Join us on Wednesday, Sept. 9 for the first in a series of coming town halls. 

During this virtual event, you'll have the chance to hear from and chat with Anne Pfleger, CIT, NAWIC President 2020-21, to learn about her goals and plans for NAWIC in the coming year.

You can access this event on the NAWIC YouTube channel at 6 p.m. CST.

We'll "see" you there!

This week, Sept. 7-11, is suicide prevention and mental health awareness week. Suicides in construction are at an all-time high and our mental health is certainly affected by the overall state of our industry, and our lives during this extended pandemic.

Let’s remember that we are all at risk for anxiety, burnout, depression and more during these tough times. NAWIC has made a commitment to our members to be safe, and that includes our mental well-being, so let’s look at what it means to be safe and STAND up for suicide prevention.

Safe: Creating a safe culture where we feel safe to ask for help if we are having suicidal thoughts or if we are concerned that our co-workers are at risk of suicide.

Training: Making suicide prevention training available so that our members can recognize the warning signs and be equipped to help those at risk.

Awareness: Raising awareness through organizational activities as safety meetings, toolbox talks, company meetings, newsletters, and social media to share the message of suicide prevention.

Normalizing: Normalizing the topic of suicide prevention as a health and safety priority by talking about suicide, suicide prevention, and mental health.

Decrease: Decreasing the risk of suicide in construction by helping to ensure access to and awareness of EAPs, behavioral health benefits, screening tools, community crisis support, the Suicide Prevention Lifeline, and Crisis Text Line.

As an association, we are committed to this STAND model for Suicide Prevention and will use it to impact our organization and share it with others in the industry.

Put these numbers in your phone – for now or later (and look up your own organization’s EAP number):

Suicide Lifeline Number: 800 273-8255

Crisis Text Helpline: Text “hello” to 741741

Our 65th Annual Conference has concluded, and the proof is in the print! In the September/October 2020 issue of NAWIC Today, be sure to check out our recap of our first ever Virtual Annual Conference, complete with NAWIC Award winners, your new NAWIC National Board and Committee Chairs, resolutions and more. We also spotlight our national committees to see what they’ve been up to and what they have planned in the coming months. Read Visions from your new NAWIC President, Anne Pfleger, CIT, and learn about boosting your belief in yourself and your capabilities in this month’s Power Tools column. We also have feature articles from Brittany Bainum, Founder of Tradeworthy Jobs, about aligning your personal purpose with your work and Debra Hilmerson, President and CEO of Hilmerson Safety, about not discounting your experiences as you pave a path for yourself.

This issue is packed full of information, tips, and encouragement you definitely don’t want to miss out on, so check it out now! And be sure to let us know what you think of the fresh look NAWIC Today is sporting to go with our new logo!  

Have you ever felt stuck? You know you can have more out of life but just don’t know the next steps to take. It could be related to your work or personal life.

It happens to all of us. We get stuck in little ways and big ways. The reasons we’re stuck are important, and the solutions come from unexpected places. This book study will help each person recognize why they got stuck in the first place and what steps will help them move forward.

Join the NAWIC book club to discuss general principles as you work through your own area of stuckness. The author, Catherine A. Brennan, will join each week with a short video or live presentation. We all get better as we learn from one another.

Catherine A. Brennan is a business owner, author, public speaker, blogger, community activist, athlete, mother, grandmother, and most importantly, a depression survivor.

She has lived in Mankato, MN since 1994 where she has run a construction and development company with her husband, Mike. Cathy is a public speaker on the topic of wellness and wrote a book titled So Now What? A Guide for People Who Feel Stuck.

In her 50s, Cathy, found her ‘inner runner’ and has run the Boston Marathon three times. She has also run the New York City Marathon and participated in numerous triathlons. She is an avid swimmer, biker, golfer, and loves to read. She and her husband have two married sons and one grandson.

Join Catherine for a FaceBook Live event on Sept. 15, 5:30 p.m. CT.  She will talk about the journey she took to write So Now What? and answer questions.  This will be a great lead-in to our discussions.  Watch for the details.

Live Monthly Discussion Groups:  
 
First Thursday, 4:30 p.m. CT
 
Second Tuesday, 11:30 a.m. CT
Facebook Group:  Discussions posted weekly

If you would like to join an existing group or start a new group, contact Lori Donnell at lorid.nawic@gmail.com.

We're working on some exciting things with Girls Garage, a nonprofit design and building program and dedicated workspace for girls and female-identifying youth ages 9-18.

Girls Garage is a physical space for girls, including a wall with the name of every fearless builder girl who has taken a class at Girls Garage. Making space means that girls are seen, supported, and invited to shape their own world.

Stay tuned for more about Girls Garage, including an interview with Founder and Executive Director, Emily Pilloton. We'll also have a giveaway of Girls Garage swag and a copy of Girls Garage, which is packed with over 175 illustrated tool guides, how-to projects, 21 essential skills, and 15 inspiring stories from real-world builder girls and women.

Until then, head over to the Girls Garage site to learn more about this amazing organization! You can also find them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

If you attended the 65th Annual Conference, you know that NAWIC has partnered with Juno Jones Shoes, and they are very generously offering a 25% discount to NAWIC members through the end of September. Just go to junojonesshoes.com and use code NAWIC25 at checkout!. 

Juno Jones Shoes has a few things other than gear that we think will be of particular interest to our members! A partnership between Juno Jones and Jacket Media Co., the Hazard Girls (Women in Nontraditional Industries) Podcast explores a different field each week through candid interviews with women leaders about their professional journeys. Juno Jones founder Emily Soloby is the host. Find it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, and Megaphone.

There is also a Hazard Girls Facebook community powered by Juno Jones! Members include women at every stage of their careers from CEOs to students. The community features online discussions about issues that come up in the workplace, society at large, and with families. When members aren’t hanging out online, they are meeting up in person thorough educational events and outreach. Be sure to join the group if the below sounds up your alley:

• Positive and inclusive group of women. 
• In any nontraditional or hazardous industries, or just love Juno Jones! 
• Members range from CEOs to students.
• Thriving mentorship program.
• Lively discussions and collaborations. 
• In-person events.

Keep an eye on social media to stay up to date on NAWIC/Juno Jones collaborations, promotions and news!