Immediate Past President Report

By: Sandra Thompson, NFBPWC’s Immediate Past President

Burbank Members Gloria Salas, Sandy Thompson and Janet Diel along with members from Zonta receive a proclamation from Burbank Mayor Constatine Anthony for Women’s Equality Day. It was nice for our city to recognize this important day. 

Thanks to Deb Schuster for sharing this bit of history.  We can be very grateful to the women of Colorado.

This is the Women's Bank building at 821 17th (Seventeenth) Street in downtown Denver, Colorado; the brick structure has stone trim, arched windows and doors.

Up until 1974, many women needed to have a male co-signer to open a bank account or acquire a line of credit. So, eight women came together to change that by opening their own U.S. Women's Bank!

Carol Green, Judi Wagner, LaRae Orullian, Gail Schoettler, Wendy Davis, Joy Burns, Beverly Martinez, and Edna Mosely founded the bank's board by each pitching in $1,000.

On July 14, 1978, people stood in line on 17th Street in downtown Denver to deposit their checks. The bank took in $1 million dollars that day.

The bank also offered classes and got involved with the community. They financed rejected projects including the Tattered Cover Book Store and Wynkoop Brewing Company.

The Women's Bank continued until 1994 when it was sold to the Colorado Business Bank. Many of the founding women continued on with successful careers!

This bit of history reminds us of why we do what we do and we can never go back!

scream

so that one day

a hundred years from now

another sister will not have to

dry her tears wondering

where in history

she lost her voice

-Jasmin Kaur