Pictured here, Linda Rosen (left) chats with Michelle Putnik, the president of WNBA’s new chapter in south Florida at a Starbucks in Boynton Beach.
Last June, Linda along with Andrea Baron, started their quest to form a chapter of WNBA in southeast Florida. As Linda said, “If I’m going to spend my winters in Florida, I’ve got to find women of like-mind and what better way than with WNBA.” Andrea searched for writers, creative writing instructors and professors, librarians, book store owners etc. and last fall Linda met with several of the women, individually, who responded to their letters and emails. There definitely was a great interest in having a chapter in the tri-county area (Palm Beach, Broward and Dade counties) so Linda and Andrea planned a meeting (with wine of course) for December when they would both be back in the warmth of sunny Florida. A dozen women showed up at Murder on the Beach Bookstore in Delray Beach and learned about the joys and benefits of being a member of WNBA. “We knew the women were interested,” Linda said, “But at the end of the meeting no one stepped forward to take the reins and we could not have a chapter without a president, vp, treasurer and secretary. We were disappointed but really believed that someone, eventually, would. When my phone rang the next day and I saw Michelle’s name on the screen, I wanted to dance.”
Michelle, author of Dobin, a YA fantasy novel, told Linda, “I couldn’t sleep last night thinking about WNBA.” She knew it was right, just the organization they needed in south Florida. So, she called her friend, author and playwright Carol White. After a brief discussion, Carol said, “Well, if you’re going to be president, I’ll be your VP,” and the board of directors was on their way. Two more friends joined the team and a new chapter was born. This coming April, WNBA-SoFla will have their first event where they already expect twenty-five women to join, probably more.
