Montgomery Women Honors Award Recipients at 8th Annual Power Tea Including Sharon Friedman of the Mental Health Association

For the first time, members and guests of Montgomery Women filled the Mansion at Strathmore to capacity for the 8^th Annual Awards Ceremony and Power Tea. After celebrating a 10 year milestone last year, the membership has grown to record levels as many join the organization to empower women to pursue elected and appointed leadership positions in Montgomery County.

Welcoming remarks were made by Montgomery Women President, Meredith Wellington, who emphasized “Women, and not just one woman, a lot of women, need to be at the table!”. She introduced founding member, Montgomery County Councilmember Nancy Floreen who served as Honorary Chair for the Power Tea. Ms. Floreen has been president of the organization at two different times and has made each year’s Power Tea at the Strathmore Mansion possible by donating the space. She was applauded for her contribution and steadfast commitment to Montgomery Women after explaining it’s all about putting women into leadership positions throughout society in such places as corporate boardrooms and the political forums.

The highlight of the event is honoring two very special members of the community with the annual Awards.

Montgomery Women proudly presented Sharon E. Friedman with the Shining Star Award for more than 18 years of dedicated and successful leadership in mental health. For over 17 years, Sharon has led the Mental Health Association of Montgomery County (MHA) located on Twinbrook Parkway in Rockville. MHA promotes mental wellness and supports those with mental illness through advocacy, education and community programs. Under Sharon’s leadership, MHA has grown to manage 10 direct service programs for children, teens, families, senior adults and individuals with long-term mental illness, using the services of approximately 750 volunteers each year. Sharon has been recognized with the Bank of America Neighborhood Excellence Local Hero Award, the National Association of Counties Communities Caring Award, the Community Leader Award from Jewish Women International, the Athena Award for Professional Excellence and the WETA Hometown Hero Award. Sharon’s leadership extends deep into the community. She was founder and president of the Montgomery County Alliance for Educational Excellence and president of the Montgomery County Council of PTAs. Her expertise was tapped for the transition teams of the last two Montgomery County Executives. Most recently, she was included in The Daily Record’s Top 100 Women in Maryland. Montgomery Women congratulates Sharon on being an outstanding leader and a Shining Star in the community. The Shining Star Award honors two beloved founding members of Montgomery Women, Delegate Jane Lawton and County Council Member Marilyn Praisner.

Hannah McCann, this year’s Rising Star, is a freelance writer and the driving force behind the Fenton Street Market. The market has served the Silver Spring community since 2009 as an outlet for artists and craftsmen, a stage for musicians and performers, a launch-pad for local entrepreneurs, a venue for civic engagement and a boost to the downtown Silver Spring economy. The market started in an empty lot on Fenton Street when Hannah decided that she wanted something more for her community. She devised a scheme for what she termed “guerilla development,” transforming the neglected site into a destination. Fenton Street Market was well received by vendors, the community, the media, local developers and business owners, and local politicians. To date, over 800 artists have exhibited at Fenton Street Market and an average of 2,500 customers visit each Saturday. In 2011, the market incorporated as one of the country’s first Benefit Corporations. Prior to starting Fenton Street Market, Hannah was the communications manager at the D.C. Chapter of the American Institute of Architects and the managing editor at Architect Magazine. The Rising Star Award honors the life of Phyllis Campbell Newsome, a visionary activist and founding member of Montgomery Women.

The Keynote Speaker, State Delegate Heather Mizeur of District 2, responded to data indicating that women need to be asked to run for public office by saying, “So I’m here asking you today, please run for office! When women take on the big issues, we win.” Then she pointed out that if a caterpillar could be told it was going to turn into a butterfly it would never believe it, but it does transform, so everyone present needed to “Get ready! Trust!”.

Montgomery Women began supporting scholarships at Montgomery College in 2006 thanks to the generosity of Carol Trawick who has been a lead donor for the organization. Individual members of Montgomery Women have added their own gifts to quadruple the size of scholarship to over $4,700 so far this year. Scholarship recipient Ingrid Duran was in attendance. She was born and raised in Bethesda and is a mother of three who is studying business and expects to transfer to the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland College Park.

Montgomery Women is a non-partisan leadership and political action committee started in 2001 by a diverse group of experienced and emerging community leaders who recognized the need to provide a forum for women’s voices in Montgomery County. When Governor Parris Glendenning made three dozen green bag appointments in the State of Maryland and not one of them was a woman, a group of women decided that something needed to be done.

Our membership includes many of the County’s most influential women in business, education, civic affairs, government and politics.  We bring together women from all cultural backgrounds and every corner of our County to advance common interests and support outstanding women in their quest for positions of power and influence.

Candidates endorsed by Montgomery Women have won election to the State Legislature, the Montgomery County Council and the Montgomery County Board of Education.  We also have successfully promoted the appointment of qualified women to County boards and commissions.