WEEKENDER I AROUND TOWN

Women's Summit highlights golf tourney

7/12/2018
BY BARBARA HENDEL
BLADE SOCIETY EDITOR
  • SOC-Summit10p

    Kristin Kelley, left, and Laura Prill during the Women's Summit held ahead of the LPGA Marathon Classic at Highland Meadows Golf Club in Sylvania.

    The Blade/Kurt Steiss
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  • THURSDAY starts the Marathon Classic presented by Owens Corning and Owens-Illinois with the best female golfers in the world hitting the links at Highland Meadows Golf Club. But the week started Monday with Pro-Ams and other events, many of which will be featured in my Sunday page.

    Since this is a Ladies Professional Golf Association event, the second annual Marathon Classic Women's Summit was among the highlights. The event was presented by Owens Corning in the Champion's Pavilion at Highland Meadows Golf Club. Despite the sweltering heat, it brought more than 400 female community leaders together for personal growth and development while raising money.

    Kristin Kelley, left, and Laura Prill during the Women's Summit held ahead of the LPGA Marathon Classic at Highland Meadows Golf Club in Sylvania.
    Kristin Kelley, left, and Laura Prill during the Women's Summit held ahead of the LPGA Marathon Classic at Highland Meadows Golf Club in Sylvania.

    Event chairman Meg Ressner presented a $75,000 check to Marathon Classic board chairman Kristin Kelley of O-I. The summit earnings benefited the Classic’s 17 children's charities: Awakening Minds Art, Baby University, Leading Families Home, Bittersweet Farms, CASA-Lucas County, Findlay Family YMCA, Historic South Initiative, Jamie Farr Scholarship Fund of the Toledo Community Foundation, Mercy Health Children’s Hospital, Mobile Meals, Raise the Bar in Hancock County, Rally Cap Sports at BGSU, Read for Literacy, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Family House, Clubhouse Reading Center, and US Together.

    The Connecting FORE Impact-themed event Tuesday included networking, lunch, meditation exercises, and speakers who stressed the importance of connecting with self and others to lead a fulfilling and balanced life.

    Emcee Diane Larson of WTVG-TV, Channel 13, a national journalism award winner and community supporter, got the ball rolling. Mrs. Ressner welcomed everyone to the event, which was created to inspire life changes for women personally, physically, and professionally.


    Hannah Storm, anchor of ESPN’s SportsCenter Face to Face and an award-winning journalist, producer, and director, children’s issues advocate, author, wife, and mom, talked about her personal journey and the importance of making meaningful connections. Storm, wife of Dan Hicks of NBC Sports, recently received two New York Festival TV and Film gold awards for directing and co-producing Danica, which aired on the cable network Epix.

    I.K. Kim, defending champion of the Marathon Classic, said mindful listening and meditation can make a difference in one’s life, too. It certainly helped her make connections on the world stage of professional women’s golf. “Income Kim” or “Inky” — as she’s been called since winning seven LPGA tournaments totaling $9 million — has also received the 2015 Kia Charitable Assist Award. After winning the Lorena Ochoa Invitational, Kim donated her entire earnings ($225,000) to charity, half to the Lorena Ochoa Foundation and half to the Special Olympics. 

    On defending her championship, Kim said, “I’ll go out and have fun.”

    Mallika Chopra, founder of Intent.com website and founder of the Chopra Well, a YouTube channel, has taught meditation to thousands of people. She is featured in Time Magazine’s Special Issue on Mindfulness. Ms. Chopra focused on personal, social, and global wellness, sharing her life story which is in her latest book Living with Intent: My Somewhat Messy Journey to Purpose, Peace, and Joy. Her day started at a meditation and yoga session sponsored by Toledo Yoga and Yogaja at the Toledo Museum of Art's Glass Pavilion.

    Each speaker received a glass piece made in Toledo.

    Thanks go to other summit sponsors including Welltower, Key Private Bank, Pepsi Beverages Co., Mercy Health, HCR Manor Care, and Mansour Wealth Management.

    Kudos to the steering committee: Mrs. Ressner, Asha Barnes, Leslie Chapman, Erin Caldwell, Sheri Caldwell, Sheri Copanic, Jean Drees, Lori Edgeworth, Kayla French, Sharon Gillespie, Susan Gilmore, Suzanne Harnett, Heidi Joy Harnegie, Laura Hart, Kim Howard, Jeannie Hylant, Shelly Jamieson, Gayle Lampkowski, Tara Linker, Rita Mansour, Judy McFarland, Leslie Orozco, Jane Marie Rahe, Shelly Rice, Benet Rupp, Rhonda Sewell, and Alexis Smith.

    Barbara Hendel is The Blade's society editor. Contact her at bhendel@theblade.com or call 419-724-6124.