Montero to Host Women Leaders Series on August 15

Women Leaders Series by BernieOHare on Scribd

Republican Congressional candidate Maria Montero is co-hosting a women's leadership conference on August 15 at Lehigh Country Club. She and her four special guests are all Republicans. Though the Leadership Institute is technically a nonprofit, its basic purpose is to train conservative activists. But I think anyone could benefit from learning how to raise funds, develop a winning message and take advantage of social media.

Montero has told me she'd really like to "increase civic engagement, especially amongst our young ladies. If you know of any HS or college students who may be interested, they’d be comp’d for sure."

If you have a daughter or granddaughter who you think would enjoy this event, contact Montero at maria.montero@me.com .

Pink Heals: A Firefighter Homage to Women

The Pink Heals Tour raises awareness of the illnesses that afflict women.

Arizona-based Pink Heals and their pink firetrucks rolled into St. Luke's Anderson Campus on a late Summer Saturday to raise money for the Cancer Center. In addition to firetrucks galore, there was food, T-Shirt sales, artwork, balloons, face-painting by Dazzleberry, and of course, the cha cha slide. "Every time you stomp to the left or stomp to the right, you're helping stomp out cancer," a DJ told the enthusiastic kids.

Firefighter Bill Andress plans a local Pink Heals Chapter

The next day, Pink Heals was in Nazareth, this time to raise money for people to register for bone marrow transplants.

All money raised by Pink Heals goes directly to some organization that helps women, not to any volunteer firefighting company. Nancy Run Firefighter and Safety Officer Bill Andress, who with his wife will soon form a Pink Heals Chapter here in the Lehigh Valley explained. "Women are the foundation of everything," he stated. "It's not just breast cancer, but all illnesses that affect our women." In Nazareth, for example, the pink firetrucks topped to help raise money for bone marrow registrations.

The Pink HealsTours, which itself is a group of volunteers founded by Dave Graybill, left the Lehigh Valley for Rhode Island. From there, they will slowly go South, finishing in Bayton, TX in early November. Over five years, they have enlisted the support of approximately 4,000 communities.

Their trip to the Lehigh Valley also included fundraising at Applebees along Rte 191 and at The Keystone Pub.

Kelly sisters Paige (age 5), Faith (age 6) and Alexus (age 8) are used to firetrucks. Their Mom is a volunteer in Fremansburg 

Matias Vasquez, age 6, gets a balloon from Bandaid the Clown

Remik sisters Olivia, age 5, and Addy, age 3, love their makeup

The silver ribbon signifies disabilities and ovarian cancer, 

Pink Heals Tour in Lehigh Valley This Weekend

If you see a pink fire truck on a Lehigh Valley Street this weekend, it's not your imagination. The "Pink Heals Tour" will be here to raise awareness and money for local people battling cancer, with a special focus on women. According to founder Dave Graybill, "We focus our labor of love on the women of this country and wage war on anything that may harm her starting with cancer!"

Pink firetrucks will visit St. Luke's Anderson campus in Bethlehem Township between noon and 3 PM on Saturday. Nancy Run Fire Company's Safety Officer, Bill Andress, states that there will be numerous other activities going on as well, from face-painting to clowns.

Here's the complete schedule:

Saturday, 8/24:

Applebees, Rte 191, Bethlehem, 8 AM - 10 AM, $7 flapjack breakfast.

St. Luke's Anderson Campus, Freemansburg Ave, Bethlehem, Noon to 3 PM

Keystone Pub, Easton Ave, Bethlehem, 5 PM - 7 PM

Sunday, 825:

Nazareth Borough Park, Noon - 5 PM

Lehigh Valley Rated 9th Worst-Paying Area For Women

According to The Philly City Biz List, women in the Lehigh Valley are only paid 72.6% what their male counterparts make. That explains why I'm doing so poorly in my new career as a gigolo. And I thought it was my looks.