A YWCA TRIBUTE TO WOMEN LEADERS—The YWCA’s 2010 A Tribute to Women Leadership Awards luncheon was held May 26 at the Westin Hotel Downtown. Women from all walks of life were honored for their contributions to the city and the country.

Awardees, from left: LaVerne Baker Hotep, director of community arts and education, Center for Victims of Violence and Crime; Bernadette Eyler Smith, senior vice president, Fifth Third Bank; Kathleen W. Buechel, executive director, Benter Foundation and senior lecturer and director for the Philanthropy Forum of the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs of the University of Pittsburgh; Debra L. Caplan, senior vice president of Allegheny General Hospital and West Penn Allegheny Health Systems; YWCA employees Magdeline E. Jensen, CEO, YWCA of Greater Pittsburgh and Mary Smith Peters, president of the board of directors, YWCA of Greater Pittsburgh; and awardees JoAnn Renk Forrester, business owner and consultant of SI Business Associates; and Josephine B. Moore, president and co-founder, Neighborhood Academy. Seated is Alma Speed Fox, president of Freedom Unlimited. Fox received the Allerton Lifetime Achievement Award.

For the third year the New Pittsburgh Courier will host its 50 Women of Excellence luncheon at the Westin Convention Center Hotel. The July 14 event recognizes some of Pittsburgh’s most successful and influential African-American women.

As in past years, this list of honorees includes women representing a variety of career fields and community service callings.

MARILYN BARNETT

“I appreciate this initiative by the Courier because it recognizes women in our community who are doing extraordinary things. They’re some of the unsung heroes or sheroes who deserve to be spotlighted,” said Lamont Jones, who nominated one of this year’s honorees. “Keep doing what you’re doing and do even more because it’s needed.

This year’s event is sponsored by Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, Carlow University, PNC, UPMC, The Institute for Transfusion Medicine, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, the University of Pittsburgh and Onyx Women Network.

Revival

JULY 14—Morningside COGIC, 5173 Dearborn St., Garfield, will host a Three-Day Spirit-Filled Revival at 7 p.m. Everyone is invited to come a hear the Word. The revival will run through July 16. For more information, call 412-361-9865.

There is a great series of books on the market. “Eat This Not That,” “Drink This Not That” and “Cook This Not That.” They feature the calorie content of popular items that we love to throw in our shopping cart. The killer ingredient is sugar and sodium. But we knew that, right? The books are billed as the no-diet weight loss solution.

I found that one of my favorite drinks, Simply Lemonade, was on the “not that” side of the page. Each eight ounce serving contains 120 calories and 28 grams of sugar and only contains 11 percent juice and the rest of the bottle is pure sugar water. The book recommends Lakewood Organic Lemonade. I’ve seen this on sale at Whole Foods sometimes for $1 a bottle. Lakewood is 86 calories a serving with 19 grams of sugar. However, the lemonade is sweetened with grape juice and agave nectar.