The Unsinkable Mommie-preneur

Like Margaret Tobin Brown, known as the fictional character Molly Brown, who helped save lives during the sinking of the Titanic, Cynthia Golonka displays that same kind of unstoppable spirit. Cyndi has survived business setbacks, artistic challenges, and unexplained health issues. She has worn many hats—commercial artist with her own ad agency, teacher and philanthropist, art gallery owner and entrepreneur, potter and sculptor, mother, grandmother, and health advocate.

Locally, Cynthia Golonka and her husband, Michael Golonka, are art gallery entrepreneurs who built the Racine Center for the Arts on Racine Drive. Their vision was to have a gallery, art studios, cafe, and showcases for local artists.

Internationally, Cyndi is an award-winning potter and clay artist. She has received recognition from the Chinese government at the International Museum in China for her clay sculptures. She has studied and traveled extensively in China.

Presently, Cyndi is focused on her health. At the age of 55, Cyndi was diagnosed with Mitochondrial Disease. After suffering for years with mysterious symptoms and health problems, she has found some answers. Her struggles over the years with her health issues are even greater testimonials to her indomitable, unstoppable, unsinkable spirit and view of life.

Pictorial transformation of The Gallery at Racine to The Gallery of Fine Art:

Butterfly Resources for a Classroom Presentation

A great introduction is to show the children a short video about the NC State Butterfly, the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail. The video can be seen on the Cape Fear Garden Club, Inc. website at www.capefeargardenclu.org.

Breaking the children into small groups of only 4-5 students works well. To accomplish all the activities, it is essential to have at least 4 adult volunteers in addition to the classroom teacher. Allow approximately 10 minutes or less for each activity.

The first station will be a planting station. The adult leader will introduce the idea of attracting butterflies to a garden with certain plants (read a simple explanation or show a poster). For example, Monarch butterflies are attracted to milkweed. Present the children with milkweed seeds to be sprouted for later planting. Use egg cartons filled with potting soil or buy professional sprouting kits like the Jiffy Greenhouse brand found at Walmart. Have wipes available for the children when they finish “planting” their seeds.

The second station involves the presentation of two picture books by Lois Ehlert, WAITING FOR WINGS and TEN LITTLE CATERPILLARS. The leader can also introduce two teaching puppets which can be manipulated by the children. The cloth puppets are called METAMORPHOSIS by Crocodile Creek. The puppets turn inside out to create the caterpillar stage and the butterfly stage of metamorphosis (change of form).

The third station will be a demonstration station showing “how butterflies eat!” Using reference information from WEEKLY READER (May/June 2011), ask the students “how they could drink like a butterfly?” Explain and demonstrate that butterflies have a proboscis. Never shy away from using the “big” words with the children. Talk about the sucking organ of the butterfly. Using paper straws, roll up a straw to illustrate how the butterfly controls the proboscis until it is ready to put the mouthpart in a flower to suck the nectar. Also, talk about how nectar is a sticky food and when the butterfly drinks the nectar, it is like sucking pudding through a straw.

The fourth station is a butterfly specimen station. Present a 3-D “Build -A-Bug” model for the students to examine. Read a small Scholastic booklet entitled CATTERPILLAR TO BUTTERFLY by Melvin and Gilda Berger. Talk to the children about preserving butterflies and present a real butterfly specimen. Distribute magnifying glasses or use a magnifying container so that the butterfly specimen can be seen easily. 

Make enough paper butterfly finger puppets in order to send each child home with a drinking straw decorated with a butterfly. As the children sip a drink at home, they will be reminded of the butterfly drinking nectar from a flower through the proboscis.

Homeschooling Mom

Meet Kathy Toby, homeschooler, licensed massage therapist, aromatherapy consultant, mommie-preneur, stage mom, and chicken farmer. Listen as Kathy enjoys a description of family management as a “momager” as featured in the February 24, 2016 cartoon, THE BORN LOSER. Kathy's role as a “momager” includes daily homeschooling lessons to prepare, an in-home massage business to run, a brood of chickens to care for, and lots of afternoon rehearsals to drive to. In addition, Kathy shares how she suffered for 15 years with a misdiagnosed tick-borne illness. Fortunately, she received a correct diagnose and treatment about a year ago. 

Power of Fraternity for Philanthropy

Today, I am conversing with Michele Dawn Lefler. Michele and I are sorority sisters. We are not close in age, we did not attend the same schools, nor do we live near each other. 

Our connection is fraternal. Our common bond is Alpha Phi. We share an appreciation for and an interest in each other because of our sorority connection. I am aware of Michele and her life here in the Cape Fear area because of the network formed by Alpha Phi.

While in college, we were both exposed to the same philanthropic efforts of our fraternity. Heart health has been a long standing campaign for Alpha Phi. My personal experiences with Alpha Phi date back to the early and mid-sixties, whereas, Michele's experiences all have occurred over the last 16 or so years.

Listen as Michele shares her story which powers her desire and drive to support the local Alpha Phi chapter at UNC-W. Heart health for women and the Red Dress campaign are as important today to the young Alpha Phi collegians at UNC-W as the lollipop sales were to the Alpha Phi collegians back in the late seventies at LSU-Shreveport.

Solving the Puzzle by Thinking Outside of the Box!

Meet Carla Mizrahi, M.S.Ed., LCSWA, BCBA. Listen as we hear how Carla has taken her experience and training to provide services around Camp Lejeune to military families with children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Carla is the clinical Director of Spectrum Learning Solutions in Sneads Ferry, North Carolina. Go to www.spectrumlearningnc.com to learn more.

Also, discover Carla's approach to the demands of family life as a single parent of two children and the demands of being self-employed. Carla has found how to balance her passion for helping others with her desire to be a hands-on parent.

What to Say to Someone in Grief

Join me as I talk with Joan Ball Marshall, clinical psychologist and former director of Pender County and Brunswick County Mental Health Centers, concerning the rise in the use of social media to express grief and to comfort those who are grieving. 

This new use of social media to announce the death of a family member or to grieve for a family member can be heart wrenching and very perplexing. 

What do you say, how often should you respond, or even should you respond? Listen as Joan Ball Marshall uses her personal experiences and training to help us understand the grieving process and how it applies to our use on social media. 

Learn ways to respond, to befriend, and to empathize either on Facebook or in person.

Metamorphosis of a Volunteer

Join me as I talk with Annie Anthony, Executive Director of the Cape Fear Volunteer Center and recently featured volunteer in the first StarNews Media Sunday edition of CAPE FEAR CARES. Listen as Annie and I reminisce about and travel along her path to “super” volunteerism.

Enjoy Annie's recollections of her life as a person born to volunteer---Brownies, Kappa Kappa Gamma, Wilmington Children's Museum, United Way of the Lower Cape Fear, etc.

Back in 1997, Annie Anthony, like many women with young children at home, started her local career as a volunteer by trying to improve her community through club work—PTA, Junior League, etc.

Find out how Annie brings her enthusiasm for volunteering to new levels of involvement to help others make improvements in our community.