As they sat in front of a packed house of friends, co-workers and admirers, a half-dozen of Boerne’s “fierce” women were asked two questions: What did you want to be when you grew up, and who opened the door for you?
The Patrick Heath Library meeting room was filled to capacity March 8 as women — and some men — from Boerne and Kendall County joined The Greater Boerne Chamber of Commerce and Hill Country Family Services in honoring six exceptional local women for their contributions to the community during International Women’s Day.
Staci Almager, HCFS executive director, and event emcee, said they decided to celebrate “fierce” women — women who stand up for inclusion and ensure that the doors they walked through in their lives are left wide open for the women who will follow them.
Each of the six guests of honor had varying answers.
Dr. Betty Moseley Brown mentioned wanting to move into full-time ministry but discovered her calling in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Today she works closely with the city and the county to ensure our veterans are taken care of and honored in the right way.
Her mother was a driving force and told her, “Always raise your hand and volunteer because when you volunteer, there will be opportunities that you may not have seen coming your way,” Moseley Brown recalled.
Carolyn Chipman Evans shared a poignant memory of trying to get funding for the Cibolo Center of Conservation back in 2001.
She said she went to Houston and persuaded Anne Hamilton from Houston Endowment to provide a grant. Hamilton was so intrigued by Cibolo Creek that she flew into San Antonio ... on Sept. 11, 2001.
“Going to the creek and just spending time there was just what we needed that day,” Chipman Evans said.
Hamilton has remained a true friend to Carolyn and the Cibolo Center in the years since.
Michelle Ernst was one of the six ladies who knew early on what she wanted to do with her life: be an interior designer.
“Fortunately, I had awesome, strong women who supported me throughout my life — my grandmother, my mother, my aunts,” Ernst said. “They all believed in me and even trusted me with their money.”
Today, ME Designs, born from her partnership with Dienger, works with clients from all over the Hill Country.
Sonia Aguillon’s story is the epitome of women helping women.
She confessed she does not have a college degree but possesses “the smarts” and a work ethic second to none. People around her took notice and pushed for her promotion within GVTC.
“Many people have invested in my life, but I especially want to honor one lady who is here today, Paula White,” Aguillon said. “She believed in me and advocated for me when others wanted to pass me over because I didn’t have the degree. I am truly grateful to her.”
The Hon. Judge Kirsten Cohoon told attendees that she had no idea what she wanted to be when she was a child.
“And that’s OK,” Cahoon said. “I was a senior in college before I figured I wanted to go into law. It’s OK not to know what you want to be.”
The final guest of honor was Kathy Bandujo, local coordinator of Blessings in a Backpack, an organization that provides after-school meals for children in need.
“My mentor was the director of HR at the first company I worked for. He was beloved and had the lowest turnover, so I went to him to learn,” Bandujo said.
“He told me, ‘It’s not my MBA, it’s MBWA’ — Management By Walking Around — that makes me successful.”
Each one of these women has taken these life lessons and used them to mentor others, including many of the women in the audience. They were encouraged by the six guests of honor to take these life lessons with them on International Women’s Day and encourage others to follow suit.
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