EXETER — It was a sea of green as the Greater Pittston Chamber of Commerce’s Women’s Network celebrated St. Patrick’s Day with a dinner at Fox Hill Country Club Thursday night.
More than 250 women dressed in Irish green for an evening of fun and food while honoring womanhood.
The Network’s Distinguished Woman of the Year for 2018 Anne Postupack was honored at the dinner, receiving a proclamation from PA State Sen. John Yudichak. A donation will be made by the camber to the charity of Postupack’s choice.
“Tonight is a special night to not only have fun and celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in a sea of green attire and appletinis (beverage), but to also to honor a woman that has contributed to our community for so many years,” said Lori Nocito, Women’s Network chairperson.
“This is really one of our favorite events of the year and it’s just so nice for a bunch of women to get together, recognize the success of another woman and just be there to support each other,” said Michelle Mikitish, Greater Pittston Chamber of Commerce’s executive vice president.
At the podium b\prior to introducing Maria Capolarella-Montante, Nocito recognized new attendees to the annual St. Patrick’s Day Dinner.
“We’re seeing a lot of young people here and we love that so we encourage young people to come out and have fun with us,” Nocito said.
Capolarella-Montante, one of the original members of the Women’s Network, introduced Postupack, also one of the network’s original members. Postupack is the fifth recipient of the Distinguished Woman award.
Prior to handing off the podium to Postupack, Capolarella-Montante gave a brief account of Women’s History Month, which is celebrated in March having been proclaimed by President Jimmy Carter in 1987.
“The 2019 theme for Women’s History Month is ‘Never the less, she persisted,’ dedicated to women who are champions of peace, non-violence, women who made efforts to end war, violence and injustice in those categories,” Capolarella-Montante said. “I’d like to add the women who served in the Armed Forces to protect our country and the countless number of women who have sacrificed their loved ones for our safety and liberties.”
A native and current resident of West Pittston, Postupack has been a businesswoman for the past 52 years, along with her husband Jerry owning Cameo House Interiors and Cameo House Bus Tours.
The mother of three, Postupack taught Interior Design at Luzerne Counity Community College during her designing career. In addition, she and her husband run several bus tours each year.
After Postupack’s first husband passed away, she reflected on her early life as a widow at the age of 26 with young children, vowing not to be poor.
“Never will I ever depend on anybody to take care of me again,” Postupack recalled, saying, “It’s a slippery slope.”
She went on to say, “Listen to your inner voice; it tells you a lot of things and sometimes we want to shut that down, but listen to it.
“Be who you are, if I can give some words of advice,” Postupack continued. “So many times we try to hide who we are; find someone who understands who you are and you can bond with.”
Postupack further advised the audience to be grateful.
“I’m very grateful. Would I change things? We won’t even go there,” Postupack said. “Every day, get up and say, ‘Thank you, Lord for my abundance’ because it is abundance.”
She closed with an affirmation by author Louise Hay, “All is well. Everything is turning out for my higher good. Out of this situation only good will come. I am safe!
“How does it get any better than that?” Postupack asked.
