Be a good listener, and keep an open mind. Volunteer your time and talents, believe and achieve. These are just a few words of advice that local female leaders provided when asked to address today’s young women. The advice, however, can be universally applied to anyone who wants to change their life.

The YWCA of Niagara awards dinner, A Tribute to Women, will honor the following 30 women for their community leadership at 6 p.m. Sept. 27 at the Conference Center Niagara Falls.

Here is what some of them had to say about leadership and how to make a difference:



Rebecca H. Albright

Wilson

Owner, Nadine’s Garret, home glass bead jewelry business.

Member of Orleans/Niagara BOCES Board of Education, New York State School Boards Association. Awarded New York State School Boards Association “Award for Distinguished Service.”

Advice: Don’t ever let anyone tell you “you can’t do that,” but remember that you will never get it done alone. If you are a quality leader, you will never be alone.



Lucinda Applegate

Sanborn

Retired elementary school teacher, Niagara Wheatfield School District.

She was nominated for Teacher of the Year in her district but declined because there are “so many good teachers.” She and her family were named 4-H Niagara County Family of the Year in 19984..

Advice: “Helping others and sharing our talent makes a stronger community.”



Margo-Sue Bittner

Newfane

Owner of the Winery at Marjim Manor, Appleton.

Awards: Named Business First Women of Influence in 2007, Am Pol Eagle Polish Businessperson of the Year in 2005; Niagara USA Chamber Rising Star in 2005; Distinguished Service Award, Lion’s Club of Barker.

Advice: With many things in life, there is no one right answer. You need to look at a situation, learn what you can, then follow your heart and your head.



Connie S. Brown

Niagara Falls

Opportunities Unlimited of Niagara

Awards: Business First Women Who Mean Business Award, Town of Niagara Business Person of the Year; Young Careerist, 1986 Business and Professional Women’s Assn.

Advice: Success comes from within; don’t let someone else define what success should look like.



Cookie Butcher

Lockport

Co-Owner Summit Print & Mail

Awards: Eastern Niagara Chamber Small Business of the Year in 2000, Superior Performance in Print Shop Management 2003 and 2005; 2004 Dale Carnegie 2007 Human Resources Award.

Advice: Face today’s challenges as something you can and will accomplish.



Mary Ann Cox

Lockport

Employed at Niagara Community Action Program

Co-chairperson of Lockport Human Services Organization, Niagara County Trauma Task Force treasurer, Every Person Influences Children facilitator.

Advice: Set goals and work hard to reach them. Always show respect and empathy to yourself and others.



Sue Downing

Wheatfield

Employer: Re/Max North

Realtor Associate of the Year, 1992.

Advice: Being able to listen to people voice their concerns or opinions is a great attribute. Being able to want to help them is an asset.



Patricia Fildes

Niagara Falls

Gateway-Longview Day School teacher

Member Gliding Stars, Niagara County Foster Parent Association, New York State Teachers Union.

Advice: Stick by your beliefs. Do not just talk about what is wrong in your community, step up and try to change it ... I thought I could give one or two children a good safe home to grow up in. I became a foster parent and began to help children.



Terri Flaherty

Lockport

Employer: Belmont Shelter Corp.

Religious education teacher, St. Patrick’s Church, Lockport Little League coach, Kenan Center Youth Soccer coach.

Advice: Being a leader isn’t about the kudos and recognition. It’s about doing the “right thing,” when others don’t or won’t. Be a positive example and always remember to have fun!



Claudia Folsom

Lewiston

Employer: Sicoli & Massaro, Inc.

Named Niagara Falls Good Neighbor. Member of Niagara Area Habitat for Humanity.

Leadership Advice: Decisions you make may not be popular but if they are necessary, and if you are able to take the heat from “unhappy” members, it will pay off later on when the organization benefits.



Suzanne-Marie Fulle

Town of Niagara

Owner, Buffalo Therapeutic Massage

Town of Niagara Business and Professional Association’s 2004 Business Person of the Year, Niagara Falls Air Force Base Business Appreciation Award 2003, 2000 Customer Service Award, Town of Niagara.

Advice: Never be afraid to try something new. I started my business in my 30s as a single mother. I don’t just dream of success. I wake up every day and work hard at it.



Mary E. Furlong

Lewiston

Retired teacher in the Niagara Falls Public School District: Adjunct professor of English, Niagara University. Author of 12 children’s books. Two honorable mentions in the 2004 Writers Digest Fiction Contest; Niagara Falls Teachers Association. Distinguished Service Award.

Leadership Advice: It’s a mistake to think that there’s an appointed time or a necessary preparation for becoming a leader. There is no perfect time, no ideal person. There’s only now. Only you.



Anita Harless

Niagara Falls

Self-employed

Niagara Falls Good Neighbor Award. Member of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church Choir, Trill Seekers Flue Ensemble.

Advice: Treat people with respect and do your best.



Barbara Iannarelli

Lewiston

Employer: Niagara University, retired from Niagara Falls School District.

Niagara Falls Boys & girls Club Academic Appreciation Award, 2004; Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers 2004, Niagara Falls Teachers Community Service Award.

Advice: The most important thing a woman can do is continuously reaffirm: Who she is, what she believes and what she truly wants in her life.



Marilyn C. Lojek

Lewiston

Retired, Niagara Falls City School District.

Advice: Flexibility is the key. But above all, do what you love and love what you do!



Wanda Manhardt

Newfane

Director, Town of Newfane/Director Newfane Golden Age Club

DeWitt Clinton Awards winner from the Newfane Order of the Masons. Member of the Newfane Community Youth Project Inc., Newfane Historical Society and Olcott Beach Postcard Club.

Advice: Be ready to laugh at yourself when you make a mistake as no one is perfect.



Judith A. Maness

Wilson

Mount St. Mary’s Hospital of Niagara Falls

Business First Women in Business Award; Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives; YWCA Jacksonville Tribute to Women in Industry Award.

Advice: Guard your integrity like it is your most precious possession.



Patricia Minarcin

Age: 68

Town: Porter

Employer: Hamburg Central Schools/ Retired Secondary Language Arts Coordinator

Advice: Always strive for excellence and have confidence that you can make a difference in so many ways ... Be prepared to take a risk, work hard and meet the challenges along the way.



Sara Mullen

North Tonawanda

Full-time student

Leadership Youth of Niagara County Class of 2007, National Young Leadership Conference 2007, Who’s Who of American High School Students.

Advice: I would encourage young girls to stay confident and hold true to their beliefs. Look for wisdom in the women that have walked the road before you because with experience comes knowledge.



Susan Neidlinger

Burt

Owner of the Shoppe on Main, also in management for Longaberger Company.

Named Unsung Hero by the Lockport Union-Sun & Journal for the Town of Newfane. Has received numerous national sales awards from Longaberger Co., and is president of the Newfane Business Association.

Advice: Stick to your values, surround yourself with people who are as passionate as you and who have the same values you have. Twenty-five percent of every day should be fun. If you are having fun at what you do, others will want to join you.



Melisa Niver

Lockport

Employer: Lockport City School District.

Winner of the Partnership in Patriotism Award for Commitment and Volunteerism, member of the Lockport City Youth Board and LCTV Board of Directors.

Advice: Leadership is about serving, empowering and embracing others. Remember where you came from because it will help you focus on where you are going.



Susan Przybyl

Amherst

Executive director, Kenan Center.

Binational Star Award from the Binational Tourism Alliance 2006, Business First All Star 2006, Outstanding Arts Administrator 2005 for the Arts Council of Buffalo and Erie County. Host, Artview Lockport Community Television.

Advice: Stay focused and organized. Organization is the difference between a healthy life with goals and accomplishments and a tremendous feeling of success, and a life lacking a sense of direction. Celebrate life every day. Push the limits.



Judy L. Rodriguez

Lockport

Independent Distributor for Market America, UnFranchise Owner

Market America President’s Challenge award winner, WNY Dream Team Local Challenge multiple award winner, 2002 Exclusive personal care and makeup consultant to the Buffalo Jills.

Advice: Being a victim is not your fault: Staying one is. Life is about choices. Decide to make the best choices you possibly can by discovering your purpose in life and learning everything you can about what makes you passionate.



Michele Schaffer

Wheatfield

Freshman, Duquesne University, Pittsburg, Pa., employed at Summit Park Pharmacy and Schaffer Kennels.

Numerous sports awards, including Niagara PAL Female Prep Athlete Aware, 2007 Hewitt Sports Awards Nominee for Niagara Wheatfield High School where she participated in varsity cross country, baseketball and track.

Advice: My biggest piece of advice would be to get involved. Your life will be what you make of it and you need to seize every opportunity.



Marietta Schrader

Lockport

Employed by Dr. Muneeb Haroon, Lockport Memorial Hospital

Named Lockport Memorial Hospital Nurse of Distinction, Inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau Nursing Honor Society, and trustee for the Lockport Board of Education.

Advice: Your leadership ability will be reflected by the results you obtain, not the compliments you receive.



Judith M. Sirianni

Town of Tonawanda

Manager Eastern Hills Mall, Clarence.

Manager of the Niagara Outlet Mall when it was named Town of Niagara Business Association Business of the Year in 2005. Also honored for increasing tenants and events and “spirit” at malls she has directed. Also started the Niagara Electric Light Parade.

Advice: Treat everyone the way you want to be treated. Be firm; however, show compassion. Remember there are two sides to every story, and hear both sides before making any decision.



Candra Thomason

Niagara Falls

Owner of Insurance Solutions and mayoral candidate in the city of Niagara Falls.

“Outstanding Service and Volunteerism,” award from the American Business Association, 2002. Host of TV talk show, “Niagara’s Link.” American Business Women’s Association Niagara Falls Chapter “Women of the Year,” 2001.

Advice: Volunteering your time to help others, especially others less fortunate, will allow you to gain a greater appreciation for who you are and what you have to offer. It will help you grow personally and professionally.



Clara A. Tilney

Lockport

Employer: Monroe Title Insurance Corporation.

Helped to raise over $126,000 for breast cancer research as chairperson of “Tee Off Against Breast Cancer.” Honored by the Buffalo Bills Alumni Association for raising more than $28,000 for children’s programs. Named “Honorary Optimist from Optimist International for humanitarian efforts in her community. Honored with Optimist International Life Membership by the Barge Canal Optimist Club of Lockport where she is a past president.

Advice: “Promise yourself to be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear and too happy to permit the presence of trouble,” from The Optimist Creed.



Margaret Truax

Lockport

Former Niagara County Legislator. 2007 Lifetime Achievement Award winner, YWCA of Niagara. Received the Betty Dale Service Award in 1991. Named “Service to Youth” honoree by the Lockport Youth Board in 1983. Named International Women’s Decade Honoree by the YWCA in 1985.

Current member of the Niagara County Historical Society, Dale Association, YWCA of Niagara, Kenan Center, and Junior Service League.



Joan W. Wolfgang

Lewiston

Lewiston Insurance Agency

Lewiston Republican of the Year, Top Haw Award, Trustee Award for New York Community College Trustees. Chairman of the Board Niagara County Community College and 26 year trustee. Member of the Town of Lewiston Planning Board.

Advice: Reach for the sky. Never look down. You will have great posture and a bright future.