Our History
Women’s Action Network (WAN) was formed in January 2005. It evolved from a group known as The Greenville Business and Professional Women (BPW). Business and Professional Women is a national organization that– Promotes equity for all women in the workplace through advocacy, education and information.
The Greenville BPW had been in Greenville for many years but by 2002-2003 membership had declined to only 4-6 members and those members did not feel that the national organization spoke to the needs of local women. $200 a year dues, 3/4 of which went to the national organization was also an issue. There were stories that the first meetings were above a hat shop (again a connection to the HatRack, see below) The charter members of WAN met over a six month’s period of time discussing what to do and how to proceed and how to attract new members. Eventually it was decided to disband the local BPW and form a new organization.
There was money in the BPW treasury and that money was placed with the Greenville Area Community Foundation to fund a high school scholarship in the BPW name. WAN continued to give money to that fund until it reached $10,000 and the interest on that fund provides a scholarship forever in the BPW name.
WAN was formed because the founding members wanted an organization that was entirely focused on our local area. There were many national organizations that respond to women’s needs, but too much of that money left the local community. WAN wanted to recognize the achievement of local women, support their efforts with scholarships and grants while providing a networking opportunity, educational programs and service to the community. WAN sought members who were seeking ways to give back to the local community while wanting to support the efforts of women wanting to be full and equal participants in our economy and professional worlds.
Interested in joining WAN?
One of the first projects of the Women’s Action Network was to help fund and be present to help at the Christmas party for the families of the 1073. Future projects included high school scholarships, adult scholarships, women of the year banquet and supporting other local projects that are brought to our attention. Managing Veterans Park during Danish Festival is our biggest fundraiser each year.
The HatRack was developed in 2005 as a way to help members of the community who are suffering hair loss due to any medical condition or other illness. We offer, free of charge, hats, wigs and scarfs to men, women and children. It was started in the basement of one members business and has grown to a stand-alone store front.
Meetings are the third Monday of the month and are held at the Winter Inn in Greenville. Meetings begin at 5:30 pm; include dinner, a short meeting and a program. Anyone interested is encouraged to attend. For Further information, call 616-824-2003 or email wammontcalm@gmail.com.
Above: The article announcing the first ever Danish Festival Market in 1971
Here we revisit Linda Ferguson’s Daily News column, which originally celebrated the 50th annual DF-WAN MarketPlace. Established in 1971 the DF-WAN Market Place has become a beloved fixture of the annual Danish Festival. Linda Ferguson, a founding member of WAN, was instrumental in shaping the MarketPlace into the cherished event it is today. Her enduring contributions to the group and the festival continue to leave a lasting legacy.
Hot dog! What 50 Years in the Park have Produced
Fifty years ago, Audrey Malling and Bettilyn Kass took a tiny first step that over the decades has transformed an annual Veterans Memorial Park fun weekend into the main revenue source for important women’s programs in the community.
The two Greenville women, no longer with us and much missed, staked a claim to shady and unused Veterans Memorial Park on Danish Festival weekend. Audrey ran a hot-dog stand. Bettilyn oversaw a small flea market. Half a century later, several thousand Festivalgoers will stroll an entertainment and vending tradition officially known by the weighty handle “the DF-WAN MarketPlace and Food Court on Veterans Memorial Park.”
Through the decades and behind the scenes, the original sponsor, a small chapter of the national Business and Professional Women, disbanded and became the all-local Women’s Action Network. WAN expanded the group’s footprint to include not just the Greenville Woman of the Year Award and a scholarship for a GHS graduate, but the Hat Rack (a free service for chemo patients and others) and the Montcalm Coalition Against Human Trafficking (MCAT).
What most Greenville citizens and Festival visitors know about all this is that they can have a good time at the park. The original hot dog stand and flea market have evolved into a strollable feast involving food vendors and more than 80 booths offering trendy jewelry, candles, kitchen ware, clothing, and other items.
Before moving away from Montcalm County, I compiled many happy memories in nearly 20 years serving in various BPW and WAN roles. Exponential growth of Festival activities in the park might stand at the top of the list, headaches and all.
Audrey’s hot dog stand, for example, had been soon replaced, but by just one vendor selling roast beef sandwiches. We said, “One vendor is not enough!” – and quickly learned that growth also meant one circuit breaker would not be enough. We also had a spaghetti problem with electrical cords serving our newly christened Food Court.
Someone in the community always sprang to assist, as in Big L Lumber building us an “over the cords” bridge … G&D Electric installing a special power line to be used just once a year … or Norice Rasmussen and the Danish Festival Board letting us continue the good thing we created (and paying “rent” to the board) … or the late Joyce London, a City Council member and WAN member, convincing her colleagues that we could manage the event without destroying the park’s new sprinkler system.
The iconic annual headache, though, which every succeeding WAN leader will have to deal with is the matter of how one manages, in just a few hours, to fit 90 vendors into Veterans Park. It has become WAN’s annual Olympic Games.
It looks simple enough. Every vendor gets a 20×20 space for a trailer, tent, or whatever gear they bring. One minute it’s an empty park. The next minute – well, a few hours later – it’s the most populated block in town. How does this happen?
Cans of lawn spray paint. LOTS of it in various colors, applied quickly and accurately. All illuminated by sparks flying among the harried and hurried marking team as they figure out where trees and fountains and fences fit into the scheme. To my knowledge no marital relationship has been permanently severed after being tasked to mark those 20×20 plots of grass, but dozens have been tested.
So when you stroll among the pleasures of the DF-WAN MarketPlace and Food Court this year, look down and appreciate the marks designating each vendor’s space. Kudos to every WAN MarketPlace chairperson who has taken on the challenge of finding and keeping good vendors.
Jennifer Iteen has been volunteering for these headaches since 2009 and Eva Cairns has also been involved since 2018. Audrey and Bettilyn and Joyce and numerous others who got the ball rolling salute
you and your current team.
-Linda Ferguson