Be a Connector like Addy McCulloch

>>I rely on many different personal connections to get me through the week—and I know I’m not alone. I have my family, my best girlfriends, my co-workers, my carpool network, my exercise buddies, and now, I have Women AdvaNCe.

Women AdvaNCe is building a network of women across the state. Issues related to public education, healthcare, and jobs affect all North Carolina women, regardless of where you live and how much money you earn. Women AdvaNCe spent its first year connecting with women leaders and asking them to spread the word about our organization through their many different personal networks. Addy McCulloch was one of the first to step up to help more women in the Wilmington area get connected.

Like all of us, Addy wears many hats. She’s a skilled writer, a supportive spouse, a pet caretaker, and a yoga-enthusiast. It was easy for Addy to share Women AdvaNCe with her personal networks, thanks to e-mail, >>Facebook, and >>Twitter. But Addy wanted to reach beyond the women in her immediate circles. She began looking for new opportunities to spread the word about Women AdvaNCe and discovered an ideal connection at her local gym, the YWCA of the Lower Cape Fear.

Empowering women is central to the >>YWCA mission. Addy mentioned Women AdvaNCe to one of her yoga instructors and together they created a new class called “Stress Relief & Empowerment.” Eager to find new ways to connect with new women, the YWCA of the Lower Cape Fear invited all staff and clients to attend the class. Before long, they had a class full of participants.

I already know about the importance of exercise, but “Stress Relief & Empowerment” includes some steps to self-care that aren’t always as obvious. The class discussed methods for reducing stress and the importance of empowering women by voting. Participants emerged feeling energized and calm, knowing that they are a part of a growing movement to rally the >>women’s vote across the state.

Addy’s story is one of many, as thousands of women join the Women AdvaNCe community. Women AdvaNCe is amplifying conversations about the issues that matter and we’re building momentum for Election Day, when women can use our numbers to create concrete change.

How can you use your own personal networks to help more women connect? With so many of us spreading the word across our state, from the mountains to the beach to everywhere in between, the impact of each new woman you connect with has real impact. Women make up 54 percent of the vote in NC.  We have the power to make our voices heard loud and clear when we >>Vote Together on Election Day.  Be the common thread that connects your networks to Women AdvaNCe.  Together, we can spark awareness and change in your community and across our state.

Check out these helpful resources to help you make new connections:

>>Help Extend Our Reach

>>Making Connections Worksheet

>>Vote Together 2014 Pledge Kit