The Women of Achievement and the Woman of the Year were each honored at the annual Scholarship Luncheon of the AAUW, American Association of University Women held earlier this month at Beacon Hill Country Club.
Honored as Women of Achievement for 2024 were, co-founder of No Limits Café, Route 35, Middletown, and Patty Whyte, a retired nurse who played a key role in the Red Bank Library Let’s Talk About Race Program.
Honored as the Member of the Year was Kathy Olsen, member of the Monmouth County Chapter of the AAUW since 1977 and a driving forced in the organization’s book sale and scholarship luncheon activities, both leading annual events for the AAUW.
AAUW presidents Marian Wattenbarger and Heather Balczarek made the presentations to the outstanding members to the applause of the early 100 persons attending this year’s scholarship luncheon.
Present at the event to shower more praise and congratulations on the Monmouth County chapter was Sharon Suber, the state AAUW president. She praised the chapters more than one million dollars in scholarships that have provided New Jersey women opportunities to pursue college degrees.
In presenting the award to Whyte, President Balczarek said “I met Patty Whyte several years ago in a Red Bank group called Citizens for A Diverse and Open Society founded by one of our previous Women of Achievement, Gilda Rogers, and Syd Bernstein.
“The goal of that group was to provide a place where members of the Black community and the White community could meet knowing they could speak about their experiences and concerns, be listened to, and treated with respect.”
The president said that in that group “Patty struck me as a thoughtful and caring person, and it’s certainly the case that everyone in the room took seriously the need for individuals of diverse backgrounds and racial and ethnic groups to meet together and learn from one another. Patty was a good listener … went to nursing school, studied midwifery, earned a BSN and had a career as a nurse in New Jersey and Maine as well as one year as a midwife on a large Navajo reservation in the southwest… Patty worked for 20 years for the Monmouth Medical Center group that provided pre-natal care for women primarily in medically undeserved communities. .. a group that was surely making a difference.”
Her work, the president continued, resulted in their ability “to significantly lower the rate of unnecessary C-sections in these communities and provide quality, compassionate care for women in Asbury Park, Long Branch, and Keyport. … as populations changed, more than half their patients spoke Spanish, and Patty’s learning experience in Guatemala made a difference for women in Monmouth County as she frequently got called on to translate. Patty delivered more than 800 babies before retiring in 2017 and described delivering babies as a gift.”
With the Library program Let’s Talk About Race which started 2015, Patty has served as a volunteer on its steering committee. With a goal to create a safe, caring and respectful place where individuals could have conversations and opportunities to learn about the impact of racial disparities and experiences on various communities. “The program recently won a Multicultural Award from the NJ State Library Association.
In presenting the award to Stephanie Cartier, President Balczarek noted that many guests at the luncheon have already “enjoyed more than one lunch at a favorite spot in Middletown, one with a unique name, No Limits Cafe….food delicious and a welcome that is always warm and the staff ready to serve.
Even the inspiring words and quotes on the walls, have you leave happier after enjoying a meal, the president continued, but the origin of the restaurant is even more inspiring.
It was a few years ago, Balczarek continued, when Stephanie and Mark Cartier were considering what lay ahead for their daughter, Katie, born with Down’s Syndrome ad knowing there was little left for young adults with intellectual disabilities at some point.
The couple then pursued options including visiting a restaurant in Texas called Hugs Café and returned inspired and dedicated to the idea of expanding on the concept of that restaurant. In Middletown. The result No Limits Café, has expanded its program to not only train young people to prepare and serve food but has also training and placing 25 young people with ID to work outside of No Limits following a 10-week training program.
Stephanie is a graduate of Rider University with a degree I communications. The mission of No Limits Café is statement is to “Empower adults with intellectual disabilities by providing jobs and job training to help them lead fulfilling lives within our community and to increase awareness of their potential.”
The award winner credits her daughter Katie Cartier with the inspiration. “Having a child with Down Syndrome is such a blessing sometimes I say to my husband ‘I feel sorry for people that are missing out by not having a child with Down Syndrome. Katie is such a blessing to our family.”
The Northern Monmouth County Branch of AAUW is honored to recognize the contributions made to the entire community by Stephanie’s vision, energy, and dedication to making a difference in the lives of community members with Intellectual Disabilities – in fulfilling that vision she has touched all our lives and made Monmouth County a better place.
Olsen, who was honored as the Member of the Year Award for 2023, joined this branch almost as soon as she moved to the state in 1977, and she served as president from 1979 to 1981. Recognized as a woman ‘who knows how to get a job done well and on time with all who participate feeling a sense of accomplishment,” Olsen was an educator and school administrator and always showed her belief in AAUW’s mission to open doors for women and girls. In retirement, she continues to make a difference with the Used Book Sale and last year’s chair of the 2023 Scholarship Luncheon under sudden and sad circumstances.
But it was Olsen’s daughter, Melissa, whose letter drew ohs, has, and much admiration and applause when read at the luncheon. Unable to attend, the daughter still wanted to share in her mo’s honors, an wrote “CONGRATULATIONS!!! I am, “Over the Moon”, to have this opportunity to celebrate You! I’m only sorry I couldn’t be there in person. When your friend Marian called to tell me that you were going to be honored, I was not surprised in the least. I would vote for you every time! I am tremendously grateful your peers chose to recognize your outstanding first-rate qualities; to name a few: your generosity, astonishing work ethic, creativity and kindness. You are always reaching out and going the extra mile. So much of me is made from what I learned from you. You are an inspiration and blessing to me and many others. I am honored to be your daughter and I’m so proud of you! I LOVE you, Mom.”
Heather presented the traditional clock award to Olsen inscribed AAUW Northern Monmouth County Branch Member of the Year 2023 Kathy Olsen A great organizer with a deep commitment to Equity for Women, Book Sale Co-Chair and a Past President. Kathy rose to the occasion to successfully chair the 2023 scholarship luncheon. We are all beneficiaries of her vision and hard work. “
