Two generations vie for YWCA award

A Wilmington mother and daughter have both been nominated for the YWCA’s Women of Achievement award, which will be presented on Thursday, May 20, at the Coastline Convention Center. Valerie Robertson, founder, editor and publisher of environmental quarterly magazine Cape Fear’s Going Green, has been nominated for the 26th annual award.

But Robertson has also nominated her mother, Adeline Robertson, who founded Choice Caregivers Inc., a company that matches skilled caregivers with patients in Wilmington since 1999. “When [Adeline] arrived [in Wilmington], there were services that provided companions but none that offered long-term skilled in-home medical care,” Valerie said in a press release.

In the 26-year history of the annual award that recognizes women who make positive strides in their communities by advancing the YWCA’s stated goals of empowering women and eliminating racism, a mother and daughter has never been nominated in the same year, organizers said. But awards will be given in several categories, so the Robertson’s will most likely not be competing directly against each other.

Regardless, the two have worked together from the start. Valerie does the billing for her mother’s business and Adeline helps brainstorm magazine content for her daughter’s publication. “It’s to both our advantages to share expertise and work together,” Adeline said in a press release. “It makes for a symbiotic relationship that is also a lot of fun.”

This year 20 local women were nominated for the 2010 Women of Achievement Award. Nine recipients will receive recognition in each of the categories of Arts, Business, Communications, Education, Environmental, Health and Wellness, Public Service, Volunteer and the Rachel Freeman Unsung Hero Award, which is a new category this year.

Additionally three young women from New Hanover, Pender and Brunswick counties’ schools will receive a young leader scholarship of $1,000.

The nominees for the YWCA’s Women of Achievement Award for 2010 are:

Annie Anthony, Director for Cape Fear Volunteer Center
Kimberley Cheatham, Assistant Director of Scholarship Programs at UNC Wilmington
Diane Fountain, CEO of Fountain Development
Birdie Frink, Justice For Citizens
Elaine Logothetis Jack, Owner/Managing Member of Sapona Green Building Center
Emma Jackson, Executive Director of Instructional Services for New Hanover County Schools
Adline Johnson, Volunteer       
Kelly Laham, Adult Nurse Practitioner for Goshen Medical Center
Janice North, Volunteer       
Valita Quattlebaum, Chief Communications Officer for New Hanover County Schools
Adeline Robertson, President of Choice Caregivers, Inc
Valerie Robertson, Founder/Publisher/Editor of Going Green Magazine
Margaret S. Rogers, Volunteer       
Where’s My Midwife?, Grassroots Organization
Star Sosa, President/Jewelry Designer/Retailer of Spectrum Art & Jewelry
Islah Speller, Medical Assistant   
Dixon Stetler, Arts Educator for the Cameron Art Museum & Dreams
Heather Henry Thornton, IT Program Director for New Hanover Regional Medical Center
Beth Upton, Roland Grise Middle School Reading Coach
Kay Zwan, Community Outreach/Advocacy Coordinator for the disAbility Resource Center