Featuring Members

Beth Foister creates a climbing legacy–Planet Rock 

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Beth Foister’s story as a business creator and owner is truly remarkable. The blood, sweat, and tears involved are not entirely figurative: A chemical engineer, who left corporate jobs to pursue her climbing passion and escape the tedium of corporate employment, Beth and a partner turned a warehouse on the skids into a world-class climbing gym and shop.

Click here for more of her story.

Kathy Hibbs Buckingham studies in Chile

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Our mystery member has studied and worked abroad. Her family was active in the American Field Service program. An Australian and a Japanese student spent time with her family. In her junior year of high school, she went to Chile. As she said, “It was and still is life-changing.” She also spent a week in Guatemala for six years volunteering at a small hospital with volunteer staff from the US. “I started going because I can speak Spanish,” Kathy said, “and few if any patients know English and cannot communicate with the American staff.  A very meaningful experience!”

Cara Knapp graduates from Norwich University as a Second Lieutenant in ROTC. 

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Cara Knapp graduated from Norwich University Corps of Cadets and held rank every year, graduating as a Second Lieutenant. Norwich University (www. https://www.norwich.edu/) is the oldest private military school in the nation. Cara described it as “a private version of West Point.” Her grandfather, a retired professor from Norwich, greets Cara on her graduation day with all the pride possible of a faculty member and a granddad. He was able to participate in her graduation ceremony, handing Cara her diploma.

Kathy Bradley Ehrnschwender breaks into collegiate sports scholarships post Title IX.

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Bits and pieces of newsprint tell the story of Kathy Bradley Ehrnschwender breaking into sports scholarships for women post-Title IX. Calling a swimmer a “groundbreaker” is accurate metaphorically. She made waves for women in the collegiate scene, beginning with success in a Florida swim club and advancing to Colorado State on a full scholarship normally given to men.

Here are some excerpts from selected news articles:

“…Finished in the top 13 of four events in the National Short Course Swimming Championships in Cincinnati…third fastest time (4:36:0) in the United States by a female swimmer for the 400 IM, captured a national qualifying…”

“…signed by 11-year Coach…mostly male scholarship world…recruited basically because of her backstroke talents…”

“…usually after high school competition it’s all over for a girl.”

But it was not for Kathy. She went on to earn a master of arts from Appalachian State University and a doctorate from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

A Title IX refresher: The following is the original text as written and signed into law by President Richard Nixon in 1972: No person in the United States shall, based on sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.

(Click the title to see the news articles.)

Holiday parties 1995 and 2001

 

1995: 1st row Lucy Gibson, April Crusco, (?), Joyce Williams; 2nd row Leslie Consoli, Kathy Phillips, Susan Stalgaitis; 3rd row Faith Tapp, (?), Alicia Kitts, Shannon Kemp, Laura Barron, (?), (?), (?) 4th row Marcia Katz, Carole Bailey, Nancy Larson, Sandra K. Goss, (?), Sheena McCall, Jennifer Martella; 5th row (?) Remona Jessee, Dianna Mercier

2001: 1st row: Alicia Kitts, Beanie Cudahy, April Crusco, Aleex Conner; 2nd row Lucy Gibson, Barbara Parsons, Nancy Larson, Susan Stalgaitis, Dianna Mercier; 3rd row Carol Bailey, Joyce Williams, Judith Varsalona, Julie Haynes, Pat Whited, Jennifer Monroe, Stacy Long, Janice Spoone, Sara Dugger, Marilyn Hudson, Cortney Baker, Lynn Champion; 4th row Corinne Bell, Sandra K. Goss, Remona Jessee, Marianne Shamblin, Joy Thomas, LaVance Davis, Laura Lammers

 
Barbara Bolton Budlong serves as the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce Ambassador in 1996.

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Barbara Bolton Budlong was celebrated in a half-page feature in the Chattanooga Free Press as the most prominent volunteer for the Chamber of Commerce, serving as their ambassador and performing as the public image of the Chamber at many public events, such as a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Bessie Smith Hall (now known as the Heritage Center).

 
Laura Barron awarded Woman of the Year nationally in 1990 by the American Business Women’s Association

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Laura describes the leadup to her winning the Woman of the Year nationally in 1990. The American Business Women’s Association (ABWA) asked the chapters to nominate their local Woman of the Year to be considered for the National Woman of the Year. “It was a bear of an application on beige paper,” she said, “and you had to put it in an electric typewriter to fill it out. I used lots of beige whiteout to correct all my mistakes.”

2019 National Philanthropy Day

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September 19, 2019, Reunion

Aleex, Alicia, and Joy

Honoring the Outgoing 2018 Board

Outgoing president, Freddi Birdwell, thanks outgoing board with framed certificates and shows a signed photo of the board, which will be presented to Lawhorn CPA Group, LLC to thank them for allowing the board to meet on their premises

                       2018 KAWE Holiday Party

 

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2018 Garden Party

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2017 KAWE Holiday Party

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2017 Garden Party

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2016 KAWE Holiday Party

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