2024 Blue Water Woman of the Year Awards Ceremony Date Announced
The 2024 Blue Water Woman of the Year Awards Ceremony will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, March 13, 2024 at the McMorran Place Theatre.
Recommended attire: Cocktail dresses, party shoes, suits and ties.
Tickets Now on Sale for 2024 Blue Water Woman of the Year Awards Ceremony
The 2024 Blue Water Woman of the Year Awards Ceremony will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, March 13, 2024 at the McMorran Place Theatre. Tickets MUST be purchased in advance. Tickets will not be available at the door. Tickets are $85 per person for adults (21 and older) and $55 per person for students (under 21).
Price of the ticket includes heavy hors d’oeuvres and an open bar.
Recommended attire: Cocktail dresses, party shoes, suits and ties.
Tickets can be purchased online by clicking on the link below:
2024 Blue Water Woman of the Year Tickets
Does this event support a charitable organization?
We have been asked this question a number of times over the years, so here goes: First, Blue Water Woman magazine is a for-profit business. Ticket sales for the awards ceremony are used to cover the cost of putting on this community event (ie: venue rental, etc.). In the past, Blue Water Woman has donated money to local nonprofits in honor of this event. But, the event is NOT a money maker for Blue Water Woman. We try to operate this as a “break-even” event.
All that said, my husband and I, each year, purchase additional tickets to this event so local high school students can attend and be inspired by the awesome women being honored. After word spread that we were doing that, others in the community also offered to sponsor student attendance, as well. I ask teachers at local high schools to select students whom they believe would benefit from attending this event as an inspiration and to learn what local women have achieved in their personal and professional lives.
So, instead of writing a check to a random nonprofit, we write a larger check to McMorran Place and bring in as many high school students as we can. So, while that is not, by any means, formally a “charitable” endeavor, we believe it is a worthy cause.
If you are interested in sponsoring a student (or two or three!), please continue reading…
Blue Water Woman of the Year Sponsor a Student Program
If you would like to sponsor a student to attend the Blue Water Woman of the Year Awards at the cost of $55 per student, please visit the link below to purchase ONLY your student sponsorship tickets. Sponsor a Student tickets are currently on sale and will remain on sale through March 12, 2024.
Blue Water Woman of the Year Student Sponsorship Tickets
How to Nominate:
Blue Water Woman of the Year Awards
If you are here, you are thinking about nominating a very deserving woman for a Blue Water Woman of the Year Award. Every year, five or six women from the Blue Water Area are honored at a very special public reception.
Before the awards are given, though, someone must nominate the awesome women in our community.
IMPORTANT NOTE TO NOMINATORS: We ask that all nominators commit to making sure there are 20 people in attendance at the awards reception to help your nominee receive the recognition she deserves. What better way to feel special than to have your own fan club/cheering section sitting in the audience?
Additionally: We request that you check in with someone close to your nominee to make sure she will be available to attend the awards ceremony. This is a “must be present to win” situation. 🙂
Nomination Form:
The deadline for the 2024 nominations is Friday, January 5, 2024. Nominating someone is easy. Just fill out the Blue Water Woman of the Year Awards–Nomination Form–2024 and send it to:
Patti Samar
Questions?
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the editor at pjsamar@aol.com.
Past Award Recipients:
2023
Alice Rieves
THE Blue Water Woman of the Year
Karen Brisby
Blue Water Woman Law Enforcement Officer of the Year
Carmela Burns
Blue Water Woman Volunteer of the Year
Sherry Archibald
Blue Water Woman Civic Leader Officer of the Year
Heather Bearden
Blue Water Woman Community Activist of the Year
2022
Annette Mercatante, M.D.
THE Blue Water Woman of the DECADE
Haran Stanley & Marguerite Stanley
Blue Water Woman Historian of the Year
Melinda Scheible
Blue Water Woman Coach of the Year
2021
Denise Brooks
THE Blue Water Woman of the Year
Anita Ashford
Blue Water Woman Civic Leader of the Year
Carolyn Crowe
Blue Water Woman Volunteer of the Year
2020
Marcy Kuehn
THE Blue Water Woman of the Year
Ila Shoulders
Blue Water Woman Civic Leader of the Year
Marcia Haynes
Blue Water Woman Community Activist of the Year
Julianne Ankley
Blue Water Woman Musician of the Year
Laura Scaccia
Blue Water Woman Community Developer of the Year
Kelly Strilcov
Blue Water Woman Volunteer of the Year
2019
Randa Jundi-Samman
THE Blue Water Woman of the Year
Melinda Johnson
Blue Water Woman Nonprofit Executive of the Year
Pauline Repp
Blue Water Woman Civic Leader of the Year
Mara McCalmon
Blue Water Woman Victim’s Rights Advocate of the Year
Carrie Farnsworth
Blue Water Woman Educator of the Year
Sara Thomas
Blue Water Woman Health Educator of the Year
2018
Karen Harris
THE Blue Water Woman of the Year
Nancy Winzer
Blue Water Woman Civic Leader of the Year
Donna Russell-Kuhr
Blue Water Woman Manufacturing Executive of the Year
Dr. Deborah Snyder
Blue Water Woman Educator of the Year
Susan Smith
Blue Water Woman Physical Fitness Advocate of the Year
2017
Therese Damman
THE Blue Water Woman of the Year
Sallie Smith
Blue Water Woman NonProfit Manager of the Year
Brenda Tenniswood
Blue Water Woman Educator of the Year
Rhonda Jones
Blue Water Woman Entrepreneur of the Year
Denise Dencklau
Blue Water Woman Professional of the Year
2016
Sushma Reddy, M.D.
THE Blue Water Woman of the Year
Kathleen Swantek
Blue Water Woman Nonprofit Executive of the Year
Rebekah Smith
Blue Water Woman Healthcare Executive of the Year
Sheri Faust
Blue Water Woman Government Professional of the Year
Jacque Rogers
Blue Water Young Woman of the Year
2015
Karry Hepting
THE Blue Water Woman of the Year
Rita Hendricks
Blue Water Woman Civic Leader of the Year
Annette Meratante, M.D.
Blue Water Woman Medical Professional of the Year
Audrey Torello
Blue Water Woman Professional of the Year
Hayley Alderman
Blue Water Young Woman of the Year
2014
Connie Harrison
THE Blue Water Woman of the Year
Shari Straffon
Blue Water Woman Professional of the Year — East
Sharla “Charlie” Smeznik
Blue Water Woman Professional of the Year — West
Vickie Burgett
Blue Water Woman Volunteer of the Year
Devin Tomlinson
Blue Water Young Woman of the Year
2013
Bonnie Bracken
THE Blue Water Woman of the Year
Erin Potts
Blue Water Woman Educator of the Year
Tracy Willard
Blue Water Woman Nonprofit Executive of the Year
Jackie Hanton
Blue Water Woman Young Professional of the Year
Veronica Heitz
Blue Water Young Woman of the Year
2012
Deborah Johnson
THE Blue Water Woman of the Year
Sally Straffon
Blue Water Woman Professional of the Year
Lina Daugherty
Blue Water Woman Volunteer of the Year
Madeline Price
Blue Water Young Woman of the Year