Gratitude
"Our gratitude is boundless. We forever thank everyone who has come before us, who is on our team, and who will take our place in the future in our quest to honor, encourage, and educate women worldwide."
-Bridget McDonald, Ph.D., Executive Director and big fan of WIC ever since my mother brought me for the first time to a life-changing Living Legacy Awards ceremony. With all my heart, I have been grateful to help this organization since 2003 with the guidance of Gloria Lane and the help of many amazing collaborators.
WIC is almost thirty years old. Our most sincere thanks goes to our Founder Gloria Lane, whose dedication to honoring women for the greater part of her years has been a fulfilled life-long mission.
To help her, guiding lights Marianne McDonald, Ph.D. and Sally B. Thornton have been pillars of the WIC mission without whose help, our organization would not be what it is today.
For many years, our celebrity host, legendary actress Margaret O Brien has been a beacon of women's causes. We are immensely grateful for her service to the Women's International Center.
Patricia Neal and Jane Wyatt are bold, bright, and magnificent friends of WIC who have been responsible for introducing us to numerous celebrity personalities who have been decisive to furthering our causes.
Dr. Jonas Salk, Jehan Sadat, Ph.D. (our WIC Honorary President since 1985), John Thornton (including travels to Iceland and Norway to make presentations for WIC), Françoise Gilot and The Salvation Army are all heroines and heroes in our history.
Our distinguished Living Legacies not only made the most of their own lives and fame, but helped WIC along the way: Dame Judith Anderson, Betty White, Melina Mercouri, Lynda Carter, First Lady Betty Ford, Nanette Fabray, Frankie Laine, Elizabeth Taylor, and Jane Russell, are just a few of our close and profoundly cherished friends.
Our dedicated celebrity emcees have made our Living Legacy Awards a must-attend event, bringing attention to our scholarship drives. Some of these spunky and animated professionals include Marti Emerald, Bree Walker, Kathi Diamant, Carol Hasson, LeeAnn Kim, and Randal Malone.
June and Neil Ash, as well as Ann Armstrong Dailey. have been tireless supporters and flag bearers of the WIC mission.
Great thanks to the Artivist Film Collective Team (NGO Member United Nations) for making such a difference by bringing influential and informed media to the public and for honoring Gloria Lane at their annual Film Festival held at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood, where we met Claes Nobel, an honored new friend of WIC who gave one of the best speeches in the history of our organization.
District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis, Luawanna Hallstrom, and Kimberly King are long-time dedicated Living Legacies in our quest to honor women internationally.
Zona Murray and her husband General Raymond L. Murray, as well as Elsie Weston, have also been key promoters of our work.
Benny Hollmann and his orchestra have animated countless Living Legacy Award ceremonies with their energetic and memorable music.
We salute and thank our revered honoree Major General Angela Salinas for being the pioneer that she is and for paving the way for more women's leadership in the military.
Many cheers to Sally Wong Avery and her late husband Dennis for their far-reaching vision bringing education to the Chinese community in San Diego and beyond.
Kudos to Carol LeBeau for her helpful television media coverage of our work.
We are grateful to our Living Legacy Dr. Ruth (Westheimer) for breaking the silence around sexuality.
Much admiration to brilliant film director Elfi Von Dassanowski and her dynamic son Robert, for bringing so much to cinema and its study.
Jerry and Zona Bly have been great supporters of our events because of their artistic and original trophy creation over the years.
Gloria Lane's Executive Assistants including Erica Duque and Noni Gotti have made the President's immense job more manageable.
Our volunteer coordinators including Wendy Bauer and Sarah Quincy have enthusiastically coordinated many decisive helpers of WIC throughout the years and around our Living Legacy Awards.
Andrea and Peter Chu have effectively opened the doors of WIC to Asia, bringing us key women leaders like Chairman Heng-Tzu Hsu.
Sports pioneer and heroine of Title IX Mary Alice Hill has been a staunch defender of the success of WIC since its inception many years ago, as well as a champion of addiction treatment.
Special thanks to Martha Longenecker (Founder Mingei Museum, Balboa Park, San Diego) for showcasing so much international art and helping WIC grow.
Lucy C. Lin for bringing together musicians and musical styles from around the world to our ceremonies and sharing an amazing volunteer team!
Since our inception, Margaret and Robert Rector have been key allies. Robin Rector Krupp's original artwork is celebrated by WIC and we are grateful for generous donations of paintings over the years.
Dottie Stanley for her artwork with subjects ranging from Africa to California.
WIC thanks Tom Brokaw for presenting our Living Legacy Award to journalist and war correspondent Pauline Frederick.
Merci to Jackée Harry who agreed to be our Global Ambassador and shared her national TV coverage on TMZ with WIC by making WIC her non-profit of choice at the debut of the Jackée Frappée at Millions of Milkshakes in Hollywood.
We sincerely thank Jane Wyatt for bringing us Elliott Roosevelt in person to accept for his magnificent and legendary mother Eleanore Roosevelt.
Our Partners including the Women's Museum of California, the San Diego French American Chamber of Commerce, Shelter Box, California Against Slavery, Growth Nation, XSlaves, San Diego Asian Film Festival, Sustainability Alliance of Southern California, Sofia Women's World Conference, Peace Company, and Azerbaijan/San Diego Sister Neighborhood Project.
Entire families have lent themselves to our cause, among them:
The DaMetz Family - with Claudia DaMetz devoting years of graphic and website design and support service to WIC including fantastic printed event programs and layout, her daughter Veronica DaMetz offering years of accounting and general support, her son André and husband James always there to complete the tasks.
The Perez / Church / Assayag Families who have always led by example, blending entrepreneurship with international assistance, and making a difference in numerous countries around the world through clean water initiatives (via Nika Water) and first-response disaster relief (2 Life 18 Foundation and Coalition of Hope).
Jean-Pierre Prieur of Bionic Sisters Productions has dedicated years of attention to many minute and large updates to this ever-evolving website.
Our vibrant new team is infusing us with renewed life, bringing color to years of work by many that have come before: Keri Belhon, Sarah Quincy, Magdarline Winblad, Donna Miano, Sondra Buschmann, Sheila Rockwell, Christopher Broughton, Sebastien Torre, Leanne Taylor.
3-D graphics and web designer Blake Hixson interned with WIC during the summer of 2012 and helped streamline our website from many sprawling pages to a manageable and user-friendly size.
Hugs to Jeanette Rigopoulos, Gail Conners, and Carol Tohsaku for being angels with very long wings on our WIC silent auction, especially in 2011.
Special thanks to Carol Short at Creative Fusion for premiere print and design services as well as Phyllis Mabbitt at Minuteman Press.
Countless board members, committee members, and volunteers, since our founding have shaped WIC to become what it is today. Our list is long and growing.
Perhaps most importantly, our patrons, guests, members, followers, and enthusiasts have truly given voice to our efforts and brought our goals to the world.
A warm and fuzzy thanks to our animal and feline friends like Egypt the Cat and Prissy who have warmed laps for many years as Gloria and Bridget have had phone conversations with everyone from dignitaries to mail delivery people, crafted letters, sent emails, organized dinner tables, drafted certificates, and designed trophies.
Our mission at WIC is to honor the works of women internationally. Not everyone is able to appear on stage and receive a Living Legacy Award. Not everyone appears on the pages of this website, or indeed anywhere for the world to recognize their work publicly. We hope that our organization is a symbol of good will and that anyone who is part of WIC represents in their own way those without a voice all around our globe.
Only a partial list of our many supporters appears on this page.
~ Specifically for the Living Legacy Awards Event 2012 ~
Extra Special Thanks to:
Our generous Co-Chairs Sally Thornton and Marianne McDonald
Gloria Lane for Tireless Support
Margaret O'Brien for her Dedication to our causes
WIC board member and Living Legacy Zona Murray
Our super MCs LeeAnn Kim and Randal Malone
Lucy C. Lin for Music Performers (Wendy Meng, Liyun Yeung, Janine Yang, Chichang Lee, Kirsten L. Higgins, Amanda Grote, Gloria Chen, John Young, Howard Liu and Volunteers Lei Wai, Daphne Tai, Amy Wong, Zhaonian Zhang, Erica Yuan, Wendy Lee, Jenny Chin, Helen Chang, Hui Liu and more)
Weiping Wang for her amazing dulcimer performances
Women's Museum of California for Volunteers
Gene Baynes for DJ Music and National Anthem
Irene Barajas and the Girl Scouts Troop 5912 of San Ysidro for the Flag Ceremony and Leading the Pledge
University of San Diego
Crowne Plaza Hanalei
KUSI and Leonard Simpson for news coverage and sparkle
Executive Volunteer Coordinator Sarah Quincy for her public speeches about WIC
Check-in guru Keri Belhon (WIC VP) for helping us be visible internationally
Gloria O'Conner for Silent Auction wizardry
Linda Mandrayar for her Generous Support and Assistance
Magdarline Winblad from the Wellness Center
Donna Miano for her enthusiasm, outreach and coordination
Sharon Beckas and Victoria Jones for crucial help at the event
Jean-Pierre Prieur for Videography and online support at wic.org
Larry Youngflesh for telling his Mom's Story, Donors for Silent Auction items
Media including:
Paulette Pilcik Britton at the Covenant Connector and NC Publishers for sensitive photography
William Metivet Photography
San Diego Chinese Press
The Epoch Times
World Daily Journal
Giving Back Magazine
Nika Water for making a difference world wide in promoting and delivering clean water and for permission to show moving video
Ashley Gardner for her fantastic videography raffle prize and for preserving the legacies of so many women
Daryl at A-Z Limo for his contribution
Susan Dennett for her generosity
Other Worlds (Beverly Bell, Lauren Elliott and Team for Sistership Recommendations and their tireless support of justice around the world)
Noni Gotti for Defending Victims' Rights in Sacramento
Veronica DaMetz for keeping the numbers straight
CP Team Jack Giacomini, Diana Roger, Cindy Nelsen, Captain Juliana, and Kirk Shearer for a smooth-running and memorable event
Leanne Taylor for great Facebook posts and promotion
Andrea and Peter Chu who help create international harmony and cross-cultural understanding, and introduced us to Heng-Tzu Hsu
Mary Alice Hill who is growing our numbers and never gives up her fight for women's equality in professional, sports, and all settings
Sharon Considine for getting us in touch with the Girl Scouts
Del Ruths for being pioneer interviewers, cinematographers and for introducing us to the White Rainbow Project
John Farris who introduced us to Mary Cain Youngflesh (Rosie the Riveter)
Rancho Santa Fe Rotary International for Friendship
Anthony May for Nerium
Phyllis Mabbett and MinuteMan Press
David Nimitz for Assistance
Moran's Flowers
