining Founder 
At our annual breakfast we introduced a program to encourage Founders who have completed their pledge to continue giving. Include the Fund for Women in you're giving and we will recognize you as a Sustainer. Each year we will recognize the Sustainers when we publish our list of Founders. Please join in being a Sustainer in the Fund for Women. Link to donate as a Sustainer 
 
Designer Showhouse  - Beautiful Home also benefits Fund for Women

Many Founders volunteered at the Designer Showhouse.
On Saturday a few of them posed in the foyer: L-R: Founders
Mary Hickok, Tam Defer, Patricia Saunders, Ginger Weiss, Adele McIntosh, Kay Keenan and Kitsie Holcomb.
Founder Sandra Borror Baldt and the Junior League of Wilmington must be thanked for inviting us to partner with them on the Designer Showhouse. Board Members Susan Sherk and Michele Whetzel coordinated this for the Fund for Women. We had success because many Founders either volunteered or toured. We heard several times, "Oh, I've heard about the good work you do but I don't know much," and "Wow, I should be a Founder." So remember to invite your friends to one of our upcoming events.


Featured Founders
We are looking for Founders who are making a difference in their community, have received significant promotions, awards, etc., so that we can feature them on our Facebook page. If that is you, or you know of someone please forward their name and information to Noreen Poole, FFW Marketing and Communications Chair at [email protected] .
Save the Following Dates 
Fall Philanthropy Fling  
Tuesday, November 1st   5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.  
at Woodburn, the Governor's Mansion 
Dover, DE - please invite your Kent County friends especially
 
Holiday Decorating Ideas with Yukie
November 17   5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Delaware Center for Horticulture
Wilmington, DE details coming soon

Spring Fashion Show 
Sunday, April 9   2 p.m. - 5 p.m. 
Atlantic Sands Hotel in Rehoboth Beach with a great view of the Atlantic Ocean
details coming in 2017
Our Committees Need You
The FFW is an all volunteer organization and we need our Founders, who have time, to join a committee. Especially needed are committee members for the county Development Committees and the Marketing Committee. If you are interested, please contact our Governance Chair, Molly Giordano [email protected]
Your 2016-2017 FFW Board

L-R Founders: Jane Wilkie, Susan Sherk, Nancy Michener, Noreen Poole, Jean Dowding, Lynn Kokjohn, Kay Keenan, Michele Whetzel, Pam Cornforth, Kirsten Wolfington, Molly Giordano, Pamela Sharpe, Carolyn Strum. Not pictured: Suzanne Feaster, Terri Lavin, Valerie Middlebrooks, Louisa Phillips, and Ginger Ward.
With your help we can do more to empower the
Women and Girls in Delaware -
invite a friend to become a Founder,
and if you have completed your original $1,000 pledge,
commit to becoming a Sustaining Founder.
Helpful Fund for Women Links
The Fund for Women Mission
Through collective philanthropy, the Fund for Women invests and advocates by bringing together our knowledge, passion, and commitment
to empower women and girls in Delaware to achieve their potential.
Our Vision
All women and girls in Delaware are empowered*
to achieve their potential.**
* Empowered - made stronger and more confident, especially in controlling their life and
claiming their rights.
**Potential - latent qualities or abilities that my be developed and lead to future success.