Thank you to Shelter Guild President Linda Sims

The following is a letter from outgoing Shelter Guild President Linda Sims:

I would like to thank everyone so much for a wonderful 2 years serving as your President. I sincerely appreciate all the accolades and supportive comments I’ve received from so many of you. I could not have accomplished all of this without an incredible, talented, dedicated group of ladies who served on the executive and leadership committee. I want to recognize them as well:

• Jeanne Jones – 1st Vice President
• Linda Meak – 2nd Vice President
• Kathy Ridenour – Secretary and Volgistics Liaison
• Diana Abbasy – Treasurer and Social Co-Chair
• Laura Donovn – Membership Chair
• Pat Wheeler – Past President
• Mercedes Fonte and Kathy Francke – Children’s Party
• Carole Beauregard – Transitional Housing and former Mother’s Day Chair
• Lynn Wigton and Sharon Sheline – Fashion Show
• Sharon Kiehl and Patti Mans – Options Ambassadors
• Ann Weatherwax – Options Support
• Eileen Pitfield and Jackie Kupper – Mother’s Day
• Jan Patterson – Newsgrams
• Donna Issenmann and Denise Wilburn – MBH Co-Chairs
• Cara Martin and Jeanne Jones – MBH – Volunteer Co-Chairs
• Kathy Linsin and Sharon Newman – Games Committee
• Katie Yakob – Summer Strong
• Jackie Kupper and Donna Waltrip – Sunshine
• Ellie O’Brien – Name tags

I would also like to recognize Niki Thompson and Karen Bennewitz who co-chaired Transitional Housing and Sherrie Meek and Gail Howie who co-chaired the Children’s Party committee during my first year and Judi Levin, who co-chaired Social while being out of the city battling an illness. Please keep Judi in your thoughts and prayers for her continued recovery.

I would like to give a huge thanks to Susan Utz. Susan works for The Shelter and is our Guild liaison for everything – including MBH! The Guild would not run as seamlessly without Susan’s continued administrative support.

I would also like to thank Cyndi Fields and Linda Oberhaus for all their support, guidance and help. We are so fortunate to have them leading The Shelter. The Shelter’s accomplishments over the last 10 years under the strong management of Linda Oberhaus are world class. And Cyndi Fields never stops working to raise the necessary funds for The Shelter and The Rise Campaign. Strong kudos to both of them.

I want to congratulate my dear friend, Jeanne Jones, who is the new President of the Guild. She has some amazing new ideas and she is going to be wonderful. When I took over from Pat Wheeler 2 years ago, she told me to enjoy the ride – that the time would fly by. She couldn’t have been more right.

Today, we had our 3rd Guild meeting of the season. Sheriff Rambosk spoke on “To Protect.” We are so fortunate to have the Sheriff on The Shelter’s Board of Directors and totally dedicated to leading the Collier County Sheriff’s Office in furthering the Mission of The Shelter. I hope that all of you are now very knowledgeable of the 3 P’s in the Shelter’s Mission Statement “To Prevent, To Protect, To Prevail.” All of our Featured Speakers for the last 2 years shared with us the programs and services that met one of the P’s! This year’s speakers all serve or have served on The Shelter’s Board of Directors.

As you know, “Make a Connection” was my theme for the 2 years. My expectations were that everyone would “Make a Connection” to both The Shelter’s Mission and to other Guild members. This is what keeps us coming to all the Events, signing up for committees and staying involved. I hope all of you will continue to stay involved with The Shelter Guild. We have the greatest group of women all working toward helping The Shelter meet its Mission:

“Leading and collaborating with the community to prevent, protect and prevail over domestic violence and human trafficking through advocacy, empowerment and social change.”

I hope to see many of you at Note of Spring on April 1, Friends, Fashion and Fun (Afternoon Tea) on April 15th and the Summer Strong Events for all of you who are here during the summer months!

Thanks for a fun ride!

Sincerely,
Linda Sims