Ladies Who Lunch and Women of Influence

These women can fit in either category.  Sometimes we are “ladies who lunch” and at other times, we are “women of influence”.  Yesterday, I got to be both.

First, I attended the annual Ladies’ Holiday Luncheon at Overlake Golf Club, an event that I was part of founding over 25 years ago.  It was fun to see friends and celebrate the season together.  Pictured along with me above are luncheon chairman, Joan Johnston,  Chloe Mueller, Sue Grinstein, Joanne Baseler, Trudi Syferd, Suzy Krabbe, Joyce McCallum, Elisabeth Bodal, Anne-Marie Hedges, Sherry Raisbeck and Betty Tong.  Over the years, the women have brought gifts for a gift exchange that had become very competitive (i.e. Who brought the best gift that was stolen the most?) and this year I am pleased that it was decided that in future years, we will bring only toys or donations for underprivileged children and just enjoy our time connecting with one another.  To me, it feels more like the focus of the season and just feels better!

And then last evening following the ZINO Society Roundtable meeting, I attended the cocktail reception at the Rainier Club honoring the recently announced Puget Sound Business Journal Women of Influence.  See my earlier blog posting with details of the original 2009 celebration event here.  There were several of the 2009 honorees in attendance last evening including Rubicella Acosta, Sarah Carter, Nancy Pellegrino, Nancy Auer, Annette Jacobs and Ada Healey (not pictured).  I was surprised and flattered to be included in the photo ops since I was not part of the current group, but a “Woman of Influence” in 2004.

Though specific women have been selected for the ”official” Puget Sound Business Journal Women of Influence awards, it was nice to realize that with all of the activities they do and leadership skills every one of these women possess, each of the women listed above can fit into either role.  Each one of us is sometimes one of the “ladies who lunch” and at other times a “woman of influence”.  And occasionally we get to be both in the same day.