Barbara Hendel: Passing the baton from Black History to Women's History Month
Mar. 7—MARCH is Women's History Month, but things kicked off early with stories of heroic females during the National Museum of the Great Lakes' second virtual lecture of its spring series, Ladies of the Lights: Michigan Women in the U.S. Lighthouse Service. Focused specifically on MichiganL lighthouse keepers, the presentation highlighted a few of the more than 50 women who defied gender expectations to serve the sailing communities of the Great Lakes during the active lighthouse-keeping era.
The Feb. 24 event had more than 250 live-streaming devices with an estimated 400-500 individuals joining the presenter, author and former editor of Michigan History magazine, Patricia Majher.
Ms. Majher is a former editor of Michigan History magazine and a museum professional who has held administrative positions at institutions including the Henry Ford and Mackinac State Historic Parks. In addition to her Ladies of the Lights book, she has published Great Girls in Michigan History and Bold Boys in Michigan History with Wayne State University Press.
Ms. Majher highlighted some of the more than 50 women who defied the gender expectations of their time to serve the boating communities on Lakes Huron, Michigan, and Superior, as well as on the Detroit River, during the active lighthouse-keeping era.
Included among the courageous women of the great lakes were:
—Anna Garrity, (B. 1872, D. 1937) who was part of a Lake Huron lighthouse keeping family (father, mother, and three brothers) that served a collective 184 years in the U.S. Lighthouse Service.
—Elizabeth Whitney Williams (B. 1842, D. 1938) who is considered the "grande dame" of Michigan female keepers. She kept the lights lit at Beaver Island Harbor and Little Traverse for 41 years.
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—Mary Corgan (B. 1856, D. 1893) who was married and assisted a lighthouse keeper and gave birth to another during her Lake Superior career.
The event was free, but more than $1,000 was received to help sustain the National Museum of the Great Lakes and its programs. Many guests purchased Ms. Majher's same titled book (Ladies of the Lights: Michigan Women in the U.S. Lighthouse Service) through the museum's store.
To watch the program visit the National Museum of the Great Lakes YouTube channel.
The lecture is the second of three for the museum's annual Spring 2021 Lecture series. The final lecture, The Heroic Age of Diving, is March 17 with Jerry Kuntz, researcher and writer.
THE TOLEDO Branch of the NAACP marked Black History Month by honoring Gwendolyn Gregory, Director of Nursing, Toledo Lucas County Health Department; Robin Reese, Director, Lucas County Children Services; Claudia Sebree Pressley, Co-founder and Owner of Aunt Minnie's Food, Inc.; and Thomas Winston, President and CEO, Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority at a Feb. 25 Port Authority meeting. Congrats to all! Presenting the awards were NAACP president Willie Perryman and 1st Vice President Michael Alexander.
FIRST it was a Champagne Tasting Dinner, then a Wine Tasting Dinner presented by the Toledo Club and both were sold out events. So the next one was a Beer Tasting Dinner with Beers by Maumee Bay Brewing Company held at the club Feb. 26. It was an early start to celebrating St. Patrick's Day.
The tasty dinner was divine with salad and grilled shrimp with crab meat, grilled hanger steak, seared salmon, or gnocchi. But the real palate pleasers were the beers, which were available for purchase.
The potent potables included: Buckeye, an easy drinking light bodied beer with a clean crisp finish. Toledo's original hometown beer. 5.2 percent ABV; Glasshopper, an earthy, herbal and citrus hop finish; and Tiramisu Brown Ale, which balances the richness of caramel, chocolate, and biscuits malts with cold brew Ethiopian Amaro espresso beans, vanilla and hazelnut for a unique twist on a classic.
Participants also enjoyed Total Eclipse Breakfast Stout, with generous amounts of oats and lactose for a smooth mouth feel. It's infused with locally roasted espresso from the Flying Rhino. Also: On Pint, a crisp, crushable Extra Special Bitter with traditional English malt and hops and #FAKEJUICE NE style IPA, Yuuuge amounts of Amarillo brings this Midwest take on a FAKE NEWS style.
WOMEN & Philanthropy at the University of Toledo supports and promotes the university, while building relationships among a community of generous, forward-thinking women.
Funded by membership dues, the group has made annual grants to innovative UToledo projects across the Main Campus and the Health Sciences Campus since the first grant was awarded in 2008. Once the 2021 grant cycle is complete, the total amount awarded will exceed $600,000.
W & P also supports an annual holiday project. The 2020 project was support for Rocket Fuel, the Student Food Pantry for currently enrolled students. About $3,100 was raised in December 2020 and January 2021.
Since early 2020 W & P at UT canceled meetings and planned events. Then in the fall of 2020 they resumed meetings and educational programs virtually.
Board members include Dee Talmage, Chairman, Helen "Jo" Wagoner, Vice Chairman, Mary Smith Merrick, Secretary, Chris Spengler, Treasurer, and Carol Thomas, Chris Ohm, and Jane Marie Rahe, Members-at-Large, plus Marcy McMahon, Immediate Past Chairman.
