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Last updated on Wednesday, February 17, 2016
(BLOOMINGTON) - Mayor John Hamilton announced that three local women will be honored
during March for their outstanding service to the Bloomington community.
Jean Capler has been named Bloomington's Woman of the Year, Flo Davis has been named recipient of the Lifetime Contribution Award, and Laura Ingram has been chosen to receive the Emerging Leader Award.
The recipients were selected by members of the Woman of the Year subcommittee of the City of Bloomington Commission on the Status of Women. The Woman of the Year and Lifetime Contribution Award recipients will be honored at the Women's History Month luncheon, which will be held on Wednesday, March 23, at the BloomingtonMonroe County Convention Center.
The Emerging Leader recipient, Laura Ingram, will be honored at the Women's Leadership Development event, which will be held on Thursday, March 10, at City Hall in the Council Chamber
beginning at 5 p.m. This event is free and open to the public.
The Women's History Month Lunch program begins at 12:15 p.m. on Wednesday, March 23. Doors open at 11:15 a.m. for viewing of women's exhibits. The cost is $22.50 per seat or $250.00 for a reserved table for eight; tickets must be purchased in advance through the BCT Box Office located at 114 E. Kirkwood Avenue, hours are 11am6pm MonFri and 125pm SatSun, or online at bctboxoffice.com. Scholarships are available for individuals that need assistance purchasing a seat to attend the lunch.
Woman of the Year, Jean Capler, has worked tirelessly as an advocate for equality and for those who have experienced brain injuries or have been marginalized in some way. Her work with under-served communities includes a private counseling practice serving the LGBTQ community. She also serves as the Local Support Network Leader for Southern Indiana in the Resource Facilitation program through the Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana, providing advocacy and outreach for people with all types of brain injuries. Jean is the current Vice President of Indiana chapter of National Association of Social Workers, co-founder of FairTalk, a grassroots GLBT equality advocacy group and a member of the leadership team for the Bloomington division of Freedom Indiana, working to defeat HJR3, the proposed marriage discrimination amendment to the Indiana constitution.
Over the course of a 40 year career as a nurse and nurse practitioner, Lifetime Contribution Award winner, Flo Davis, has contributed to the health of thousands of women at Planned Parenthood, Promptcare and the office of Dr. James Ray. As a nursing instructor at Ivy Tech she helped prepare hundreds of licensed practical nurses. She serves on the Board of Monroe County United Ministries and organizes an annual tea benefit at St. Mark's United Methodist Church for Monroe County United
Ministries' preschool, voucher and food pantry. She served on the Board of Bloomington Hospital, and just completed a nine year tenure on the Local Council of Women, where she served on its Board and as its liaison with the Bloomington Hospital Foundation. Flo was also a member of the Utilities Board from 1976 to 1986. Over the years, Flo has been active in the Elm Heights and Sycamore Village Associations and also finds time to volunteer with Opportunity House and Meals on Wheels.
Women's History Month serves as an opportunity to recognize individual and collective accomplishments of women in our community. In addition, organizations for women and womenowned businesses will exhibit at the luncheon. The exhibit reservation form is available at www.bloomington.in.gov/csw.
The theme of this year's event is "Working to Form a More Perfect Union: Honoring Women in Public Service and Government." Local actress and storyteller, Gladys DeVane will present "Making the Union More Perfect: Indiana's Remarkable Women." The theatrical performance celebrates Indiana's bicentennial and pays tribute to five of 200 Indiana women in public service, education, politics,medicine, aviation, and the arts who have paved the way for women of today.
For more information about the lunch or workshop, contact Sue Owens at (812) 349-3468 or owenss@bloomington.in.gov.
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