Governor Chris Gregoire is anticipating a vacation as her second term in office is coming to an end. Over the years I have had the opportunity to visit her mansion home, standing majestically on a low rise behind the state capitol building. My friend and I attended her first inaugural ball which was a glorious affair with more than one band playing and even a chocolate fountain flowing.

A group called the Center for Women and Democracy has been holding a celebration at the governor’s mansion every year. Their mission statement says that they promote women’s full participation in leadership while respecting cultures worldwide. This includes a dinner lecture series, international leadership delegations, leadership skill building and this yearly gathering of powerful women in the governor’s mansion.
Two years ago they honored Rosie the Riveter and I was speaker for this occasion telling about drilling holes in wing panels for the B-17 bomber during WWII. Once again I was boarding the VIP van, one of three, carrying us all to Olympia for the 10th Annual Kicking Up Our Heels celebration. On the way we heard from all the women seated facing each other—one sitting on the city council, one a judge and one a former state representative who was the first woman of Filipino descent ever to serve in a state legislature. Networking was the order of the day.

I wore my Rosie the Riveter T shirt and my signature hat. As I approached the security guard to show my driver’s license for identification I remarked, “You can’t recognize me in that picture as I always wear a hat. When my picture was taken I was not allowed to wear a hat.” He good naturedly waved me on up the path.
Soon I was mingling with 200 participants including state representatives who came to mingle as well. One judge came in a gorgeous long gown slit up the sides (a woman of course). I almost wished I had worn my long velvet gown with the slit up the front and my gorgeous sunburst medallion but felt more comfortable dressed as Rosie.

Cathy Allen, one of the original founders of the group introduced the program and listed the many accomplishments of women in this state. Not any other state has women holding down the governorship as well as the two senatorial positions. Suddenly there was a hush as Governor Gregoire appeared, taking center stage. She was presented with a handmade tribal blanket which she graciously accepted, wrapping it around herself to model its beautiful patterns. I crept through the standing crowd and handed her a goodbye card with pictures representing how she has served the cities as well as the eastern stretches of farmland and hinted that she might even be chosen as an ambassador someday. She used her great sense of humor to say that she is going from living in the splendid mansion to buying a trailer that converts to a tent and going on the road for a couple of months with her husband. But she didn’t rule out further service to her country.

Now it was time to say our goodbyes and board the van taking us back to Seattle.
My special friend met the van and drove me home as I related the events of the stimulating evening where I met and mingled with women moving up the ladder in politics, business and professions. An evening to remember.

Georgie Bright Kunkel is a freelance writer who can be reached at gnkunkel@comcast.net or 206-935-8663