[Archived from May 22, 2009]
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[by Shiela Steinman Wallace]
At its annual Closing Meeting on Monday, May 18, at Napa River Grill, National Council of Jewish Women, Louisville Section, celebrated another year of achievement, recruited volunteers for a major summer project and installed officers and directors for 2009-11.
Judy Shapira exhorted those present to step up to build on last summer’s first-year success with Gilda’s Club Camp to make this year even better. Gilda’s Club Camp serves children who have cancer or who have a family member with cancer. The camp, which will run from June 8-12, will provide 35 children, age 6-13, the opportunity to just be kids and have fun.
NCJW, Louisville Section is the primary sponsor of the camp, and volunteers from the organization will staff and facilitate the activities from regular daily programs to a special carnival and an overnight party at the zoo.
Volunteers are needed for almost every part of the program, Shapira said, from chaperones for the zoo experience to people to write notes and many things in between. For more information or to volunteer, contact her through the NCJW office, 458-5566.
Outgoing Louisville Section President Ellen Rosenbloom framed her remarks around the Bob Dylan tune “Forever Young” that she recently heard Joan Baez perform in concert, noting that, “National Council of Jewish Women, Louisville Section, has for its 113-year history also remained ‘forever young,’ ever reinventing itself, recycling itself, reinvigorating itself, yet ever staying true to its mission for facilitating social change.”
She thanked the officers who worked with her during her term:
• Judy Shapira, vice president of ways and means, for her fund-raising efforts and the Gilda’s Club project;
• Sharon Berger and Lois Dunner, vice presidents of community services, for forging relationships with the agencies NCJW works with in the community, proposing new programs and recommending to discontinue others, “keeping NCJW ‘young’ and relevant;”
• Diane Graeter, vice president of public affairs who implemented health-focused programs and promoted the Court Watch program;
Marcia Frank, vice president of membership, whose creativity helped keep programming fresh and relevant;
• Nikki Russman and Hillary Catapano, vice presidents of the Nearly New Shop/Fashion Encore, who keep this major fund-raising endeavor going strong; and
• Madeline Abramson, vice president of administration, who “raised the management of our office to a professional level.”
During the business part of the meeting, the budget for the upcoming year was approved and officers and directors were elected. Leni Sweet is the new president of the Louisville Section. (See profile on the Jewish Community Association of Louisville’s web site, www.jewishlouisville.org.) Vice presidents for the next two years are: Judy Shapira, administration; Sharon Berger, community service; Phyllis Shaikun, membership; Hilary Catapano and Nikki Russman, Nearly New Shop; Linda Engel, public affairs; and Judy Borinstein, ways and means.
Madeline Abramson will serve as secretary; Eleanor Schwartz, treasurer; Ellen Shapira, assistant treasurer; and Mindy Klein, financial secretary. Lois Dunner, Anne Joseph, Karen Kohn, Amy Lapinski, Beth Salamon and Lillian Seligman are the 2009-11 directors.
Sandy Friedson chaired the Nominating Committee, and its members were Harriett Behr, Meryl Kasdan, Robin Miller, Ellen Rosenbloom, Beth Salamon, Linda Schuster, Martha Weinberg and Sandi Weiss.
