THE 30th anniversary of YWCA Milestones: A Tribute to Women was celebrated on March 27 at the Glass City Center, a great way to end Women's History Month.

These women, and the women before them show how the power of women changes the world through courage and leadership. “Empower. Uplift. Inspire.” says it all. The YWCA is in its 154th year of serving the community.

The sold out crowd 700 community movers and shakers including past honorees gathered to celebrate this year's honorees. A private press reception was before the event, where honorees received proclamations. Networking was prime, followed by a tasty lunch then they got down to business.

Greeting everyone was Lisa McDuffie, president and CEO, YWCA.

Emcee Kristian Brown of WTVG, Channel 13, led the day.

THE 2025 HONOREES:

-Jori Lynch Jex - Arts, former executive director at the Valentine Theatre for 13 years and a leader in the Toledo arts community for 40 years.

-Olivia Holden - Business, executive director at ASSETS Toledo since 2002, inspiring entrepreneurs throughout NW Ohio on how to start and run a small business.

-Kim Grilliot - Education, president, Notre Dame Academy, who has 21 plus years of her 40 year education field.

-Lisa Sobecki - Government, Board of Lucas County Commissioners president who after instructing in the U.S. Navy was elected to the Ohio House in 2018, and served four years as State Representative.

-Kaylee Halko - Sciences, an advocate for progeria research for two decades helping future generations to identify treatments for progeria. Majoring in psychology, she also aspires to help others by becoming a guidance counselor.

-Alicia M. Smith - Social Services, executive director at the Junction Coalition since 2014  who works to create a viable, safe, and sustainable community

-Diane Friedman - Volunteerism, former YWCA board chairman, where she initiated a capital campaign to renovate the facility to create a more dignified space for our community to heal, learn, and grow.

-Ebony Carter - Woman on the Rise, she has been with the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce since 2020, first as a financial counselor with the small business development center, then vice president of minority business services and director of the minority business assistance center.

Thanks go to the community partner, Nationwide Children's Toledo and the sponsors including 13 ABC, KeyBank, The Anderson's, Buckeye Broadband, Area Office on Aging of Northwest Ohio Inc, UToledo Health, Toledo Building Service, and Lucas County.

Prior to the luncheon public officials presented proclamations to each honoree and they surprised McDuffie with proclamations and gifts for the YWCA’s 30th anniversary.

The menu included a spinach mix with strawberries, blueberries, feta cheese, pecans, and a strawberry vinaigrette dressing.

The YWCA board from 1996 who conceptualized Milestones 30 years ago was recognized along with members of the first class. Laneta Goings, Barb Beribitsky, Rhonda Sewell, and Ann Miller and two of the six Milestone honorees, Helen Cooks and Lois Mitten Rosenberry from the first class and those who have passed away: Sandy Isenberg, Millie Benson, and board member Barb Gessel.

McDuffie gave remarks and Sewell made a special ask. Each honoree gave a speech.

PREVENT Blindness Ohio, founded in 1908, has declared April as Women’s Eye Health and Safety Month and is offering free educational resources on a range of eye health issues that predominantly affect women. The nonprofit group stated that eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, dry eye, glaucoma, and thyroid eye disease, occur more frequently in women than men. Women also have a higher incidence of refractive error and may experience vision changes during pregnancy and/or menopause. “Throughout their lifespan, women will likely undergo changes to their vision,” said Amy Pulles, president & CEO of Prevent Blindness Ohio.

Prevent Blindness Ohio advises that women can help protect their vision and eye health by following a healthy diet, exercising regularly, not smoking, learning about any family history of eye diseases as some may increase their risk of disease, and discussing it with their eye care provider, and seeking treatment early for any conditions that can lead to vision impairment and receive follow-up care.

A new Focus on Eye Health expert series episode is available, “Healthy Vision and Eye Safety Tips for Women.”

For more information go to PreventBlindness.org or call (800) 301-2020 or pbohio.org.

First Published April 3, 2025, 10:00 a.m.