Five Washington Country women were honored at the 16th annual Women in History Banquet March 31 at GuestHouse International in Fayetteville.
Fran Alexander, Brenda Blagg, Bev Lewis, Barbara Lofton and Peggy Parks were this year's honorees. About 130 people attended the banquet, event committee member Felisha Perrodin said in an April 2 email. Information on each honoree and their various awards lined several tables. The event was sponsored by Altrusa International of Fayetteville Inc.; American Association of University Women, Fayetteville; Fayetteville Business and Professional Women; Delta Kappa Gamma Society Iota Chapter; Washington County League of Women Voters; and Washington County Democratic Women. Laura Kellams was the emcee for the banquet.
At A Glance
Women in History Banquet
When: March 31
Where: GuestHouse International in Fayetteville
Information: (479) 442-8015
Alexander wrote a regular newspaper column on the environment and served as chairwoman of Fayetteville Forward's Economic Accountability Council Land Use and Green Infrastructure Committee, according to the event program.
Blagg is an award-winning journalist who covered Arkansas for more than 40 years, was an adjunct instructor of news writing at the University of Arkansas and served as assistant coordinator for the FOI Arkansas Project.
Lewis joined the University of Arkansas athletic department staff in 1981 as women's track and field coach, and she became director of Women's Athletics in 1989 and served in this position until the men's and women's athletic programs merged in 2007.
Lofton's work in the "Sam M. Walton College of Business' outreach programs has had a major impact on diversity on the University of Arkansas campus," according to the program. She has helped high school and college students and has been involved with boards and organizations on a local, state, regional and national level.
Parks was a teacher for 30 years and recognized by the Fayetteville Public Education Foundation Board for her contributions to education. She is a charter member of PEO and has assisted multiple boards and organizations, such as Arts Center of the Ozarks, Prairie Grove Battlefield Park Commission, Ozark Guidance Foundation and the Barbara Mashburn Scholarship Foundation Board.
Each honoree shared their stories with the audience, and common themes were the value and importance of getting an education and standing up for goals, beliefs and dreams, Perrodin said.
"All of the recipients were inspiring and are definitely role models for all members of our community," she said.
Nominations for the honorees are solicited each year, all nomination packets are reviewed, and representatives from the Women's Coalition select the recipients from nominations, Perrodin said.
NAN Profiles on 04/06/2014