California American Mothers

Saturday, March 23, 2013

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!

Monday, December 31, 2012

2012 In Review by Dorothy Devore

Reflecting on this past year we find it has been filled with meaningful events and activities.

Inspired by the 2012 Mom to Mom Conference at the National Convention, Bev Nelson, 2012 California Mother of the Year, suggested a similar event in California. We joined with Claremont Graduate University to plan “Motherhood in the 21st Century,” chaired by Dr. Gina Messina-Dyssert. In October we had an excellent program and good attendance on their beautiful campus. A nice addition was the attendance of American Mothers’ National President, Connell Brannan, and 2012 National Young Mother of the Year, Carrie Leonard.

Margaret Finlay, 2012 Mother of Achievement, arranged for our 2012 honorees to be recognized with beautiful proclamations by Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich of the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors at their October, 2012 Board Meeting.

Bev Nelson invited mothers of all ages from across the nation to contribute personal experiences that were meaningful for her book, Voices of American Mothers. It turned into a delightful and inspirational, beautifully bound collection. Bev has met with mothers in her area and encouraged a group to make 200 quilts for a long term homeless shelter. She was invited to narrate the Christmas lighting ceremony for government consulate generals in the LA area and has started a Community Service Council to bring together churches and service clubs to work on projects to improve the city. Bev officially began serving as the new President of the California Association at the Gala and will move forward using her enthusiasm, endless energy and ideas, and organizational skills to grow our California organization.

We planned a Mom to Mom Conference in conjunction with our 2013 Gala, chaired by Bev Nelson, “Mothers . . . Influencing the World One Child at a Time.” We enjoyed speakers and hearing from our 2013 honorees, Renee Starr, Mother of the Year, Stephanie McKnight, Young Mother of the Year, Janice Rutherford-Lim, Mother of Achievement, and Robina Suwol, awarded the first ever “Francis Eleanor Smith Award, Helping the Helpless Children” in honor of Mrs. Smith who was the second National Mother of the Year in 1936 and founder of Casa Colina. We had participants again in the 5th Grade essay contest and Ariana ford form Valencia was the winner. We recognize Irene Blore, 1995 California Mother of the Year and former National Board Member, who envisioned and has sponsored this event on the national level in memory of her own mother.

Darcy Ure, 2012 Young Mother of the Year, gathered school supplies to donate to children in Cambodia, which she and her family delivered personally. She has also helped with social media.

I value the many happy experiences with AMI the past six years, the wonderful support from members and meeting outstanding mothers in California and from across the country. Each year I meet more great mothers and look forward to phone calls, emails, chapter meetings, Galas and National Conventions to feel inspired, energized and uplifted.