Alexandria Area BPW receives legislative award

• AABPW members

Pictured are (back row, left to right) members of the Alexandria Area Business and Professional Women’s (AABPW) organization Sara Gronholz, Bev Stroeing, Lynn Grueneich, Nancy Klepetka, Terri Ellman and BPW/MN Past State President and AABPW Mentor Linda Hauge; (front row) Jane Geisinger, BPW/MN vice president; Patty Tanji BPW/MN president elect; and Jaci Olsen, BPW Minnesota president. This photo was taken in Owatonna on September 20 at the BPW/MN Summer board of director's meeting, where the National BPW Excellence in Advocacy Award was presented to AABPW members. Contributed photo.

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The Alexandria Area Business and Professional Women’s (AABPW) organization was honored with the National BPW 2008 Excellence in Advocacy Award, which recognizes outstanding legislative work by a local organization.

AABPW organized a legislative field trip to the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul on Equal Pay Day, April 22.

The event became a collaborative effort between five different Minnesota BPW locals. Attending from AABPW were Lynn Grueneich (then president), Del Mari Runck (past president), Nancy Klepetka (then LO legislative chair and president-elect), Nan Haggerty, Joyce Guenther and guest Shannon Schueller. Five other BPW members from across the state also attended.

Those in attendance participated in a “Brown-Bag Legislative 101” lunch, discussing the BPW/MN Legislative platform, the status of the Minnesota Equal Rights Amendment bills, and sharing lobbying and legisla-tion information.

They attended a press conference on pay equity given by Patty Tanji of the Pay Equity Coalition of Minnesota. The Alexandria attendees attended scheduled meetings with Senator Bill Ingebrigtsen, Representative Torrey Westrom and Representative Mary Ellen Otremba discussing equal pay concerns, encouraging support for the Minnesota ERA Amendment and speaking about the BPW Legislative Platform.

AABPW was honored with the Excellence in Advocacy Award at the BPW National Convention held in Atlanta, Georgia in July.

AABPW is currently the largest local BPW group in Minnesota with 77 members. The group meets monthly at the Broadway Ballroom in Alexandria. For information, contact Nancy Klepetka, president, at (320) 762-2311, e-mail presi-dent@bpwalexandria.org or visit the Web site www.bpwalexandria.org.

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