December 2025 - President's Message

I am looking forward to our Holiday Party to be held at the Towers of Venice located at 2921 Jacaranda Blvd., Venice, FL 34293 on Tuesday December 16, 2025, from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM. We will be having dinner, soft drinks, and dessert. The price for the dinner is $15.00. We are permitted to bring wine, which some of our members have already volunteered to bring to the event. There will not be a speaker in December. We are also having a white elephant gift exchange not to exceed $15.00. Kim Spencer is the Marketing Director of the Towers, who has provided this opportunity to our group.

We had our first Winetasting fundraising luncheon at Oak and Stone Restaurant on Friday, November 21, 2025. There were 5 members attending: Ila Patel, Cynthia Fredricks, Megge Urka, Morgan Martin and myself. Morgan distributed the (2) sided flyers, which included the sponsorship sheet. Ila has agreed to help with sponsorships. Meggen will be a rover during the event making sure our guests are greeted and introduced to all members present. Kim Storie and Sharon Sweet will register our guests and sell the 50/50 tickets an the ring toss tickets. Irene Slattery will be handling the baskets, which will be won by entering your raffle tickets. We need each member to bring a basket or supply gift cards worth at least $25. Also, obtaining sponsors is key to a successful event. I asked that we have "all hands-on deck."

Happy Thanksgiving to All,
Sue Hogrefe, President of BPWEV

Wine Tasting Event - 15th Annual Passport to Your Future

When:
Saturday, January 24, 2026 - 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Location:
Venice Wine & Coffee Company, 201 W Venice Ave, Venice, FL 34285

The ticket price is $40.00/person in advance, $45.00 at the door. Tickets include wine tasting, delicious food, and the opportunity to purchase tickets for a chance to win beautiful gift baskets.

The Annual Wine Tasting is to promote BPWEV and benefit the BPWEV Scholarship Fund.

BPWEV is a non profit organization committed to enriching the lives of women through opportunities for individual development and growth. Sponsorships by local businesses/organizations of the event is encouraged. It will bring visibility and recognition to the business supporting this event.

For more information, please contact Sue (941-350-2894) or Linda H (941-483-0288).

2025 BPW Adult Learner Scholarships

scholarship graduation

The Business and Professional Women of Englewood and Venice (BPWEV) are offering Adult Learner Scholarships in the amount $1,000! An Adult Learner is a Woman who is currently enrolled in or re-entering College or a Technical Training Program. Applicant must identify as female and be a resident of Charlotte or Sarasota County.

The deadline for mailing applications has been extended to May 16, 2025.

Please review the Scholarship Information, and follow the directions for submitting your application:

2025 Scholarship Information

2025 Scholarship Application

Christine Davis Memorial Scholarship

For those of us who never knew her, I’d like to take a moment to introduce the lady our scholarship awards are named after.

Christine Davis was a BPW member for over 50 years, first in New York State and later in Florida.  Her energy to promote BPW was astounding. She served in every office the organization had to offer, short of State or National President. She served on many committees and especially enjoyed being chair of the scholarship committee until ill health required her to resign from too many obligations. Her beautiful smile, her eagerness to be always willing to help and her efficient handling of any task she elected to do or help with, will not be forgotten by the BPWEV members, but will be missed.

The Christine Davis Memorial Scholarships will preserve the love and devotion she championed to achieve equality for all women.

Public Policy Platform 2023-2024

At the BPW Florida State Conference in June, 2023, the Proposed Public Policy was presented and approved. The new Public Policy for 2023 – 2024 is below:

Introduction:

Since the inception of BPW/FL in 1919, BPW/FL has always supported women’s rights. BPW/FL continues to support the ERA as a basic foundation of our Public Policy Platform, even as we understand that passing the ERA grows more difficult with the passage of time. BPW/FL firmly believes that equality of rights under the law should not be abridged or denied by the United States or by any state on account of sex, and the rights of women require constant vigilance.

Item 1: Economic Equity, Opportunity and Self-Sufficiency

BPW/FL supports public policies that:

  • ensure pay equity and equal employment opportunities for all women
  • promote opportunities for women-owned businesses
  • promote affordable, quality dependent care
  • promote Social Security and retirement reform options benefiting women
  • guarantee a workplace free from harassment and discrimination

Item 2: Health Care

BPW/Fl supports public policies that:

  • support the expansion of affordable care, including Medicaid, in Florida
  • support funding and initiatives the cover women’s health care needs
  • ensure women’s access to all health care and family planning needs, including full access to all forms of reproductive health services, education, and prescriptions

Item 3: Voting Right and Access

BPW/FL supports public policies that:

  • promote free and fair elections
  • are aimed at expanding voters’ access to the polls
  • are designed to protect the right of all American citizens to vote in fairly drawn legislative districts

Business & Professional Women of Englewood and Venice
P.O. Box 611, Englewood, FL 34295
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