Women to reveal secrets of living fulfilled

By Tanya Bricking
Advertiser Staff Writer

•	HerStory Conference 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. April 11 Waikiki Beach Mariott $95 early registration (by Wednesday) Call 946-6466 or find the registration form at juniorleagueofhonolulu.org.

The keynote speaker for the Junior League of Honolulu's third annual HerStory conference is Dr. Dot Richardson, the gold-medal-winning captain of the 1996 and 2000 Olympic softball team, who will talk about the importance of playing as a team and the power of a strong work ethic and a goal.

HerStory's headliner is renowned local artist Peggy Chun, who got a late start as a watercolorist after her identical-twin sister died of Lou Gehrig's disease when they were 40. Chun recently was diagnosed with the disease herself, but she remains optimistic and encourages others to see the beauty in life.

One of the most popular sessions of the April 11 conference will be what organizers first thought of as the potentially dull "spinach" of the seminar: talking about money. But the "Bill Gates is Taken" financial planning session has among the most sign-ups so far, said Abbi DeLessio, HerStory chairwoman.

"We wanted to appeal to many different facets and aspects of a woman's life," DeLessio said.

So the speakers will talk about everything from turning passionate interests into successful businesses to ways to improve one's health.

One timely session will focus on women covering war. It also will be a look back as KITV political reporter Denby Fawcett and national syndicated columnist Ted Bartimus discuss the book "War Torn: Stories of War from the Women Reporters who Covered Vietnam."

For all of the deep thought the conference may provoke, it also will address hands-on projects in artist/producer Page Chang's session on creativity. She'll let participants try out faux-finish painting and show them how to design a canvas floor cloth.

"I want to show people you don't have to be a designer, and you don't have to have a degree in art to do this," Chang said. "I'm going to try to inspire people."

Organizers see the gathering as a "day spa" in the company of like-minded women. Some proceeds will benefit the Junior League.