Rick Racker Woman of the Year: Tammy Newland (center), The Rick Racker 2017 Woman of the Year, is presented with a congratulatory bouquet from the event chair Nancy Smith, on left, and from Rick Racker Chair Sheryl Pearl, on the right.
The blustery weather couldn’t dampen the spirits of nearly 200 supporters who converged on the ballroom at Old Ranch Country Club to honor Rick Rackers 62nd Woman of the Year, Tammy Newland.
Ricker Rackers, which celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, is an auxiliary of Assistance League of Long Beach. Its primary philanthropy is Operation School Bell®, dedicated to the vision that no child should fail to perform in school for lack of adequate clothing. The program provides school uniforms for 10,000 in-need LBUSD students grades K-12.
Tammy has been a pillar of the community for more than 30 years, both as a volunteer and as a realtor. She first volunteered with the Long Beach Police Department in 1986, has been active with several Long Beach nonprofit organizations, including Cameo Professional Auxiliary of ALLB, National Women’s Advisory Council, St. Mary Medical Center Foundation, Rotary International and Junior League.
She is the immediate past president of the Steel Magnolias and an alumnus of Leadership Long Beach. Newland also serves on the National Association of Realtors.
Tammy’s parents and husband, Kenneth Shishido, her children and grandchildren as well as extended family from Bend, Oregon were there to help her celebrate.
Tammy and her husband Ken are wine connoisseurs. So it only seemed fitting that Woman of the Year Chair Nancy Smith and her team uncork a vintner-styled event for the honoree. Table centerpieces were wine bottles, cut as vases, holding beautiful arrangements that paired with the head table centerpieces with orange and purple blooms.
Rick Rackers chair Sheryl Pearl welcomed guests, including nearly 20 past Woman of the Year recipients, providing the room with a brief history of the organization’s nearly eight decades of philanthropic work within the Greater Long Beach community.
“Operation School Bell is vital to our community,” Pearl commented. “No child should have to come to school with clothes that are tattered or ill-fitting. Kids just want to blend in with their peers. Studies show children are more engaged in the classroom when they have confidence in their appearance.”
Keynote speaker Mona Cook, principal at Jenny Oropeza Elementary School (formerly International School), gave a heart wrenching speech about how Operation School Bell has made a difference in the lives of her students.
Last October Oropeza Elementary School was selected as Rick Rackers annual “Make a Difference Day” school where every child received a new backpack, uniforms, school supplies and a book of their own.
Past Women of the Year honorees were feted at a pre-champagne brunch gathering with the honoree and her family. Attending were Dorothy Wise, Myrna Wigod, Beverly O’Neill, Suzanne Nosworthy, Mary Alice Braly, Sande Rice, Shirlee Bouch, Liz Minor, Mari Hooper, Candice Stacy, Norma Marter, Judy McNulty Black, Susan Bell, Annemarie Forster, and Julie Taboada.
