See Jane Do Everyday Women Doing Extraordinary Things
Love yourself, live courageously, share your voice, be true to yourself, there is only one you; these are some of the consistent messages that were shared Friday night during our live radio broadcast event at KVMR featuring extraordinary women from our community who were nominated through our She Builds Me Up campaign in partnership with Nevada County Habitat for Humanity Women Build 2015.
Want to be inspired? Need a pick me up or just a reminder about the potential that exists within you? Listen to this podcast.
To learn more about WomenBuild 2015 or to create or join a team click here.
To join the See Jane Do/Encanto Jewels WomenBuild Team email info@seejanedo.com
Elisa Parker features interview with the following:
- Lorraine Larson: Associate Director of Habitat for Humanity
- Debbie Arakel: Executive Director of Nevada County Habitat for Humanity
- Lynn Strukrud: NEO
- Hope Roperto: Fit Culture
- June Atkinson: Diegos Restaurant
- Melissa Mistler-Yates: M3 Mall
- Karrie Misley: Habitat for Humanity
- Sushila Mertens: Nevada County Democratic Club for Women
- Marilyn Nyborg: Women Waking the World
- Cynthia Levesque: First Friday Art Walk
- Kim Culbertson: Author and Educator
- Monica Farbiarz: Encanto Jewels
- Suzie Daggett: Dear Source
- Erin Thiem: Outside Inn
- Brie Mendoza: Habitat for Humanity
Also nominated:
Diane McIntire: KVMR
Suzie Daggett. Suzie goes above and beyond to support our community and help others to connect with their truth and full potential. She is always there for me at any event I produce and is able to see what’s truly possible or what’s holding one back. You can catch Suzie in action at A Day for Women on April 18th or check out her book or site. #SheBuildsMeUp #WomenBuild
Cynthia Levesque helps keep the local art scene hopping with First Friday Art Walk-Nevada City, CA and is a great partner at DANK! On top of that she usually has a baby tied to her and runs her own business The Parlour at Neva Co. I know some days (like today) aren’t always easy but she seems to do it all with grace and humor. (Sheila Cameron)
Marilyn Nyborg not only does extraordinary work to empower women and help make our community a better place (Women Waking the World) but she continues to be an incredible mentor and cheerleader for me even on the days when I doubt myself. Thanks Marilyn. Big Love! #SheBuildsMeUp #WomenBuild Tag a woman who has helped build you up in your community.
Hope Roperto, kick-ass trainer at Fit Culture. She builds me up literally…I love her enthusiasm, energy, and ability to inspire her class to go above and beyond…to push ourselves AND still have fun doing it. So grateful that she is part of our community and building up women (and men) everyday. #SheBuildsMeUp #WomenBuild
Sushila Mertens #SheBuildsMeUp #WomenBuild Friend confidant, support system, traveling companion, risk taker, encourager, truth teller. She builds me up! While I am blessed to say this description fits several women in my heart circle…..I have to say Sushila Mertens is a remarkable woman who is a demonstration of Spirit in action. Always available to the need that arises in the moment, initiator of ideas and committed to consciousness rising, walks HER talk!! Marilyn Cyborg
June Atkinson of Diego’s. June is not only the owner and manager of this wonderful restaurant with her mother, she is a beacon of positivity, empathy, and empowerment for countless women in Nevada County and beyond. NC Habitat
Kim Culbertson in our #SheBuildsMeUp campaign. Kim writes spectacular Young Adult Fiction featuring strong and complex female characters. She is an inspiring teacher, author, and mentor who has built up our community pages at a time! NC Habitat
Monica Farbiarz: Encanto Jewels
Melissa Mistler-Yates: Thank you to all of the beautiful women of the Tapesty Network of Nevada County (BAM) for being so amazing. A special thanks goes to Melisa Mistler-Yates of M3 Mall for her amazing spirit and willingness to love unconditionally. To Gale Corby Pylman for being so supportive and wonderful. To Dawn Narvaéz who makes me smile and boosts my spirit. And to Joy Porter of Winding Road Imagery thank you for making me so beautiful even when I feel I’m at my worst. And a super special thanks to my mom Colleen Marie who runs Helping Hands Caregiver Resource Center and my beautiful business partner at Sugar Lump’s Tasty Treats ,and sister, Christina Marie Bond for being there to help support our dream! Stephanie Bond
Sari Townsend is the perfect candidate to be a Habitat recipient. Love this woman and her amazing HEART! Sari, you deserve this and I applaud you for your tenacity to make things happen to improve your life and your children’s lives. YOU ROCK! Muah! Kimala DeSena
Too many, to mention. My daughter, Nicole Misley and I were the first Habitat for Humanity Womens Build recipients. So many wonderful wome came into our lives. I wil never fofget the warmth and love we were showered. Love to all of our Women Build participants!!!! Karrie Misley
Thank you Erica Reich-Zuazo for teaching me that a strong women is not necessarily the one that has the loudest voice or the quickest response. Your generous heart and the kindness you exude to every person you come in contact with are truly inspirational. Thank you for all you do and for always having my back! #shebuildsmeup Brie Mendoza
They Build Me Up: The extraordinarily kind women of Rhythms Fitness Studio who love this community, give with open hearts, dance with open hearts and give me their gift of enthusiasm everyday! Gracias! Mary Wollensen
I love this and am delighted to celebrate my friend Karin Vastola. She always sees the best in me, knows my heart and holds it with tender care. She encourages me to go for broke, always risking the next highest opportunity. I feel like a genius with her genuine praise and ability to highlight all my best characteristics. If ever there is something that might not be for my best, she is able to offer me feedback in the most open, thoughtful way. She held for me in my darkest offer and is always there to lend a helping hand or open heart if I am not able to see myself or my life with clear, innocent eyes. She is someone I trust deeply and someone I know who has my back. What a blessing. Savannah Hanson
She Builds Me Up: Thank you Liz Vardara for always being there and fighting for me #shebuildsmeup Brie Mendoza
Kimberly D’Urso. Kimberly is a bundle of compassion, love and joy. She is the ultimate Shero; an amazing friend, mother of 3 great kids, she always knows how to pick herself back up and shine even brighter each time. She’s the Chair for Citizens for Choice, BOD for court reporters, kick ass court reporter, college student AND is a phenomenal travel companion & Arete partner. She always sees the best in me and others. Love Her! Tag another women who builds you up. #SheBuildsMeUp
My mom
Jesse Locks for being the energizer bunny she is, who has boundless creative ideas to help so many people and organizations and who loves the outdoors just as much as I do!! Jesse started many ventures including the TEDx talks to GV, NC Film Fest and so much more – such fun, such talent in our area. #SheBuildsMeUp (Suzie)
Nominator: Michele Howden
Barbara Bitner is so good at building me up! She has a deep spiritual foundation that exudes pure love and compassion to me. She listens so deeply and gives such amazingly brilliant and insightful responses to my queries. I think I am stronger and a better person because I met Barbara Bitner. She has a vision to create an arts economy here in Nevada County that will make us the Go To place for digital media! Thanks for what you are creating for us, Barbara!!!
Gabrielle Pullen is another blessing to this community! She never gives up her process of turning difficult experiences into something artful. Truly a healer, Gabrielle forges a way to effectively give back to us what she has learned about healing from trauma. I found validation and encouragement through the writing circle she gave through Gather the Women. Her meditations are sublime and her Feldenkrais sessions reduce the physical pain I lived with for many years.
Kathleen McIntire also is a great blessing to me! She is always soooo loving and kind to me! I’ve had so many great experiences at her home and MoonBear Sanctuary! This woman is building up the entire community. I can’t wait to read your book, Brave Woman Extraordinaire.
Sushila Mertens also builds me up! She is so active in the community and jumps right into whatever is needed! A busy worker bee, she does more than her share of the buzz around here. She has given so much!
And then finally, I have to honor the Steering Wheel of Gather the Women who guide me into the role of the empowered female! Thank you so much!!!
Thanks for the opportunity to make my admiration for these women public!!!
Name
Brie Mendoza
Nominee’s Contact Information
Melissa Woods
Tell us the story of your community heroine:
Melissa is living a life of motivation and inspiration for other women in our community. She is a returning student to Sierra College and will be graduating this May with her AA degree. She is amazing with children and hopes to flourish that love by opening her own daycare.
She is already pursing being a business owner as she is Senior Consultant with Mary Kay. She has recruited and supports her own team of Mary Kay consultants. She has a direct connection with those women and is making a difference in their lives professionally and personally. I asked Melissa what she has gained from being a part of the Mary Kay organization and she said that she has gained confidence and leadership skills.
Melissa is also a key member of Behind the Scenes of Rough and Ready. This group supports and does volunteer work on behalf of the Rough and Ready volunteer Fire Department. She spends countless hours volunteering and fundraising for the Fire Department thought the year; from events like the Baked Potato Booth at our fairgrounds and the Fire Departments activities at Succession Days in Rough & Ready, to weekly meetings and administrative duties.
This is also Melissa’s second year volunteering with our local Relay of Life. This year she is on the Relay for Life Planning Committee and is responsible for managing the Facebook campaign. She has been instrumental in recruiting teams to participate in this years event and is personally a top fundraiser.
Melissa is a shining star in our community. She is the first person to lend a hand when needed and would selflessly give the shirt off her back to help.
Name
Shelly Arthur
Nominee’s Contact Information
Julia Barlow
Tell us the story of your community heroine:
What can I say about Julia? Julia is my hero and a hero to so many in the community, she always goes out of her way even if you just need someone to talk. Her gentle sweet soft spoken words of wisdom and her thoughtfulness behind her voice are very encouraging. Know wonder she decided to take a job helping adults with special needs in our community to be able live on their own. Her new job is defiantly her calling. She drives them to and from their Doctor appointments, takes them shopping and most important she takes the time to talk to them. Julia has a heart of Gold and I’m proud to be her friend!
Check all the apply
Name
sushila mertens
Nominee: Marilyn Nyborg
Tell us the story of your community heroine:
Who can count the number of women locally and around the world Marilyn Nyborg has supported through her life work as a social activist and founder of Gather the Women and Women Waking the World? Marilyn takes the time to listen to the needs of women and then makes the connections happen. She has been a mentor to many and has given me her time and love to grow into who I am.
She is my shero.
Tell us the story of your community heroine:
Melisa been a long time fundraiser and volunteer for MANY local non-profits! She also is a tireless advocate for girls and women of all ages, she has been involved in the pageant system for many years and has organized two local pageants in the last year, teaching poise, stage presence, how to handle an interview, and how to use makeup to each individual’s best advantage!
I can truthfully say that she is involved in volunteering every day!
Shanti Emerson
Tell us the story of your community heroine:
Shanti Emerson has been supporting women through her leadership in the Nevada County Democratic Women’s Club and the Unity Women’s Sacred Circle. As past president Shanti has led the DWC to support women candidates and campaigns to support local projects including the Diaper Project and DVSAC.
She encouraged me to step into leadership and nominated me as her president-elect. Without her persistence and encouragement, I may not have taken the path into political social activism.
Shanti is very active in Unity and coordinates the Tuesday Unity Women’s Circle that helps feed women’s spirits.
Shanti also serves on the Nevada County Fairgrounds Board and volunteers her time in the high schools for peace work. She is clearly a model of a woman building other women up.
Tell us the story of your community heroine:
Melisa has served Nevada county spiritually for 33 years.
As her mother, she has lifted me up spiritually. Even though she was an extremely popular cheerleader at Nevada Union high School and at Baptist university Melisa would turn town the parties that went against her beliefs. She never consumed alcohol or would she take drugs. She led as an example to fellow class mates carrying her bible daily to school for those who might be interested in gods word.
As an adult she continues her Christian walk.
Recently I had the proud pleasure of joining her with several other ladies to visit with the elderly. Melisa Mistler has won Volunteer of the year for her tremendous outreach in Nevada County.
I’m proud to say she’s my daughter, friend, spiritual example and she lifts me up.
Name
Michael Yates
Nominee’s Contact Information
Melisa Mistler
Melisa Mistler is a small business owner in GV. Her business associates provide complimentary make overs for non profits fashion shows or at the Hospitality House. She additionally volunteers as the Director of The Tapestry Network of Nevada County. This organization serves local businesses and helps local non profits each month. Their first 24 months as a club, raised over $26,000 to local npos. Most recently, she has volunteered as a director for Nevada County pageants, organizing over 30 individuals into humanitarian teams serving our community. After the first pageant, 21 new court members made 85 appearances in the first 3 weeks in December. The new 30 are planning 100s of appearances.
Melisa truly serves the community by volunteering daily of her time, talent and leadership.
Lynn Strukrud & Halli Ellis
Lynn: NEO I want to nominate Halli Ellis and Lynn Skrukrud for their amazing work to get our NEO Youth Center up and running, put together a visionary plan for its future, and attract many youngsters to their program. Just recently they created a fashion show for youth where girls were encouraged to create their own designs and model them. The emphasis was on empowerment as beauty itself and thus helped build the girls’ confidence and skills without any detrimental emphasis on old beauty standards. It attracted several hundred people and they had dozens of models. These two young women are the best young models of women’s inclusive empowerment in this whole area. Let’s honor them! Heidi Hall
I would like to nominate Halli Ellis, one of the NEO founders, as She Builds Me Up candidates.
Halli was born and raised in Nevada County and has been giving to our community for many years.
She inspires girls of all ages to follow their dreams, the ability to do anything they set their minds to achieve, and to always have a sense of humor and have fun with all that you do.
While she was attending school out of the area, she made sure she kept in touch with Nevada
County and came up many times to do activities for NEO and touch the lives of our youth.
She has worked close in after school programs, achieving her dream of opening a youth center in Nevada County while always caring for others as she does this. She shows many girls all you have to do is dream, work towards your goals and love what you do.
She is a true inspiration to many people and truly desire this award.
Denise Wasley
