The Foundation of Women Executives in PR honored ten organizations and assisting PR firms for outstanding "social responsibility" campaigns in 2000-2001 at a luncheon Oct. 24 at the Yale Club, New York.

The winning entries were picked from a field of 50.

Janice Huff, weather forecaster for WNBC-TV News, helped present the WEPR awards.

Guest presenters were Ann Richards, former governor of Texas and now heading the New York office of Public Strategies; Janice Huff, weather forecaster for WNBC-TV News, and Marcy Syms, CEO of Syms Inc.

Also addressing the audience of more than 150 were Deborah Radman, president of the WEPR Foundation; Lisa Kovitz, president of WEPR, and Virginia Fields, Manhattan borough president.

Richards said she had become a New Yorker earlier this year by opening the New York office of PS, major Texas-based lobbying firm headed by Jack Martin, who was an aide to former Texas Senator Lloyd Bentsen.
Richards said she felt the atmosphere had become so strained recently in New York and elsewhere in the wake of the World Trade Center tragedy that she ought to tell a joke to the WEPR audience to put it at ease.

The joke she told was about a missionary who was about to be eaten by a lion. The missionary asked God to do something and the lion stopped just before getting to the missionary, crossed his paws, and prayed: "Oh Lord, please bless this food."

Crystal Obelisks, the highest award in the program, were given for three programs:

Marcy Syms, left, CEO of Syms, Inc., gave the first annual Denny Griswold Award to Kathy Cripps, accepting it for VITAS Healthcare Corp. and Hill and Knowlton.

"Growth and Retention of Women" program created by Andersen LLP in 1988, whose aim is to recruit, retain and mentor women in the business world. Ketchum assisted in the program.

"Millennium Dreamers," conducted by McDonald's Corp. and Golin/Harris, which celebrated the accomplishments of 2,000 8- to 15-year-olds worldwide. McDonald's had teamed with The Walt Disney Co. and UNESCO on the program.

"Sing for the Cure," submitted by the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Fund and Fleishman-Hillard,
which linked music with the search for a cure for breast cancer. A "Sing for the Cure" event brought together ten composers, 300 singers and musicians and thousands of community members.

Meritorious Awards Given

Meritorious Recognition recipients were:

Pfizer and Chandler Chicco for "PTSD Alliance 2000" (post-traumatic stress disorder).

Liz Claiborne and Patrice Tanaka & Co. for "Liz Claiborne 2000 Women's Work" for campaign on the issue of dating violence.

More than 150 attended the WEPR luncheon at the Yale Club.

Ruder Finn for "Helping Veterans Fight a Silent Enemy: Hepatitis C."

New Jersey Dept. of Health and Senior Services and Fleishman-Hillard for campaign helping smokers to quit.
New York City Health & Hospitals Corp. for "HHC Asthma Initiative."

California Dept. of Health Services and Hill and Knowlton for campaign to reduce incidence of teenage motherhood.

Denny Griswold Award Presented

The First Denny Griswold Award, in honor of the founder of WEPR, was presented to VITAS Healthcare Corp. and Hill and Knowlton for "Building Public Awareness of End-of-Life Options."