4 Women, 4 Good.
You don’t have to look very far to find women doing great things for their community and the world.
I’ve had the honor of interviewing more than 800 women, and I can tell you with absolute certainty that the yardstick by which these women measure success is often related to the amount of good they have done in the world. Here are 4 women doing just that. To hear their full interviews, just go to candyoterry.com/podcast or search “The Story Behind Her Success” from your smartphone using your podcast app.
At a time when the news either makes us scream or cry, these 4 women are living proof that love and light are all around.
Thank you, Cara, Erica, Natalie, and Nancy, for sharing your stories with me. Raising our hands, opening our hearts (and our purses) and using our voices to advocate for others, are signs of a life well lived. There is great joy in giving, and these 4 women are proof of that.
photo:Jack Foley Photography
Cara Belvin
Cohasset, MA
Have you ever met a woman whose karma and smile charmed you from the moment you met her? That’s Cara Belvin, Founder of empowerHER, a national non-profit devoted to matching girls who have lost their mothers early in life with strong female role models. You would think that an organization like this existed in the United States, but it didn’t until Cara launched the non-profit from her kitchen table in 2013. Cara knows firsthand what it is like to be a motherless daughter. She lost her mom, Kit, to breast cancer when she was only 9 years old and was blessed to have her father’s love and her aunts to guide her. Unfortunately, many girls aren’t that lucky, and they carry the loss of their mothers for a lifetime. Originally from Southington, Connecticut, Cara is now a wife and mother of 2. Her little nonprofit is now national with chapters in 10 major cities. Their signature fundraising event is Luminaria where donors buy candle bags that are lighted and displayed in iconic locations across the country, just in time for Mother’s Day. Says Cara, “I’ve learned everything from these girls. They have more courage than I ever had. I think of their mothers every day because our mission is to take care of these girls.”
If you know a girl who would benefit from this incredible organization, visit www.empoweringher.org
Erica Horan
Mansfield, MA
There’s a major accident and traffic is at a standstill. State troopers close the road in both directions and soon, you hear the sound of a helicopter in the distance. Before you know it, Boston Medflight has landed, swooping in to save lives. For Erica Horan, it’s just another day in the chopper, because she is a critical care nurse for Boston Medflight. This is her dream job, and Erica is very proud to work for the nonprofit which provides lifesaving help to the sickest of the sick, regardless of their ability to pay. A wife, and mother of 3, Erica also holds a black belt and is an Air Force veteran who served on the front lines in Afghanistan. For her, service to others is a way of life. In our interview, recorded in the Medflight hangar at Mansfield Airport, Erica shared that she is keenly aware that sometimes, her face or the touch of her hand are the last things a person sees, or feels. She credits her grandmother for giving her a strong sense of faith and a moral compass that has never steered her wrong. Her advice for women everywhere? “Get out of your comfort zone!”
To donate to Boston Medflight, visit www.bostonmedflight.org.
Nancy Frates
Beverly, MA
It was every mother’s nightmare. The date was March 13, 2012, when Nancy Frates’ son Pete was diagnosed with ALS. Known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, ALS is a horrible way to die. Always brutal, always fatal, the disease would cripple and kill her son within seven short years. But during that time, the Frates family rallied around Pete and he would become the face of the Ice Bucket Challenge. A lifelong athlete, Pete played Division 1 baseball for Boston College and was recruited to play professional baseball in Europe. When a friend shared the details of a social media stunt involving dumping ice cold water on someone’s head to benefit the ALS Foundation, he was all in and Team Frate Train was born. Using the power of social media, Pete showed the world what ALS was doing to him, and as awareness of the disease increased, the money poured in. The Ice Bucket Challenge raised 220 million dollars for the ALS Foundation and its global partners making it the most successful fundraiser of all time. Nancy’s interview was recorded just a few months before Pete died at the young age of 34 on December 9, 2019. Her words reveal the depth of a mother’s love: “My husband and I cry, but we also cry tears of joy because look at what this child of ours has done. Look at the people he has inspired. We are filled with immense pride.”
To donate to the Peter Frates Foundation, visit www.petefrates.com.
Natalie Martinez
Mattapan, MA
You’ve got to have a big heart and a strong sense of purpose to work in the nonprofit world, and Natalie Martinez walks the walk and talks the talk. She’s spent her career advocating for causes she believes in. Now, as the Executive Director & Co-President of Strong Women, Strong Girls, she spends her days bringing the organization one step closer to championing the next generation of female leaders. Founded in 2000, the organization creates mentor matches between college students and girls between the ages of 8 and 11. And there is a reason for targeting girls in this age group. Research shows that a girl’s self-esteem peaks at about 11 and if she doesn’t have a positive role model, her confidence goes down dramatically. Today, Strong Women, Strong Girls/Boston is thriving with 550 elementary school girls from 45 different community centers across the city who are matched with mentors from 7 Boston area colleges. The mother of 3 daughters, Natalie says her message to her girls is the same message she brings to her work at Strong Women, Strong Girls: “Your path may not be like everyone else’s, but there is something unique in you that you have to contribute to the planet. In other words: little girl, you can do anything!”
Visit Strong Women, Strong Girls at www.swsg.org
You may know me as the voice you heard coming out of your radio for 25 years on Magic 106.7 in Boston. It was a long journey from secretary to co-hosting morning drive, but I learned so much along the way. There were so many highlights, but the two that mattered most to me were hearing my own songs on the radio and the creation of the weekly “Exceptional Women” show. Interviewing women is what I love to do and I’ve continued that with the launch of the weekly podcast series: The Story Behind Her Success. So far, nearly 1000 women have shared their stories with me and I’m not stopping! Women around the world are downloading these inspiring stories and now, I’m bringing them back to local radio with the creation of the Candy O Radio Network. Mothers, daughters, sisters and friends all benefit from positive messages: shared wisdom, rooted in hope, love and perseverance. My goal is to create a place where inspiration is just a click away. Take a look around and be sure to join her Think Pink Club!
