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STAFF
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PUBLISHER
Dana Nieters
dana@lakenormanwoman.com
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LKN
May
volume ix, number xii
SHE ROES!
EDITOR
Amy Hallman
amy@lakenormanwoman.com
OPERATIONS SUPPORT & CONTRIBUTING WRITER Leslie Ogle
leslie@lakenormanwoman.com
SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Stephanie Sullivan
stephanie@lakenormanwoman.com
SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Michele Schuermann
michele@lakenormanwoman.com
DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Juli Simmons
ads@lakenormanwoman.com
ART DIRECTOR Chelsea Bren
chelsea@lakenormanwoman.com
M AY C O N T R I B U T O R S :
Dr. Todd Hansen; Melissa Braun; Dr. Jessica Slabaugh
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TH E
publisher}
When I was growing up, my world was filled with heroes: Margaret Thatcher, Indira Ghandi, Neil Armstrong, Billie Jean King, Hank Aaron, Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, Sandra Day O’Connor, Mark Spitz. To me, these men and women represented the possibility—the expectation, even—that my own future would be just as bright. They gave me hope that I could be everything they were: strong, passionate, successful, principled, and good. They set the bar high on standards of behavior, being kind, compassionate, generous, and humble—for instance, Billie Jean King didn’t dance a victory jig across the mid-court line when she trounced Bobbie Riggs. They had something else in common, too: They were fighters. They didn’t expect success to come easily—they worked hard for every gain, and they held themselves accountable for every setback. Don’t misunderstand me: I knew even then that my heroes weren’t flawless; we’re all only human, after all. But when I think about the iconic figures of today, I honestly have to scratch my head in bewilderment and ask myself, “Where have all our heroes gone?” Today, what we have instead of heroes are Hollywood celebrities and millionaire athletes whose crazy publicity antics and downright rude behaviors are far from heroic. Would you believe that in a fairly recent national survey, half the heroes that teenagers named were celebrities, with entertainers and athletes such as Paris Hilton and Mike Tyson rating far more popular than Martin Luther King, Jr. and Abraham Lincoln? How can someone like Paris Hilton rank higher than Martin Luther King, Jr. when her chief claims to fame are occupying a recurring spot in the tabloids and starring in a homemade sex tape?
days. Self-glorifying politicians; entitled, reckless, and even criminal athletes; and greedy and corrupt corporate leaders are also jousting for time in the limelight. These are not the heroes we need. There are exceptions, of course. There are people in the world who should be seen as heroes, but they rarely get the attention they’re due. That saddens me because in particular, our youth need that kind of hero— heroes that inspire them to do the right thing, accomplish great deeds, face their fears, and help those in need. They need heroes that last, who show it is possible to rise above the frustrations and failures of everyday life, and who demonstrate that adversity is an opportunity for growth. The good news is that we don’t have to look to Hollywood or the picture on the Wheaties box to find those heroes. In our own communities, there are heroes (and sheroes!) around every corner. Hollywood producers might reject their stories as “ordinary” and they may not be wearing Olympic medals around their necks, but there are multitudes of kind-hearted, dedicated, authentic, resilient, strong, and courageous people right here in Lake Norman who are simply making a difference in the life of another. We found the stories of five such women to share with you this month. We owe these sheroes a tremendous debt for their military service to our country and the protection of our freedoms. Be sure and read their stories in our special section beginning on page 14. My guess is that heroism is alive and well in your own life, too, much closer than you imagined. You just have to know where to look. Take a peek in the mirror…I think you’ll find her!
-dana
And it’s not just spoiled, self-absorbed celebrities who monopolize the spotlight these
. PUBLISHER
C O N TAC T DA N A V I A E- M A I L AT DA N A @ L A K E N O R M A N WO M A N. C O M
DANA NIETERS