■ Benicia Soroptimist group plans Jan. 24 event featuring classes, multiple speakers

A conference organized by the local chapter of Soroptimists will give women a chance to learn from speakers and teachers who will address an array of topics, from dealing with finances and technology to balancing home and work, child raising and preparing for emergencies.

“All of the speakers are women,” said Kathy Griffin, spokesperson for the Soroptimists. “Many of the speakers and teachers are professional women working in their field, and some are nonprofessional women. All speakers are well-qualified and very knowledgeable on their subject.”

The conference will start at 9:30 a.m. Jan. 24 with a keynote address from Linda Seifert, Solano County District 2 supervisor and board chairperson, who is Benicia’s representative on the panel.

Seifert has been active in multiple community service organizations. Now in her second term on the board after having spent about 20 years as an attorney, she was widowed at 45 and will talk about dealing with difficult life transitions.

Those attending the conference will be able to take three classes, Griffin said.

Among the topics: weight, exercise, nutrition and motivation; balancing home and work; emergency preparation; and improving family relationships.

Other topics include being single, handling grief, child raising, caring for aging parents, forgiveness, frugal living and getting out of debt, participating in the community, dealing with technology’s risks and rewards, and exploring family history.

Kathy Wright, who leads the committee in charge of the conference, said the other speakers include Karen Tustin, a corrective exercise and movement specialist who focuses on proper core stabilization, alignment and range of motion; Emily Warren, a nutrition specialist whose interest was sparked after being diagnosed with Stage 3 cancer when she weighed 365 pounds; Corrine “Cookie” Wicks, a successful minister associated with The Potter’s House, the 30,000-member church led by Bishop T.D. Jakes, who also has managed to reduce her own weight and maintain it for nearly three years; Jamie Blomdal, a professional insurance agent who has raised five children while being involved in multiple community and public activities; and Constance Beutel, a retired professor and 30-year veteran of the telecommunications industry who has been chairperson of the Benicia Community Sustainability Commission, a member of the Benicia Emergency Response Team, an amateur radio operator and a member of the Good Neighbor Steering Committee.

The other speakers:

• Mary Armstrong, who is married to the Rev. Kevin Armstrong of King Solomon Missionary Baptist Church of Benicia, also will speak. She joins her husband in preaching and teaching, is president of the Women’s Ministry and sings in the choir.

• Chari Goldstein, a marriage and family therapist, also works with single adults and advises people in resolving problems in relationships.

• Marsha Gubser, a widowed mother of five children, is a counselor with New Pathways Counseling in Vallejo. She guides a grief support group at The Gateway Church in Benicia.

• Lyn Walkenhorst, a long-time music teacher, has raised four children and has seven grandchildren. She is a women’s auxiliary president in her church and with her husband organizes “A Night in Bethlehem” in December in Napa.

• Terry Ann Steffan, family caregiver support program coordinator with the Area Agency on Aging that serves in Napa and Solano counties, is a master trainer for Healthier Living classes, and is a speaker on the topic of avoiding caregiver burnout.

• The Rev. Patrice Brooks-Glasper will speak about forgiveness. In her career, she speaks with women of all ages who are hurting and struggling, helping them to move beyond their pain through forgiveness. She is married to the Rev. Kenny Glasper of King Solomon Missionary Baptist Church.

• Frances Harkins, a certified financial planner, has been working in that field since 2000, focused on helping women handle money matters. A former banker, she also worked in the U.S. Treasury and has managed the finances and taxes of her family’s engineering company.

• Cindy McNutt, a certified public accountant, has been a financial manager for Intuit, the company that made Quicken and Turbotax, before becoming a part-time consultant and raising a family. She is a Benicia resident and member of Benicia High School Band Boosters.

• Susan Shoemaker has been involved in developing family histories and genealogies for about 30 years, and has taught classes and seminars on the topics as well.

• Gretchen Burgess and her mother, Linda Lawless, are co-founders of eBenicia.com. Burgess has been involved in technology since before the Internet, beginning when she helped her grandfather, who needed to update a tax return program in his office but wanted to avoid flying in a specialist from New York. Burgess specializes in Web programs that promote small businesses to prospective clients, and is active in multiple Benicia community interests.

• Bonnie Silveria, a life-long Benicia resident, has served on multiple municipal advisory panels. She has been involved in the planning of the city parks system, has led the committee that raised money to pay for library furniture and books, has been part of the founding board of the Benicia Library Foundation, and in 1993 was the Human Services Fund Woman Volunteer of the Year. Silveria is president of the Benicia Historical Society and Carquinez Strait Foundation, and is past president of Soroptimist International of Benicia and Benicia Main Street Board.

Griffin said Soroptimist International of Benicia, a volunteer organization with goals of improving lives of women and girls, is asking those who plan to attend to bring items to the conference that can be given by the Benicia Family Resource Center to local women in need.

Among needed articles, Griffin said, are diapers, baby wipes, shampoo, hair conditioner, toothbrushes, toothpaste, feminine sanitary products, body soap and gel, toilet paper, hand wipes, hand sanitizer and tissues.

The conference also is a fundraiser for Soroptimist, which will use the proceeds on a variety of projects, including awards that help low-income, single mothers and scholarships for high school students.

Cost of the conference, which includes lunch, is $10 for those who register in advance and $12 the day of the conference. Those registering in advance may make a sandwich choice for lunch.

Sponsors also are being sought, and those who donate $50 will be able to place an advertisement in the conference program. Sponsorships are tax-deductible.

The conference takes place from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in Veterans Memorial Hall, 1150 First St. Tickets are available at beniciawomen.brownpapertickets.com.

Those with questions may contact Kathy Wright by email at beniciawomen@gmail.com or by phone at 707-334-3978. Those interested may visit the organization’s Facebook page at facebook.com/beniciawomen.