Seven women of the year to be honored at a banquet May 4

Event rescheduled due to the pandemic

By Barb Pert Templeton

The pandemic managed to cancel the 2021 Blue Water Woman of the Year banquet and then it postponed the 2022 event but Patti Samar, editor, and publisher of Blue Water Woman magazine is pleased to announce the show will go.

In all, seven area women will be honored at the 10^th Annual Awards ceremony on Wednesday, May 4 from 7 to 9 p.m. at McMorran Theatre in downtown Port Huron. Three honorees from 2021 will be recognized along with four area women for 2022.

The public’s invited to attend the reception and the requested attire for the evening is fancy cocktail dresses and gowns for women and suits and ties for men. Tickets, that include heavy hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar are priced at $75/per person for adults and $45/per person for students under 21.

“I am so very pleased that such exceptionally accomplished and talented women have been selected for recognition,” Patti Samar, editor, and publisher of Blue Water Woman magazine stated in a press release.

Nominations for the Blue Water Woman of the Year Awards were accepted last fall with a Nov. 19 application deadline. The award honors women from the Blue Water Area who demonstrate excellence and achievement in the following areas: volunteerism or personal achievement, mentoring other women, professional achievement, or the overall honor of being named Blue Water Woman of the Year. 

After completing a nomination form and being selected nominees must commit to selling at least 20 tickets to the awards ceremony and must be present to win

The 2021 Blue Water Woman of the Year Award Recipients who will be honored at the 2022 event are as follows:

Blue Water Woman of the Year: Denise Brooks of Port Huron. In 2021, Brooks retired after serving many years as executive director of the YMCA of the Blue Water Area. Throughout her career, she led other local nonprofits, as well. 

Blue Water Woman Civic Leader of the Year: Anita Ashford of Port Huron.  Ashford, currently a Port Huron City Council Member, has been involved in numerous civic activities throughout her life.

Blue Water Woman Volunteer of the Year: Carolyn Crowe of Port Huron.  Crowe has trained more than 30 dogs for Leader Dogs for the Blind over the past three decades.

The newly named 2022 award recipients are as follows:

Blue Water Woman of the Decade: Dr. Annette Mercatante of Wales Township. Mercatante is the public health officer and medical director for the St. Clair County Health Department.

Blue Water Woman Historian of the Year: Marguerite Stanley and Haran Stanley of Port Huron. In 1977, Marguerite authored the book, “From Whence We Came,” a history of the Black population in Port Huron. Her granddaughter, Haran Stanley, 2020 worked tirelessly with the Port Huron Museum to establish a permanent Black History Exhibit. The exhibit opened in February 2021.

Blue Water Woman Coach of the Year: Melinda Scheible of Port Huron. Scheible is the owner and primary coach at All American Flames Gymnastix of Port Huron. Many of her students have gone on to receive Division I gymnastics scholarships after years of training at her gym.

According to Samar, the purpose of presenting an awards program for area women is to honor those who are selected for recognition, as well as to encourage and inspire other women in the community.

 “This community is full of incredible women,” said Samar. “I am inspired by so many of them each and every day. I am always so honored when they allow me to share their stories with others in the pages of the magazine.” For more information or to request an invitation, contact Samar via email at pjsamar@aol.com.