AROUND TOWN: Girl Scouts' Women of Distinction

For 11 years, the Girl Scouts of Colorado — Pikes Peak Region have honored local female role models, the Women of Distinction.

They’re the ones who have blazed the trail for Generation Wow! — the 100th-anniversary term for the Scouts who are tomorrow’s leaders.

At the annual award presentation Wednesday at the Antlers Hilton, event co-chair Judy Cara announced this year’s six Women of Distinction finalists and she had a surprise. In honor of Scouting’s century mark, all six would be the 2011 winners.

Honored were:
• Consultant Cynthia Doty, an avid outdoorswoman who has led Outward Bound courses for at-risk teens, foster children and battered women. She volunteered with United Way’s Health Vision Council, was the Leadership Pikes Peak Community Trustee and works with the Bighorn Health Care Policy and Project Lab among many others.
• Stephannie Finley, president, government affairs, Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce and most recently part of Mayor Steve Bach’s transition team. She serves on a number of boards, has been the Southern Colorado Women’s Chamber Business Person of the Year, and her jobs have included staff member for the Colorado General Assembly and chief of staff for Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District.
• Cindy Fowler, winner of the coveted 2010 Athena Award, served or serves on boards including Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo, Heart Ball, Junior League, National Charity League, Pikes Peak Community Foundation and she is active in breast cancer nonprofits. She works for OfficeScapes in business development and community relations.
• Sharyn Markus, executive director, Colorado Springs Dental Society. She serves on numerous boards and committees and established the Children’s Literacy Program for School District 20, volunteers overseas with Children’s International Dental Project and Faith in Practice, and founded The Paperclip Campaign, an international program honoring holocaust victims and promoting equality.
• Sara Honn Qualls, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs professor of aging studies and director of the Gerontology Center. She led the development of a doctoral program in geropsychology at UCCS and the establishment of the CU Aging Center. She is a published author.
• Danielle Summerville, executive director, Big Brothers Big Sisters. Serving on a number of boards, she has also received numerous community and Panhellenic awards. She is president of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., Colorado Springs Chapter, and past president of Women for Social Change.

Area girls named Generation WOW! Girl Scouts:

KC Cruz, Ashley DeLarm, Rebecca Derryberry, Calli Jo Garcia, Jaylee Hepner, Zoe Hayward, Emily Lundquist, Hannah Lundquist, Megan Lundquist, Rachel Nelson, Rebecca Nelson, Devyn Sanchez, Allandra Smith, Alora Stroh, Katherine Toldy, Aliana Wackerman, Sydney Wegner, Becki Yukman.

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