Welcome to the Elk Rapids BPW Website
HERStory – Margaret Reilly, Elk Rapids BPW
Fifty Year Member 1956 to 2006
Margaret Reilly has always been a woman ahead of the curve! She never thought what she was doing was any different than those around her, but I will let the facts speak for themselves.
Born in 1919 in Marquette, Michigan, Margaret has been active in skating, skiing and golf most of her life. She became the first “Winter Queen” of Marquette in 1939 – in the photo depicting the honor, she is standing on top of a ski slope, on skis, dressed in a full length robe with a royal crown on her head. The next year, in Ishpeming, she became “Queen of the North” the first time such an honor encompassed the entire Upper Peninsula.
As a young woman, Margaret was active in her church youth choir, and was a lifeguard at a youth camp. She attended her first teaching job interview wearing a bathing suit – the principal scouted her out while she was working at the summer camp.
Her teaching career began in 1941 in Crystal Falls with a salary of $100.00 a month. In 1942 Margaret took a leave of absence (unheard of in those days) to fly out to Bremerton, Washington to marry a sailor. He was in port while his ship was being repaired after sustaining torpedo damage.
The marriage was kept a “secret” so she could finish out the year teaching, as married women were “not allowed” to teach at that time. But, she didn’t feel right about keeping the marriage secret, so when she told her boss, she was surprised that he said he “hoped she would at least finish the year.” She taught at the University of Iowa for about 1-½ years at a pay of $200.00 month. She returned to the town of Republic, only after a recruiter told her he would match her salary, so she continued her teaching career in the Upper Peninsula.
When her husband, Bob, returned from the Navy in 1944, he was hospitalized off and on with Tuberculosis. Margaret worked full time, while Bob taught part time, and was a part time “stay at home dad”, after their first son was born in September 1944.
In 1954, Bob obtained teaching position in Elk Rapids. Margaret worked as a substitute teacher until a full time position came open. She taught until she retired from Elk Rapids Schools in 1978.
Shortly after moving to Elk Rapids, Margaret joined BPW, a membership she has maintained for the past fifty years. Margaret is still active at the local level, and she participated in both local and district offices in the past.
She proudly claims attendance at ten national BPW conventions and one international conference. Her first National convention was in 1955, the year Virginia Allen became national BPW president.
Margaret has always been active in the Republican Party at the local, county and state levels. She attended five National Republican Conventions as a delegate, and four Presidential Inaugurations. As an active member of the Michigan Municipal League she attained Level Two- “Leadership Status” in the Elected Officials Academy, the educational arm of the Michigan Municipal League.
Locally, she served 17 years on the Library Board. She was a member of the Downtown Development Authority, and she has been a Village Councilperson for 12 years. She is a 66-year member and Past Matron of the Eastern Star.
She has been awarded Teacher of the Year, (1978 - the first year it was done in Elk Rapids.) She has also been BPW Woman of the Year and Elk Rapids Citizen of the Year. She recently celebrated her 64th Wedding Anniversary. Bob and Margaret have three children and spouses, four grandchildren and five great grandchildren. Two of her granddaughters attended University of Life in Petoskey in 2005, where Margaret participated as a facilitator.
Margaret philosophy is that “Life is a business and a marriage” – “what you put into it is what you get back.” She says she has always tried to look at the good side of things, and tries to accept people as they are. If anything, she says, she probably “takes the side of the underdog.”
“Being involved is what keeps you going.” Involved is an understatement when describing Margaret Reilly! She loves golf, bridge, reading, and for many years she painted ceramic dishes and sweatshirts. Her diminished eyesight may have slowed her down, but it has not kept her from staying on the move. She reads audio books, and stays active in many community activities.
Margaret Reilly’s life is a living history, and I am proud to tell HERStory as part of BPW Michigan History.
Jan Bassett, PSP
Elk Rapids BPW
Theresa Thybault Knecht is the
BPW Woman of Acheivement for 2006.
The Elk Rapids BPW (Business and Professional Women) has selected Theresa Thybault Knecht to be awarded the BPW Woman of Acheivment Award for 2006.
Theresa Thybault Knecht and her husband Wesley moved in the summer of 2000, purchasing and renaming the pharmacy, The Corner Druggist, in beautiful, sunny downtown Elk Rapids. Theresa wasted no time in becoming involved in the community. She is pursuing her Master’s Degree in social work, while maintaining her work at home, the pharmacy and through the current North Country Community Mental Health (which is known as Antrim-Kalkaska Community Mental Health). In her position as support coordinator, Theresa has touched hundreds of lives including the people who come for CMH services, staff of the agency she works with, community members and staff of other agencies. No matter who the person is , she is thinking of ways to connect people and resources she knows about with something you might need. She works tirelessly to promote jobs, businesses, new homes, new ideas, and to help people in the community understand and value the lives of people who have diabilities. She finds clothes for people she knits scarves for fundraisers, she finds resources for families in need, she works tirelessly to find people the right treatment setting as well as to find ways for people to move back to their home community from a treatment setting in another part of the state. Parents of children with disabilities come to rely on her to explain things to them and offer them options and information. Children rely on her to make them feel at ease with strangers in their life, and help them to feel their personal strengths and beauty. Staff rely on her to have a smile, patience to go the extra mile, ideas, names, phone numbers when they are stuck, and an ear when they need it. Beneath the compassionate and sympathetic exterior is the strength and determination to fight for rights and opportunities Theresa will always take on one more cause, help solve one more problem and nurture one more soul.
Theresa has been actively involved in the Elk Rapids since she and her family relocated in Elk Rapids. She was instrumental in the organization of the “Fish Pond” for the Evenings on River Street in Elk Rapids. The fish Pond for kids has been a huge success and our fundraiser for our scholarship that is awarded every year to a women in re-entry. She did the original planning, purchasing, and staffing for the first two years. The “Fish Pond” continues to be one of our major fundraisers. She was the chairperson for a very successful “Ladies Night Out” working with local clothing shops and accessory boutiques to present one of the most successful events. She has served as Vice President and Treasurer. Theresa is a very busy lady and a real asset to our community with outstanding dedication to BPW and enthusiastic willingness to help other women. Congratulations!
View online calendar for all upcoming events.
New scholarship fundraising program launched. Local organizations expected to see increased funding.
