A total of 15 local women nominated by the community will join 152 other women who will have been honored with the YWCA Women of Achievement Award.

This year’s honorees will be recognized at the YWCA Fourteenth Anniversary Women of Achievement Luncheon on Wednesday April 2. The event will take place from 11a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Bremerton Performing Arts Center at Bremerton High School.

Organizers note that heavy appetizers will be available from 11 a.m., with the program starting promptly at noon. Olympic College Culinary Arts Program is the event caterer.

“I cannot say enough about the caliber of women nominated,” gushed YWCA Executive Director, Linda K. Joyce. “Narrowing down the field to 16 took the committee all day. As always, these honorees best exemplify the incredible work women are doing in our community – from the improving the lives of children and the community, to leadership positions in both the for profit and non-profit sectors.”
The 2003 Women of Achievement are:

• Kathleen Byrne-Barrantes, Owner of Grant Solutions for Kitsap County and Environmentalist, Sinclair Inlet Restoration Project
• Commander Teresa S. Bandur-Duvall, Commanding Officer, Naval Computer and Telecommunications, Station Puget Sound
• Oletha Carter-James, Social Worker, Department of Social and Health Services
• Chris Endresen, Kitsap County Commissioner
• Gail Fleming, President, Drury Construction Company
• Joanne Haselwood, Chairman, Board of Directors, Admiral Theatre Foundation
• Marilyn Jones, President, Central Kitsap School District PTSA Council
• Lucy Konizeski, Crisis Counselor, Crisis Clinic of Kitsap County
• Nancy Moen, Mrs. Claus and Community Volunteer
• Mercy G. Montero, Registered Nurse, Harrison Hospital – Silverdale
• Ardis Morrow, Community and Children’s Advocate
• Renee Overath, Community Education Specialist, Central Kitsap School District
• Opal Robertson, Co-Founder, Embassy Educational Center
• Dona Shaw, Owner, Park Place Daycare Center
• Sue Shultz, Detective, Bremerton Police Department

   Tickets for the event are $30 each. Please send checks to: YWCA, PO Box 559, Bremerton, Washington 98337, ATTN: WOA no later than March 21, as the caterers need an accurate count.

The YWCA thanks sponsors The Sun and Topics Entertainment. Additional sponsorship opportunities are available. Call Linda Joyce or Jennifer Green at the YWCA for more information, at 360-479-0522.