Member of TN BPW/USA
Activities
Gail Humphrey, Rhonda Griffith and Kris Craven attend the BPW/TN Convention June 13-15
in Nashville,TN. At the Convention, Gail was elected to State Treasurer, Rhonda was installed
as Local President and Benton Co. BPW received an award for their website.
BPW/TN held an "Opry" on Friday night for Fun Night.
Benton Co. members Rhonda Griffith, Dawn Sacks Duke and Gail Humphrey joined Bailey Cooper,
from Milan BPW, in their rendition of "Jose Cuervo" as Dottie Chest and the Chestnuts.
FESTIVAL PROPOSED TO HONOR MARY CORDELIA BEASLEY-HUDSON
An important historical event occurred on April 22, 1919 in Benton Co. that very few people are aware of. The members of Benton Co. Business and Professional Women (BPW) were honored to learn about the woman behind this historical occurrence at their monthly meeting on April 28 at Country and Western Steakhouse. President Gail Humphrey welcomed John Barton, Jr., and his wife, Hilary, both from Holladay.
John shared the history of Mary Cordelia Beasley-Hudson, the first woman to vote in the state of Tennessee. After hearing about Mary, John researched geneology records for months to learn all he could about her. Although there were a few gaps, John was able to piece together an interesting history. Mary Cordelia was born in 1852 in Lincoln Co. during troubling times. The Abolision movement had just begun and the political climate was in turmoil. The new Republican Party was formed from members of the now fractured Whig party. In the years to follow, tension broke out among the states over slavery, the nation was hit with a recession, banks and businesses failed and many people were out of work.
In 1860, tragedy struck Mary Cordelia’s father, mother and oldest brother William. Mary and her other siblings are left in the care of a distant relative, Simeon Beasley, who is only 17. Later that year, Lincoln was elected President and 7 southern states seceded from the Union. In 1861, Tennessee joined the Confederacy and the Civil War began. Before the war ended in 1865, Mary left Lincoln Co. and moved to Kentucky. Mary eventually lived with the family of James Stayton until 1872 when Mr. Stayton signed Mary’s marriage bond with O.C. Hudson. She and O.C. settled down in Benton Co. and lived in Camden the rest of their lives with their six children.
In 1918, Mary joined the suffrage movement to help women obtain equal representation. A limited suffrage act was passed for the State of Tennessee on April 15, 1919, a full year before the Federal Act. The governor signed it on April 17 and on April 22, 1919, Mary Cordelia Beasley-Hudson made sure she was the first woman in line to vote in the Camden Municipal election. This also made her the first woman to vote in the State of Tennessee. The next year, Tennessee became the deciding state to ratify the 19th Amendment, ensuring women the right to vote. Sadly, Mary died on October 1, 1920, just prior to the Presidential election.
To honor this brave history-maker, the Geneological Society will be placed at the Court Square. In addition, John is proposing a celebration in her honor, beginning in 2009, the 80th anniversary. He approached Benton Co. BPW, seeking their assistance in getting the celebration off the ground. Although plans are not complete, he is hoping to gather the support of BPW and other Organizations in the community to recognize this milestone in Benton Co. history. John envisions “Aunt Cord Days” (as she was called), with events such as a parade, a men’s handicap race, gymnastics expedition and a faux election with high school seniors voting for a mayor-for-a-day. His original plan was for the last weekend in April; however, being new to the area, he was not familiar with the World’s Largest Fish Fry the same weekend. He hopes the yearly event will not only commemorate this brave woman, but would benefit local organizations such as breast cancer research and the food bank. If you are interested in learning more about Mary Cordelia Beasley-Hudson, or would like to offer your assistance in getting this event launched, contact John Barton at 584-0873 or email him at jbarton@mirage-ink.com
A VALUABLE LESSON ON CORONARY HEART DISEASE
On Monday, March 24, members of Benton Co. Business & Professional Women received a valuable lesson on cholesterol and coronary heart disease at their monthly meeting. President Gail Humphrey greeted Anine McCallum, FNP, along with Buddy West and Jerry Powell, representatives of Pfizer Industries in Jackson. Anine discussed cardiovascular disease in Tennessee, while Mr. West and Mr. Powell were on hand to answer questions regarding medication to control the problem, primarily focusing on Lipitor, a cholesterol medication manufactured by Pfizer.
The statistics of cardiovascular disease are astounding. Of all fifty states, Tennessee has the third highest death rate from heart disease and stroke. 43% of all deaths are caused by heart disease and is the leading cause of deaths in Tennessee while deaths from all types of cancers combined only equal 26%. What can account for these staggering statistics? Lifestyle choices, pure and simple. Approximately 83% of Tennessee adults have one or more of these key risk factors—overweight (60.4%); high blood pressure (30.1%); high cholesterol (29.8%); smoking (25.6%); inactive lifestyle (29.8%); diabetes (9.4%). Risk factors are traits and lifestyle habits that increase the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). A person can modify these factors, while there is no control over factors such as family history, age, race or gender.
What causes coronary heart disease? Cholesterol and plaque builds up on your blood vessel walls preventing the flow of blood. But not all cholesterol is bad. In fact, cholesterol is needed by every cell in your body for proper functioning. Since cholesterol, along with fat, doesn’t dissolve for easy transport, lipoproteins deliver it to cells. LDL, or low-density lipoprotein, and HDL, or high-density lipoprotein, carry cholesterol and fat throughout your circulatory system. The job of the LDL (“bad cholesterol”) is to deliver cholesterol to body cells for use and the HDL (“good cholesterol”) picks up wandering cholesterol and delivers it to the liver for possible disposal from the body. Research studies show that people with high LDL levels have a greater risk of developing CHD. And high HDL levels help lower heart disease risk. Total cholesterol level also increases your risk. You should also know your triglyceride level. Triglyceride is the sugar we eat in our diet that turns into fat and is the most common type of fat in the body. Many people who have heart disease or diabetes have high triglyceride levels. A high triglyceride level combined with low HDL or high LDL seems to speed up atherosclerosis (hardening of arteries). Compare your numbers to these: (1) For total cholesterol, a healthy level is below 200. High risk is above 200, especially over 240; (2) Healthy LDL levels are below 130. High risk is more than 130, and especially more than 160; (3) A healthy HDL goal level for men is over 40..for women, it is over 50. (4) A healthy triglyceride level is less than 150.
How can you reduce your risk for CHD? Many modifications to your lifestyle can improve your numbers. (1) Reduce your intake of saturated fats, such as those found in meats, butter and lard, and trans fats, those found in commercially baked and processed foods. You need a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products. (2) Reduce alcohol consumption. It has been proven that one drink per day is beneficial (especially red wine), but you should not consume more than two per day. (3) Reduce your weight, aiming for a BMI (body mass index) of 18.5-24.9. People with excess body fat, especially in the waist area , are at higher risk of heart disease even if they don’t have other risk factors. To calculate your exact BMI, multiply your weight in pounds by 705, divide by your height in inches, then divide again by your height in inches. (4) Increase physical activity aiming for at least 30 minutes per day, most days of the week.
If cholesterol cannot be reduced through diet and exercise, your physician may consider the use of a statin, such as Lipitor, which stops the progression of plaque. Your LDL level is taken into consideration before medication is prescribed. Side effects of a statin can be elevated liver enzymes, muscle aches and/or weakness, and joint pain. A statin can also deplete the levels of the enzyme CoQ10 in the body, so taking this supplement may be recommended. Natural supplements for reducing cholesterol include Omega 3 fish oil capsules, niacin and a soluble fiber, such as Metamucil.
Benton Co. BPW members learned that knowing their numbers and risk factors and taking measures to reduce them is the first step to lowering their chances for coronary heart disease. They were fortunate to have such knowledgeable guests to share this valuable information. If you want to learn your cholesterol numbers or more about cardiovascular disease, contact your primary care physician. It could be a matter of life and death.
Laurie Pierce, Kristina Craven and Gail Humphrey attend BPW's
Ladies Day Out at the Dixie in Huntingdon with members from
other BPW Locals on November 17.
Gail Humphrey, Rhonda Griffith and Kristina Craven attend
the BPW/TN Interim Board of Directors meeting
in Nashville on November 10.
Benton Co. BPW members set up a booth at the Benton Co. fair in August, 2007. The booth invited guests to register for a basket of goodies. The members won a blue ribbon for their efforts.
BETHEL SUCCESS PROGRAM
Gina Evans, of Bethel College, spoke about the Success program at the August 24, 2007 meeting. The program is designed for the adult student, 25 years old+, who is interested in obtaining a college degree. The program enables adults to obtain a degree in Management and Organizational Development by attending classes one night a week for approximately 18 months. Some of the benefits of the program are the satellite classes in many Tennessee communities, a small class size and a laptop computer provided by the University. Additionally, the college will give credit for prior learning and life experience. It also focuses on one subject at a time for a 5-week module. This program is a wonderful opportunity for adults to obtain the degree that they have always wished that they had in a highly-acclaimed accredited private college. Bethel is the second oldest college in Tennessee and one of the oldest learning institutions in the United States. If you would like additional information, you can contact Gina at evansg@bethel-college.edu.
Members Gail Humphrey, Kris Craven and Michele Wright attend the Region III, District 1 meeting in McKenzie on August 14, 2007.
