Dr Irene Gordon receives Women of Distinction Award at the 2008 YWCA Salute to Women Banquet

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Kristin Matz, Communication Specialist, 765-742-0075

**Biographical information about each honoree is at the end of this press release.**

YWCA Announces 2008 Salute to Women Award Recipients
Seven Honorees to Receive Awards at March 4th Banquet in West Lafayette

LAFAYETTE, IN (February 7, 2008)-The YWCA Greater Lafayette will showcase the achievements and contributions of seven local women at the annual YWCA Salute to Women Banquet on Tuesday, March 4th at the Purdue Memorial Union Ballrooms in West Lafayette.

The banquet also will include a reception, cash bar, dinner, and keynote presentation by Purdue University President Dr. France Córdova. Doors will open and the banquet reception will begin at 5:30 p.m. Welcoming remarks and dinner will begin at 6:30 p.m.


The awards program will include the introduction of a new annual award intended to honor a woman under the age of 40. This award is intended to acknowledge the efforts of a woman who contributes to the community and serves as a role model but has not accumulated as many years of experience as typical Salute to Women honorees have. The name of this new award will be announced at the banquet.

The new award honoring a woman under the age of 40 will go to:
Kat Braz

The 2008 Women of Distinction are:
Paula Baitinger
Dr. Irene Gordon
Aida Muñoz
Lori Stein Sabol
Lois Wark

The recipient of the Mary Keller Ade Woman of Wisdom Award in 2008 is:
Maggi Ingleman

Award recipients were selected based on outstanding and inspirational achievement in volunteer and/or professional roles, community involvement, and leadership/role modeling qualities.

The 2008 Salute to Women Banquet is presented by Purdue Employees Federal Credit Union. Honoree Sponsors are Faith, Hope and Love Cancer Center; Lafayette Bank and Trust Company; Lafayette Savings Bank; St. Elizabeth Regional Health; and State Farm Insurance Companies.

About the Banquet
Tickets for the banquet are $50 each. Full tables of eight can be purchased for $400. The reservation deadline is February 26. Call 765-742-0075 or visit www.ywca.org/lafayette/salute for more information.

History of Salute to Women
The first Salute to Women awards dinner was held on March 15, 1974. During its first two and a half decades, the Salute to Women program was coordinated by several local women's organizations - the Lafayette Women's Political Caucus, the Purdue Women's Caucus, the American Association of University Women, Lafayette Business and Professional Women, the Lafayette Altrusa Club, the Association for Women in Communications, the American Business Women's Association, the Association of Women Business Owners, and the YWCA Greater Lafayette.

Although members of the original groups remain involved with Salute to Women, the YWCA Greater Lafayette became the sole sponsoring organization in 2000. The YWCA had many resources to offer the program, including the physical facility to house the program's records and publicly display the names of award recipients.

After the 2008 awards are presented, 242 women will have received Salute to Women awards.

About the Honorees

Kat Braz is a graphic designer in the marketing and communications office of Purdue's Department of Housing and Food Services. She attends classes part-time to earn a second degree and manages a 4.0 GPA. A volunteer since 2001 at the Crisis Center and its Rape Survivor Advocacy and Prevention program, Kat works with victims, their families and friends. She is on call 24 hours during her shifts to meet with sexual assault survivors and offer support, information and referrals. She gives presentations to student and community groups about sexual assault and prevention. Kat also wrote the training manual for the program, coordinated volunteer training, and assisted with recruitment. Kat participates in Mental Health America of Tippecanoe County's Compeer mentoring and companionship program and has been with her current match since 2002. As a potter, Kat has donated to the YWCA Clay Bowl Giving Project. She performs with the One Size Fits All improv comedy troupe and raises money for the Civic Theatre of Greater Lafayette. She is a member of Purdue Housing and Food Services' Pro-Actors, a group that promotes diversity on campus through role-playing skits.

Realtor and broker Paula Baitinger is dedicated to fighting cancer and was the impetus behind the sales of several thousand "Just Peachy" cookbooks, which garnered $2 million dollars for the Just Peachy, Inc. organization to support breast cancer research. She has visited Purdue University sororities, providing instruction on self-breast examination, which led to several students discovering the presence of cancer. Four years ago, Paula initiated a project of knitting several hundred cashmere scarves that she sells in select retail stores. Proceeds go directly to the YWCA Women's Cancer Program and Just Peachy, Inc. She raised funds for the American Cancer Society for many years. Paula and her husband feel a strong link to Purdue and like to share their pride in the local community. They often provide assistance and open their home to international Purdue students. She also has worked with Navajo mothers in the Southwest to help them acquire their GEDs and attend college. Prior to her real estate career, Paula was a teacher for five years and owned the Shoe Tree retail boutiques - all while raising three children.

Dr. Irene Gordon, a radiation oncologist, has been a leader in cancer care in Lafayette for more than 25 years. Her innovative techniques for treating cancer set new standards for patient care. She founded the Faith, Hope, and Love Cancer Center at Unity Healthcare in Lafayette after serving as director of radiation oncology at St. Elizabeth Hospital for 18 years. Dr. Gordon raised seven children throughout her career and found time for various volunteer efforts, including donating time and money to organizations such as the American Cancer Society, Kids Konnected, the Lymphoma Leukemia Society, Light the Night, the American Heart Association, and the YWCA. She is president of the Tippecanoe County Medical Society, has served on the board of directors for the Sentinel Medical Review Organization, and has been included in the prestigious Best Doctors in America listing since 1996. She chaired the radiation oncology division at the University of California, Irvine, in 1976-77, and was a clinical instructor at the Indiana University College of Medicine. Dr. Gordon has taught anatomy to Lafayette home-schooled children and assists with church functions. She has done medical work and missions in many places, including Bolivia, Guatemala, Mexico, and South Africa. In her "spare time," she makes bracelets, which are sold for charity.

Aida Muñoz helped found the Latino Coalition of Tippecanoe County in 1999 to promote higher education, cultural awareness and improved health. She served as the executive director until recently. She worked with the Indiana Latino Institute's smoking cessation program to teach the dangers of smoking and persuaded several local businesses to ban smoking on their premises. She was active in the organization of the local Binational Health Week and received recognition from the Consulate of Mexico in Indianapolis for her efforts. Aida serves as the Hispanic financial liaison for the Fountain Trust Company, through which she promotes banking services among Latino citizens and businesses and educates Latino families on the procedures and responsibilities of home ownership. She also is the Hispanic health educator for the Indiana Latino Institute in Indianapolis. Other organizations that have benefited from Aida's expertise include the Girl Scouts of Central Indiana and the Minority Health Coalition of Tippecanoe County. She has served as an interpreter for the Tippecanoe County Courthouse and worked as an assistant teacher for Head Start in Lafayette. She was a facilitator of the Dia de la Mujer Latina/Latin Women's Day and was instrumental in establishing the Feria Latina/Latin Fair last year.

Lori Stein Sabol has been a full-time practicing attorney since 1982 and opened her private law office in 2000. She also is a licensed mediator. She has been a West Lafayette City Court Judge since 2001. Her desire to work for the positive development of youth is evident in her involvement with CASA, Teen Court and the Every 15 Minute high school alcohol awareness program. Lori and her husband, Paul, have raised their son, Alex, and 16 foster children. Now foster grandparents, the couple help their whole extended family celebrate victories and work through challenges. Lori has served on the boards of directors for many agencies, including the American Cancer Society, Family Services, the Legal Aid Corporation of Tippecanoe County, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, the YWCA Greater Lafayette and the YWCA Foundation, the Community and Family Resource Center, KidsPeace (a private national charity), and Group Homes for Children Inc. She served on the Temple Israel Sisterhood executive board and was co-president. She also has participated on multiple advisory boards, including the Consumer Credit Counseling Service, CASA for Kids, Mentor Mothers, and Lafayette Community Bank.

Lois Wark retired from her job as coordinator of career counseling in Purdue's School of Science in 1993. She received numerous awards for her counseling work at Purdue and at the national level, including the Helen B. Schlemen Gold Medallion Award and the certificate of merit from the National Academy of Advisors Association. Lois has volunteered at St. Elizabeth Medical Center for 14 years. She has served on the boards of the Volunteer Bureau and Leadership Lafayette, where she chaired the curriculum committee. Additional board service includes the Indiana Nonprofit Resource Network and the Purdue University Retirees Association. Lois is in her second term of chairing the hospital committee for St. Elizabeth. She has volunteered many years of service to the American Red Cross, Wabash Valley Hospital, Girl Scouts, and Faith Presbyterian Church. Lois is one of the founders of International Conversations, a program that partners international Purdue students with residents at Westminster Village to improve the students' English skills and provide companionship for those at Westminster. She also was instrumental in creating the "Bridging the Centuries" project, connecting Purdue Convocations and the Tippecanoe School Corporation.

Maggi Ingleman is one of the founders of the counseling practice Mascouten Associates in West Lafayette. She was among the advocates who lobbied for affordable and accessible mental health services for all people and celebrated when the Legislature provided funding for the Comprehensive Community Mental Health Clinics. At the age of 88, still sees patients and leads a grief support group. Maggi refers to herself as "lucky" in life, although she lost her mother before her first birthday and has been legally blind since birth. In spite of these challenges, and having never driven a car, Maggi completed her bachelor's degree, taught in a one room school house, and earned a master's degree in clinical social work. She served the Red Cross during World War II, helping paraplegic patients. She has worked for the Veteran's Administration, set up psychiatric and pediatric clinics at the University of Maryland, and taught at Purdue's Department of Child Development and Family Studies. Clients call Maggi a life saver. She has generously offered her services to those who could not otherwise afford it. She also has extended herself to international students and families by inviting them to stay in her home, which she describes as having "expanding walls."