BPW Connection 

December 2022

In this issue: 

President's Message  -- Events -- Opportunities --Member news!

President's Message

'Tis the season!

I know lots of us are still making that last push to meet our professional goals this year. Many working women also carry extra loads for the holiday season, preparing gifts, parties, travel and time with friends and family.

In the midst of this busy time, my wish is for every member of the Upper Keys BPW to get a healthy dose of Freudenfreude – a fancy word for the joy we feel when we see someone else doing well.

Experiencing Freudenfreude has all kinds of benefits for us personally and professionally, according to research. Appreciating each other’s good news can boost our own relationships and moods. It might even empower us to do more as individuals and a community.

Here are some ways to bring more Freudenfreude into your life:

• Actively listen the next time someone shares good news with you
• Think of someone’s success as a community achievement, lifting us all up
• Thank someone for how they helped you achieve success
• Invite others to share their victories.

May I humbly suggest that joining our BPW activities and events also brings this special kind of joy?

Think about it as you skim the contents of this newsletter.

In addition to our in-person networking events, every month we meet online for a virtual coffee chat, the sole purpose of which is to “Tell me something good.”

A few weeks ago, our Woman of the Year and the owner of our Business of the Year shared amazing stories about their journeys to professional success.

We even have a special section of the newsletter to celebrate accomplishments by our members – like our collective success in establishing a $40,000 endowment fund for our Women’s Scholarship Program.

Sharing joy empowers us, our businesses, careers and the entire community.

I hope to see you at next Wednesday's Holiday Party to exchange the gift of Freudenfreude -- and a tacky ornament too! 

Warm regards, 

Jill

Jill Kuehnert

Upper Keys BPW President

‪(305) 767-3928‬

P.S. Want to read more about Freudenfreude? Check out this article!

Upcoming Events!

8 am -- zoom 

Start your day by sharing something good with fellow BPW members and others in our community. 

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11:30 am -- location TBA

Our speaker will be Edith Zewadski-Bricker, an advocate for mental health and social services in our community.

Sponsored by Tolley and Hill, PLLC.  

More information coming soon! 

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And in case you missed it...

Thanks to everyone who came out for our famous Speed Networking lunch on November 16 in Key Largo!

We greeted old friends, met a bunch of new faces, welcomed some great new members and tried to keep our keep track of our rights and lefts and side A’s and B’s to keep the networking moving.

Thanks to everyone who came out and especially:

> Olive Morada for sponsoring the event and bringing holiday goodies

> Karen and staff at the Pilot House for their hospitality

> Sound support from Scott Youngberg

And...

After the hustle and bustle of the Thanksgiving holiday, we met up for a Virtual Power Lunch online December 1.

We talked with Upper Keys BPW Woman of the Year Margie Smith -- and Becky Krueger Washam, owner of Business of the Year Sandbar Books -- about their professional journeys and experiences as working women in the Florida Keys.

Watch the recording on YouTube and get inspired to wrap up 2022 on a high note!

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Opportunities!

Join a committee

If you would like to get more involved with Upper Keys BPW, consider joining or chairing a committee!

It's a wonderful way to meet other members, contribute to the community and make the most of your membership. 

In December, we had great mini-meetings of the Scholarship, Audit/Finance and Marketing Committees. We're gearing up for exciting activities in 2023 and would love to have your help. 

Click here to learn more about different committees, including responsibilities and time commitment needed. 

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Learn and Lead with BPW/FL members

BPW/FL will be offering three virtual local organization leadership training sessions for anyone currently in a leadership role, considering a leadership role in the future or just interested in learning more about BPW. Leadership encompasses officers, committee chairs and special event chairs. The sessions will be offered on 1/10, 2/8 and 3/14 at 6:00-7:30 pm.

Registration will open soon. For now, please save the dates!

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Email blast ads to locals.

Got a job opening you're trying to fill? A new location to promote? An event you want to get the word out? Reach our active mailing list of over 400 members and others in the Florida Keys. 

Our E-Blast prices are as follows:

$20.00 - Members

$35.00 - Non-Members

Complete this online form or send us an email to get the process started. 

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To learn more about these opportunities, send an email to BPWUpperKeys@gmail.com or contact one of our Board Members directly.

Member News 

Way to go BPW!

We love celebrating our members' accomplishments, and this month we celebrate our entire organization for achieving our goal of establishing a $40,000 Endowment Fund for our Women's Scholarship Program. 

Thanks to many individual donors -- and one anonymous donor who's matched donations since October -- it looks like we've maxed out the (original) matching funds available from the Peter MacDougall Match for Agency Endowments Fund at the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys. 

This is a really big deal and we'll be sharing more about it soon!

~

Upper Keys BPW Treasurer Victoria Leonard was promoted to Accounting Analyst at the Florida Keys Electric Cooperative (FKEC).  Atta girl, Victoria!

~

Member Michael Rojewski was installed as a Board Member of the Key Largo Chamber of Commerce.  Way to go, Michael! 

~

Member and Past Upper Keys BPW President Ilja Chapman recently completed a Board term with the Key Largo Chamber of Commerce and received the coveted Chairman's Bell award. Atta girl, Ilja!

Renewing & returning members

Glad you're still with us!

• Audra Hill, Tolley and Hill CPAs, member since 2006

• Jill Kuehnert, Seed Stories/Lucky Fish Scuba, member since 2017
• Patricia Milian, ComplyRight, member since 2020
• Margie Smith, Florida Small Business Development Center at FIU, member since 2008

New members

Welcome, we can't wait to get to know you!

• Alexandra Barrow-Rivas, Glory Mortgage

• Sherri Beatty, Gulf Breeze Bookkeeping
• Beverly Heinritz, Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) Foundation
• VIolet Wahba, Key Lime Products Key Largo

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Newsletter news!

Access past issues in our Upper Keys BPW Newsletter Archive.

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