Mid-Day Multi-Tasking

LinkedIn event request indicated just over 20 women would be attending the June 15 Mid-Day Women’s Alliance meeting. But the chatter heard while walking toward the MacIntosh room within the Radisson Paper Valley Hotel in Appleton suggested the group was much larger.

The social media tool is a new way for the women’s organization to accept RSVPs to meetings as well as spread the word about the group. On this day over 80 ladies came to network over lunch. These monthly meetings cover personal and professional development topics, and often include speaker presentations.

The afternoon’s speaker, Kathi Seifert, was partially responsible for drawing out a crowd for her talk, “Dare to be a Leader,” in which she shared her own experiences with leadership. Seifert gave each attendee a gift: a coin with the words “the harder you work the luckier you are.”

Mid-Day Women’s Alliance membership hovers around 90; membership is open to all women – working, at home or retired. Guests of current members are welcome to attend a meeting or two to see if the group fits their networking needs. “If you want to find a group with representation from all segments of the community, Mid-Day Women’s Alliance is it,” says member Robyn Gruner.

The Mid-Day Women’s Alliance meets over the noon hour on the third Wednesday of the month. “The mid-day meetings are best because for so many women when they leave work, their feet don’t hit the ground,” says Barb Sexsmith, co-president of Mid-Day Women’s Alliance in the Fox Cities.
Networking begins at 11:30 a.m. The meeting runs from noon to 1 p.m. Pre-registered attendees pay $10 for the meeting and lunch; the cost is $15 at the door. Attendees check in and connect with the friendly or familiar faces around them. By noon, the Mid-Day Women’s Alliance board members get down to business, introducing board members and guests and hearing from committee chairs.

Mid-Day Women’s Alliance is affiliated with the Wisconsin Women’s Alliance that was chartered in 1922 and promoted equity in the workplace. The Fox Cities organization was founded in 1975 and is the largest chapter in the state. Mid-Day Women’s Alliance has a long history of involvement at the state and national level.

The group’s mission is to advance women’s personal and career goals, develop their potential through networking and mentoring, and further enhance their ability through educational events. In addition to the monthly meetings, Mid-Day Women’s Alliance hosts a Black & Pink Ball every December and a golf outing in July that benefits local non-profit organizations.

“I joined to be part of the group of amazing women that care about the community we live in and about improving themselves. I’ve been fortunate to meet and be friends with so many of the wonderful women,” says member and Public Relations Committee Chair Shannon Attreed.
A bulk of the Women’s Alliance members are interested in the organization’s networking opportunities. “Women like to know who they are doing business with,” says Sexsmith.
Recognizing the value of relationships, Mid-Day Women’s Alliance established a mentoring program last year to help each woman develop and reach her own potential, Sexsmith says. “The best investment you can make is in yourself,” she says.