Each week we recognize amazing women in our community. Here are the women we celebrated in September.
Sabrina Votava - President at FailSafe for Life
"I want to empower our community members to engage in proactive conversations about mental health and suicide, and to help those who are struggling know they are not alone, so together we can break the stigma and shame around these issues and create a more connected community."
One of FailSafe for Life's main focuses is offering free workshops on how to recognize signs of a person who may be suicidal, and how to effectively intervene. These sessions are called QPR Gatekeeper training; QPR stands for "question, persuade and refer" and teaches how to recognize a person in crisis, the risk factors of suicide, how to effectively reach out and offer support, and link a person in crisis with appropriate resources.
Thank you for moving forward such important work, Sabrina!
Tija Danzig - Sr. Manager, Community Housing and Human Services Department at City of Spokane
"The bags under my eyes are because I've worked 41 hours in the last three days. The light behind them is knowing we created a cleaner air center that's helped more than a hundred people escape the hazardous air quality."
Working with a small team, Tija was able to set up a cleaner air space for anyone who needed it (and their pets) at the Spokane Convention Center. This operation, which was run by the City of Spokane - Municipal Government staff and volunteers, added extra capacity 24 hours a day.
We see your effort, Tija!
Brynna - Vivian Winston Scholar
"As a young girl I was always fascinated with the world of interior design. My mom put me into interior design classes to inspire my passion, and a friend encouraged me to go to college for something that I loved. My passion for designing K-12 and Higher Ed buildings flourished when I received an internship at a local commercial design firm."
Brynna is a current Women Helping Women Fund Scholar. She is currently attending Washington State University where she is working toward a bachelor's degree in Interior Design.
Thank you again to Winston & Cashatt Lawyers for founding this educational scholarship! Funds are awarded to assist young mothers attending Eastern Washington University, Gonzaga University, Washington State University, Whitworth University, or the Community Colleges of Spokane with tuition and child care.
Nice work, Brynna!