Amherst H. Wilder Foundation announces 2011 Kingston Fellowship recipients

The Amherst H. Wilder Foundation announced its selection of the 2011 Kingston Fellowship grant recipients. The Kingston Fellowship was established last spring in honor of President Emeritus, Tom Kingston, upon his retirement from Wilder Foundation. The Fellowship provides the opportunity for Wilder Foundation to develop a highly effective, culturally competent set of leaders and promote ongoing improvement of human services in the East Metro community through annual grants to qualified Wilder Foundation employees.

Seven Wilder Foundation employees have been selected as the 2011 Kingston Fellows and awarded a combined $25,000, giving them the opportunity to study, teach, conduct research, exchange ideas and develop innovative programs to address community concerns. Fellows were selected based on their promise of outstanding contribution to the field of human services or human services research, especially in an area that is under-represented in the communities that Wilder Foundation serves, demonstrated accomplishments in their discipline and leadership potential.

Power and Possibilities is a unique program in the Twin Cities that addresses many of the core issues women of color face in their daily lives. It connects professional women for an afternoon of leadership development and purposeful conversation. The conference begins with a keynote discussion with superintendents Bernadeia Johnson and Valeria Silva around Leadership Competencies that Matter - both today and looking toward the future.

The event will continue with table discussions led by influential women in the Twin Cities community. This is a great opportunity to meet and network with powerful women leaders.

Conference attendees will:

Hear personal and professional success stories from women of color leaders
• Engage in a substantive learning experience
• Create a space for authentic dialogue regarding the true issues
• Enjoy valuable networking with women of color from corporate, small business, government, education and nonprofit settings

The Girl Scouts of Minnesota and Wisconsin River Valleys will honor eight influential women during the third annual Women of Distinction luncheon event April 14 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

Women of Distinction honors and celebrates local women whose determination and leadership make them positive role models for today's girls - the future leaders developing through Girl Scouts. These remarkable women come from a variety of professional backgrounds, including education, finance, communications, nonprofit management, law, and philanthropy. Their talents are broad and their impact far-reaching.

This year's honorees are:

Leslie Chapman, senior vice president, chief risk officer and chief actuary, Securian Financial Group
Jody Feragen, (Pictured) executive vice president and chief financial officer, Hormel Foods

Join more than 300 powerful, diverse women to honor and celebrate the roles, gifts, contributions and wisdom women bring to the world at Honoring Women Worldwide's 3rd Annual Garden Party.

The program will focus on the outstanding and unique contributions women have made and are making in the community. The morning will be filled with music, dance, food and inspiring stories from the dynamic speakers and panelists.

Robyne Robinson, Emcee & Moderator. Entrepreneur, artist award-winning former television news anchor
Elizabeth B. Kautz, Mayor of Burnsvile, MN
Sandy Vargas, President & CEO Minneapolis Foundation
Suzanne Koepplinger, MA, Executive Director, Minnesota Indian Womens' Resource Center
Music by Thomasina Petrus with performances by the Mu Daiko Drummers

Calling all dog-lovers! Reserve a spot for you and Rover at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum's "All About Dogs Day" event Saturday, April 23, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. This dog-friendly event will feature a 5K VIP (Very Important Pooch) Dog Walk on the Arboretum's Three-Mile Drive from at 9:30 a.m. and a Pet Expo at the outdoor Margot picnic shelters from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Pet Expo will offer information and samples on healthy dog diets and fitness, plus ideas for pet-friendly plants, gardens and lawns from University of Minnesota Extension staff and Arboretum experts, as well as demonstrations of dog agility and more. All proceeds benefit the Arboretum. Dog owners must pick up after their dog and register in advance for the walk.

Would you like to have your event featured? Please send email to info@stategicdreaming.com for pricing information.

Thank you for your interest.

We are committed to offering high quality, relevant and fun information to our subscribers.