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Women's Day Celebration held in Bridgeville

Steven Billups
April 1, 2016
The current and past recipients of the Women's Day Award gather for a picture prior to the ceremony. Shown are (l-r) Barbara Ridgely, Ileana Smith, Nancy Targett, Estelle Parker Selby, Hazel Brittingham, Patti Grimes, Antionette Wright-Johnson, Bonnie Hall, Amy Walls, Brenda Whitehurst and Leanne Phillips-Lowe. BY STEVEN BILLUPS
The image on the award is a Suffrage logo from the Delaware Historical Society. It is the only suffrage symbol to survive the passage of time. BY STEVEN BILLUPS
Organizers of the event, which was a partnership of DelawareTechnical Community College and the Delaware Alumni Association, gather for a photo. Shown are (l-r) Christine Gillan, DelTech Owens Campus director of communications and planning; Conny Wertz, Del Tech Alumni Association president; and Jackie Berger, Del Tech Owens Campus event coordinator. BY STEVEN BILLUPS
Award recipient Elizabeth Byers-Jiron was not able to attend the ceremony. In her place, Carla Van Curen, office manager of the Sussex County Veterans Center, accepted the award. Van Curen also nominated Byers-Jiron, who was the director for Delaware Veterans Stand Down and Employment Expo from 2008-14, director of the Eastern Shore Veterans Stand Down from 2013-14,  director of the first female veterans shelter on Delmarva, the state commander for Delaware Disabled American Veterans auxiliary in 2010, the local commander for the Seaford Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary Unit from 2000-10 and director for the Female Veteran Teas for Eastern Shore. Shown are (l-r) recipient escort Del Tech student Bryan Rogers, Van Curen, and Ileana Smith, vice-president and campus director Del Tech Owens Campus. BY STEVEN BILLUPS
Dr. Nancy Targett was recently acting president of the University of Delaware. Previously she was the dean of the College of Earth, Ocean and Environment and the director of the Delaware Sea Grant College Program and has also served as a professor of marine bioscienecs since 1995. In her acceptance speech Targett said her of mother "From the very beginning she was someone who instilled in myself and my two sisters that we could do whatever we want ,and it never occurred to us that there were obstacles or things we could not do." Shown (l-r) are Del Tech student Emma Flynn, Targett and Ileana Smith, vice president and campus director Del Tech Owens Campus. BY STEVEN BILLUPS
Amy Walls is the assistant community reinvestment act director for Discover Bank in Greenwood where she has worked since 2006. In her current position she manages community development activities, including managing the bank's charitable giving in Delaware, providing technical assistance to nonprofits, managing the bank's foreclosure prevention efforts and coordinating volunteer initiatives. Walls has been the recipient of numerous awards in business. She opened her address with, "I like to think of myself as an advocate for people who don't have an opportunity to speak for themselves, don't know how, don't know what opportunities that are available to them, don't know what opportunities may not avavailible to them." Shown are (l-r) Shirl Hines, Del Tech student escort, Walls, and Ileana Smith, vice president and campus director Del Tech Owens Campus. BY STEVEN BILLUPS

The 21st Annual Women's Day Celebration was held March 23 at Heritage Shores in Bridgeville. This year's honorees are Elizabeth Byers-Jiron, executive of Delaware Veteran's Stand Down; Dr. Nancy Targett, former acting president of the University of Delaware; and Amy Walls, assistant reinvestment act director for Discover Bank.

The Women's Day Celebration recognizes the significant accomplishments of dedicated women and their positive impact on Delaware and the communities in which they live. Since the inception of the event in 1995, 54 women from around the state have been recognized.

To be eligible for nomination, a woman must be age 18 or older and either a resident of Sussex County or the state of Delaware for at least five years, or a non-Delaware resident whose employment or volunteer work impacted Delawareans for at least five years. Honorees are selected based on their professional or career achievements, leadership and vision, service to the community, impact on Sussex County and/or the state of Delaware, and personal and/or professional obstacles overcome.

Eligible candidates should demonstrate exemplary accomplishments related to one or more of these areas: arts, business, community service, education, law, medicine and public service.

 

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