The Claremont Connection -CGU's Online Alumni Community Announces American Mothers of the Year for 2013

California Assoc. of American Mothers, Inc. Honors Local Mothers LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE,CA - On Saturday, March 23rd the California Association of American Mothers,Inc. held their annual celebration honoring outstanding mothers.The festive,well attended event which included a beautiful luncheon, was held at the picturesque La Cañada Flintridge Country Club. American Mothers, Inc., is an interfaith, non-political, no-profit organization that recognizes the important role of motherhood through educational programs and community outreach. It is also the organization responsible for annually selecting the National Mother of the Year and is the official sponsor of Mother’s Day. Honorees included: Robina Suwol of Sherman Oaks who received the 2013 Francis Eleanor Smith, “Helping the Helpless Children” award ; Renee Evans Starr, of Covina, 2013 California Mother of the Year; Stephanie Lynn McKnight, of Ramona, 2013 California Young Mother of the Year, and Janice Rutherford-Lim, of Rancho Cucamonga, 2013 California Mother of Achievement. Robina Suwol, the first recipient of the Francis Eleanor Smith Award , was celebrated for her service to children. Francis Eleanor Smith was honored in 1936 as the California Mother of the Year and went on to be named the National Mother of the Year. Because of this distinction, friends and neighbors were so elated that they raised funds to start a rehabilitation center for crippled children in her honor. In 1938 in Chino, Califorinia, Casa Colina (she refused to let them name the center for her) opened its doors. Francis worked full time at the Center without salary until her death in 1952. UTNE Magazine named Suwol one of “Fifty Visionaries Who Are Changing the World.” For decades she has spearheaded efforts to protect our most vulnerable population, including founding California Safe Schools (CSS), a children’s environmental health and justice non-profit in 1998. She achieved national prominence by spearheading the Los Angeles Unified Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Policy, the most stringent pesticide policy in the nation for K-12 public schools, and the first to embrace the “Precautionary Principle” & “Right to Know.” The success of the policy led to California’s Healthy Schools Act. Today the LA Unified IPM policy serves as an international model for school districts and communities. In 2005 Governor Schwarzenegger signed AB 406 (Montanez) sponsored by Robina & CSS. This bill bans experimental pesticides from California K-12 public schools if their health effects are unknown. As a result more than 6 million California children and hundreds of thousands of school children are protected from experimental chemicals. Under Robina’s leadership CSS has facilitated changes at the policy level as well as at the grassroots which creates a lasting institutional protection.Robina is the proud mother of two sons, Brandon and Nicholas. Kathy Ward, representing Casa Colina presented Suwol with the award. Renee Evans Starr, 2013 California Mother of the Year and her husband, Jonathan, have six children, fourteen grandchildren, and helped raise seven other children both in and out of the Foster Care program. She is a licensed real estate agent, has volunteered extensively in the community, schools and her church, but her real passion is singing ,and performing which began as a young child performing throughout southern California with her sisters. She is now the lead singer for the “Sentimental Sisters with Jay C. Munns,” and has shared her talents recreating the sounds of the Andrews Sisters with tens of thousands of people for the past 18 years. Stephanie Lynn McKnight, 2013 California Young Mother of the Year is married to Mitch McKnight, is a young mother of three children and a stay-at-home mom. She graduated with honors from California State University, San Bernardino in 2008 ,and completed an Education Specialist Clear Teaching Credential and a Master’s of Education in Moderate to Severe Special Education.She taught at risk youth and students with moderate to severe disabilities and now home schools her own children. Renee Evans Starr and Stephanie Lynn McKnight will represent California at the national convention In New York. Janice Rutherford-Lim , 2013 Mother of Achievement, serves as the 2nd District Supervisor for San Bernardino County, and the president of the San Bernardino County Associated Governments.She also serves on several boards, including: The Boys & Girls Club, Junior Statesmen and Chaffey College Foundations.She earned a BA from UC Riverside and a M.A. from Claremont Graduate University. She is married to Steve Lim and they are the parents of two sons. For further information: California Association of American Mothers, Inc. Bev Nelson, President bevnelson2012@gmail.com

Loa Blasucci Comments About California American Mothers Gala

I was invited to speak at the American Mother’s Conference yesterday and was honored to do so. It was a delightfully unambiguous cross section of the general population. Attractive women, cheerful, ready to listen to stories of motherhood and raising families. A celebration of love. In the end it was clear that motherhood is about spreading love as far and wide as possible. What I took away is that women are powerful, capable of surviving whatever comes at them and when motherhood enters the picture, most often the power and ability to survive are done with grace and a happy heart. Thank you American Mothers for having me.

I did not intend for my Wellness Camp to be exclusively for women–it took on a life of its own and evolved in to a Women’s wellness program. I’ve often wondered why, but I could not be happier about it. I have learned so much about all that comes along with being a woman. I’ve been fortunate to work with amazing women of strength, power, beauty, kindness. Women who radiate love in its purest form.

Yesterday reminded me how lucky I am. Thank you to all of the beautiful women I work with now, you are a treasure. And to those I have not yet met–I look forward to it!

New California AMI President Chosen

Beverly Nelson was chosen to be President of the California Chapter of American Mothers for 2013.  She was  California Mother of the Year 2012.  Busy in her community serving not only as head of a Community Service Council but also active in her communities Interfaith Council as well.

She is the mother of eight children and the grandmother of 23. Her thoughts on motherhood are to have great communication with your children and also to surround them with others who have talents that will influence them for good.

She is looking forward to serving California and has a desire to continue the wonderful foundation that has been set by those who have come before her.  

Words from our outgoing CA President Dorothy DeVore

I remember very well the 2007 Gala in Moorpark where I first became involved in American Mothers. Also very memorable was the one in 2009, the first one for which I was responsible. And I’ll not soon forget the feeling I had on March 23 at our Mom to Mom Conference when I announced that Bev Nelson as the new president. It is definitely time for a change and I feel very confident Bev will do an outstanding job, but nonetheless, I have enjoyed the past 5 years immensely--Galas, events, National Conventions, phone calls, emails, meetings-- and look forward to continuing to work with Bev and her board.

I want to recognize my husband, Greg, the very generous sponsor of the California group during the past five years, and most likely the reason I felt I could be president when asked. He is a Maternal Fetal Medicine specialist (he calls himself a fetal baby sitter) so he has a particular love, respect and admiration for mothers going through pregnancy and then loving and nurturing their children. Impressed with the women in American Mothers he has been very supportive and helpful with our activities. But mostly, he knew this is something I felt was important and he wanted to support me. I thank him.

I give a big thank you to Lisa Woodruff who has been vice president. I was very new to AMI and needed help and Lisa and I were volunteering together on another project so I asked her to be VP. She had never heard of AMI, but I have been very grateful she said yes. She is known for her beautiful floral arrangements and gift bags, but I also counted heavily on her input and she always knew just what to do.

As each year passed and new mothers were honored, they added strong support and became committed and promoted AMI in creative ways. Delegating is not my forte, but they offered to take positions on the board or help with specific assignments. They have introduced friends and family to AMI. I thank Cherry Field for volunteering to be the Search Chair, Tina HoChing the 5th Grade Essay, Sara Dawn Mayer secretary, Julie Sears Treasurer, Myrna for starting a chapter in Santa Clarita, Dianne in Palos Verdes. And so we have grown. Those we have honored are:

2009 Myrna Condie, Mother of the Year, and Cherry Field, Young Mother of the Year
2010 Dianne Callister, Mother of the Year and Sara Dawn Mayer, Young Mother of the Year,

Meichelle Arntz for Outstanding Service to Children, Susan Funk, Santa Barbara, Young Mother of the Year
2011 Karen Nelson, Mother of the Year and Christine “Tina” HoChing, Young Mother of the Year

Carol Waddle, Mother of the Year from San Diego, Mandana Anvaripour, Young Mother of the Year

from Los Angeles, Diana Haskins, Outstanding Service to Children

2012  Bev Nelson, Mother of the Year, Darcy Ure, Young Mother of the Year, and Margaret Finlay, Mother of Achievement, Sonja Brown for Outstanding Service to Mothers and Sara Vance for Outstanding Service to Children. 

2013  Renee Starr, Mother of the Year, Stephanie McKnight, Young Mother of the Year

 Janice Rutherford-Lim, Mother of Achievement

and Robina Suwol, Francis Eleanor Smith, “Helping the Helpless Children” Award 

I want to thank all of you who are part of AMI for your support and love, for the difference you have made in my life and I look forward to many more years of happy associations.      

First Annual "Francis Eleanor Smith" Award Given

Robina Suwol: In 1998 she founded California Safe Schools, a children's environmental health and justice non-profit. She achieved national prominence by spearheading the Los Angeles Unified Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Policy, the most stringent pesticide policy in the nation for K-12 public schools and the first to embrace the "Precautionary Principle" and "Right to Know." The success of that policy led to California's Healthy Schools Act. Today the LA Unified IPM policy serves as an international model for school districts and communities. 

Our California Fifth Grade Essay Winner Also Wins National!

Ariana  from Oak Hills Elementary School in Valencia, Ca.

2013 New Mother of the Year and Young Mother of the Year

Renee Starr: In a world where the media and voices of darkness speak loudly, we must raise our voices to all that is good.  We live in a time of confusion regarding the divine role of motherhood because the views of the world seem to be changing its course.  The family unit is threatened in a way never before seen in history.  The family is the basic unit of society.  To the extent that our families fail, so does our society.  

Stephanie McKnight: Throughout her life Stephanie has been influenced by strong women around her and attributes much of her academic and family success to these women.  Her own mother has been a great example of strength and perseverance, while gracefully overcoming obstacles. 

2013 Mother of Achievement

Janice Rutherford-Lim: “I believe that a parent's job is to help each child grow into their potential. That job means loving unconditionally and disciplining consistently. It means teaching children how to live the Golden Rule, be resilient and communicate effectively. It means pushing them to work harder than they want to, eat more vegetables than they want to, and say "sorry" more than they want to.” 

Two New "Annual Awards" Announced

Annual Awards Announced!

We had a successful conference and award Gala this year. The theme was, Mothers...Influencing the World One Child at a Time. We had over 125 mothers in attendance at the Flintridge County Club in La Canada, California. 

Besides announcing and honoring our new Mothers of the Year  and Mother of Achievement,we also introduced two new annual awards. The first is the Francis Eleanor Smith Award, “Helping the Helpless Children.” Francis Eleanor Smith, the mother of six children, was named the 2nd National Mother of the Year in 1936. Born in Warrenton, Virginia, she moved at an early age to California where she attended school, married and raised her family. Francis is best remembered today for what her selection as National Mother of the Year created.   When chosen her friends and neighbors were so elated that they raised funds to start a rehabilitation center for crippled children in her honor. 

In 1938 Casa Colina in Chino, California, (She refused to let them name the center for her) opened its doors. Since then thousands of children have left the center able to care for themselves. Francis herself worked full time at the facility without salary until her death in 1952.  Casa Colina is a center, not a hospital. Francis always insisted on a home-like atmosphere.  Nurses do not wear caps; work is carried on today just as she wanted, giving hope and a chance to many “hopeless” children. Today Casa Colina is located in Pomona and thrives as a center still helping thousands of people. 

                     

The other annual award is the Dorothy Winder DeVore Award, “Influencing The World, One Child at a Time.”  Dorothy and her husband, Greg, have been the rock of the California American Mothers Inc. program for the past five years. She has been dedicated and selfless to all of us.  Here are some thoughts about Dorothy and her characteristics, which the recipients of these newly created annual awards will need to exemplify.

“Mothers get caught up in wanting to do big things and if they can't accomplish grandiose projects they become discouraged and start feeling they are not as good as other mothers.  In reality, just doing the small things on a daily basis by helping  their children, husbands and those with whom they come in contact are worthy of the highest award.  Most women do wonderful things daily and get no recognition and don't expect recognition; it's just part of who they are and how they live.” That is what motherhood is all about.  Influencing one child at a time…be it one child or one person... that is Dorothy!