2016 Nation of Neighbors

Help YOUR Community Champion

There is only one thing as good as making a difference in your community – helping your community champion who goes above and beyond to inspire and make lives better. Royal Neighbors members have a unique opportunity to support local community champions by nominating them for a Nation of Neighbors℠ empowerment grant.

Meet our 2016 grant recipients who are
improving communities.

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Christina Mastio

Left to right, Royal Neighbors Sales Agent Matthew Kuhn, nominator; Christina Mastio; and Mary Staver, Royal Neighbors' Human Resources Executive.

Christina Mastio

Making Miracles Happen

Christina Mastio of Parkville, Missouri, knows what it takes to make miracles happen. With the help of her $10,000 grant, she will expand Northland Miracles, the nonprofit she co-founded to help identify and rectify gaps in service to women and children in partnership with schools and social workers.
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Desiree Cocroft

Left to right, Susan Bartholf, Royal Neighbors' Product Development Executive; Desiree Cocroft; and Charlene Cocroft, mother and nominator.

Desiree Cocroft

Dancing in the Streets

With her $10,000 grant Desiree Cocroft of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, will have the opportunity to mentor more women and girls through her Signature Dance Company.
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Lena Council

Left to right, Glenda Griffin, nominator; Chris Seistrup, Executive Vice President of Royal Neighbors; and Lena Council.

Lena Council

A Dream Come True

Lena Council, Elizabeth City, North Carolina, had a dream and set out to make it come true. She will use the funds to expand her entrepreneurial program, Dreamer’s Entrepreneurial Club.
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Arlene Malone

Left to right, Sheila Campbell, nominator; Chris Seistrup, Executive Vice President of Royal Neighbors; and Arlene Malone.

Arlene Malone

R-E-A-D and Learn

Arlene Malone, Chesapeake, Virginia, is the founder of R-E-A-D (Rejuvenating Excellence & Accomplishing Dreams), She will use her Nation of Neighbors funds to a program designed to help girls 13-17 years of age prepare for college.
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Janita Pavelka

Left to right, Janita Pavelka; Curt Zeck, Royal Neighbors' CIO/Operations Executive; Amanda Shoemaker, and Robin Phipps, nominator.

Janita Pavelka

Building Communities by Building Businesses

Janita Pavelka of Oxford, Nebraska, is a true believer in education. She will use her funds to expand her efforts to provide entrepreneurship classes to women and young girls to help build communities.
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Liz Pitcher

Left to right, Lindsay Fischer; Beth Arthur; Liz Pitcher; Lena Bodkin; and Matt Mendenhall, Director of Philanthropy at Royal Neighbors.

Liz Pitcher

Fighting Sex Trafficking

Liz Pitcher, of Indianapolis, Indiana, will use the funds to help her increase her efforts to provide outreach programs to rescue women and girls being trafficked through street prostitution in the Indianapolis area and provide them support services that can help them lead happy, healthy lives.
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Amanda Olson

Left to right, Cynthia Tidwell, President/CEO of Royal Neighbors and Amanda Olson.

Amanda Olson

Aquaponics Farm Takes Root

Amanda Olson, Moline, Illinois, has a goal to make healthy food affordable and plentiful while educating consumers on ways they can take care of their own health. She will be setting up an aquaponics farm in Moline.
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Heather Doering

Left to right, Mary Staver Royal Neighbors' Human Resources Executive; Heather Doering; and Royal Neighbors Sales Agent Karl Carter.

Heather Doering

"Doering" Her Networking Best

With her grant, Heather Doering, Detroit, Michigan, will grow her entrepreneurial network, IN3 Network. The network provides inspiration, information, and innovation to Detroit area women entrepreneurs.
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Margaret Greer-Gogo

Left to right, Margaret Greer-Gogo and Mary Staver, Royal Neighbors' Human Resources Executive.

Margaret Greer-Gogo

A Class Act

Margaret Greer-Gogo has a class act with her Pearls of Wisdom Academy. The program offers classes that teach dressing for success, parenting skills, budgeting, credit repair, and insurance and financial planning.
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Melissa Pepper

Left to right, Melissa Pepper and Cynthia Tidwell, President/CEO of Royal Neighbors.

Melissa Pepper

Pepper Rally

Melissa Pepper's Lead(h)er “Strike a Match” Program links 100 young women with experienced leaders to inspire more women to volunteer, run for office, or start their own businesses.