Letter to the Editor

LETTERS: BPW REMEMBERS EARLY ROLE MODELS

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To the editor:

A small headline in a 1919 Southeast Missourian told of a group of Cape Girardeau women meeting in the Community Club Room to form a Business and Professional Women's Club. The Community Club was the predecessor to the chamber of commerce. It was also reported that a Mrs. Allen Hinchey was elected president of the new club.

There are hundreds of women involved in businesswomen's organizations now across the city, but it was news in 1919. Last week was National Business and Professional Women's Week, and many Business and Professional Women's Clubs are remembering their earlier sisters.

Through the years, these pioneer women served as role models for all professional women in Cape Girardeau. They taught the value of networking, a lesson that seemed always to come naturally to men in the work force.

One of the groups that is a result of the original BPW Club is the River City Business and Profession Women's Organization. This group, which was formed in 1977, meets on the first Tuesday of each month at Holiday Inn in Cape Girardeau. Any individual who is gainfully employed in business or retired from business is welcome to become a member. Anyone interested may call 335-6903 for additional information.

Oct. 19-23 was set aside to honor National Business and Professional Women's Week's 70th anniversary. Since its creation in 1928, the event has been sponsored for the purpose of recognizing and honoring the achievements of working women throughout history.

BPW's 70,000 members call attention to local women entrepreneurs, facilitate discussions on the needs of working women, share information about successful workplace policies and raise awareness of the resources available for women in their communities.

This year, to celebrate a "Women Helping Women" concept, the River City BPW members presented three scholarships to non-traditional students. Two will attend Cape Girardeau Area Vocational-Technical School, and one will attend Southeast Missouri State University. The members also continue to provide comfortable sweat suits for women and children at the local emergency rooms who have been sexually abused and whose clothing must be taken as evidence. Each months the women also are educated on women's-issue legislation.

NEVA MOWERY, Membership Chairman

River City Business and Professional Women's Organization

Cape Girardeau