Blue Water Woman--spring 2017

from the editor
M
Motivated. Inspired.
Two very powerful words that are accurate descriptors of the incredibly amazing women
featured in this year’s Blue Water Woman of the Year issue.
Each of the five women featured embodies those and other qualities you would expect
to find in leaders within the community. All are also quick to deflect recognition of their
achievements.
“I guess you just do what you have to do,” said 2017 award recipient Denise Dencklau.
“There are so many women who are deserving of this award.”
The five women featured in this issue are outstanding contributors to the Blue Water
Area. All not only excel in their work environments, but they are caring wives, mothers and
volunteers within the community. They are motivated and they are motivators. They are
inspired and they inspire others.
The Blue Water Woman of the Year awards program exists because I believe it
is important to recognize the
achievements of other women in order
to motivate and inspire one another and
the next generation of up and coming
female leaders.
And it is important that we cultivate
young women as leaders. Women
comprise approximately 50 percent
of the population and, therefore, it is
important that the female perspective
and experience is a part of decision
making in a wide variety of places
ranging from corporate board rooms to
the U.S. government and everything in
between.
And though I do not have daughters
or granddaughters to worry about, I
do worry about the next generation of
young women. I want them to continue
blue water woman editor patti samar
at the women’s march on washington
to enjoy the rights that I was fortunate
enough to see women obtain during
my lifetime. Laws regarding women’s
healthcare and reproductive rights and sexual harassment in the workplace and the right to
marry whomever we choose were all passed in my lifetime. Millennials do not remember a
time when most of these rights were not in place.
I’m so glad young women today enter adulthood not needing to fight so hard. Or don’t
they?
I hope the younger women in our community are inspired when they read about the
women featured in this issue. I hope they recognize the fact that none of us can take
our rights for granted and I hope they are inspired to speak up and change the world in
whatever big or small way they see fit.
In January, I participated in the Women’s March on Washington. Why? Well, I marched
to show unity. I wanted our Congress, our new president and his administration and our
state, regional and local politicians to know that women care about issues that affect
women’s lives. I know, from past political experience, that numbers count. Numbers (votes)
matter to politicians. I wanted to be counted.
Participating in the march wasn’t hard. All I had to do was show up. The hard work
began after the march: coming home and sharing my experiences with others who also want
to make sure women in our country, our state, and our Blue Water Area are counted. And
heard.
The five women we honor in this issue have all dug in and done the hard work. They are
heard and they are counted. They care for their families and they volunteer to help make
this a better place.
We all have a responsibility to do so.
So learn lessons from them and jump in, lean in, and get involved.
If not you, then who?
CONTENT
Therese Damman 5
Sallie Smith 6
brenda tenniswood 8
rhonda jones 10
denise dencklau 12
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Prices start at just $125 for a business card sized ad!
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For more information, contact Patti Samar
at 810-300-2176 or email her at pjsamar@aol.com
volume 7, number 1 Spring 2017
Blue Water Woman is published quarterly by The Write Company,
511 La Salle Blvd., Port Huron, MI 48060. Circulation 5,000.
Editor & Publisher:
Patti Samar, owner, The Write Company
Advertising:
Patti Samar at 810-300-2176 or pjsamar@aol.com
Questions, comments or story ideas?
Call Blue Water Woman at 810-300-2176
Mission:
Blue Water Woman is the premiere publication
for women living, working and playing in the Blue Water Area of Michigan.
Its stories and features are written and designed
to be inspriational, motivational and encouraging.
www.BlueWaterWoman.com
© Blue Water Woman is the property
of Patti Samar of The Write Company
The Write Company is a writing, graphic design
and marketing consultation firm.
View our online portfolio at: www.TheWriteCompany.net
Patti Samar
Editor & Publisher
Blue Water Woman
2 SPRING 2017 BlueWaterWoman.com