LAURIE WETTERSCHNEIDER

Age: 49

Profession: Jewelry designer (former director of communications and fund development at Jewish Family & Children's service and former owner/ manager of two Tucson radio stations)
Family: Husband, Larry, 58; stepdaughter, ƒlan, 35

Born: New York City

Years in Tucson: 33

Community involvement: member of Boys & Girls Clubs board of directors, Angel Charity for Children, Inc., and advisory board of Women's Foundation of Southern Arizona; past board member of American Red Cross (Tucson Chapter), Steele Memorial Children's Research Center, Community Food Bank, foundation board of Humane Society of Southern Arizona and advisory board of Susan G. Komen Fundation; advisor to Tu Nidito/Children to Children and Intermountain Centers for Human Development; past chair of Heart Ball, American Heart Association Fine Food Festival and Father's Day Council of Tucson, as well as events for organizations listed above.

What is your favorite volunteer or philanthropic success story?
I am honored to share two success stories that are both near and dear to my heart.  The first took place in 1999, when I was chosen as Chairman of Angel Charity for Children, Inc. With the phenomenal support of 150 men and women who serve as members of Angel Charity, we raised over $900,000, setting a record for funds raised by Angel Charity. Those funds went to support three local charities, Intermountain Centers for Human Development, the Community Food Bank and Tu Nidito.
My second wonderful experience was when I initiated THE EVENT for Boys & Girls Clubs with my fellow board members, Mark Irvin and David Lovitt, five years ago.  We were able to raise over $350,000 net proceeds to run the new clubhouse at Doolen Middle School.

What inspires you?
I have been very fortunate to have parents who always believed in me. When I was 16 years old and called home while attending summer session at the University of Arizona to let my parents know that I had been accepted to the UA as a freshman (I had just completed my junior year of high school in New York City), they believed in me and supported my decision to stay in Tucson to attend and graduate from the UA in two years (with a four-year degree). Tucson has been an incredible home to me for the past 33 years, and I am constantly inspired by the generosity of its citizens and their willingness to work to make our community a better place for those less fortunate.

What's the best thing about life in Tucson? The worst?
My favorite aspect of Tucson is the ability to reach the decision-makers and as a result to be able to raise considerable funds for charitable causes. My largest frustration is that much of that control has been removed from businesses in our community in recent years.

How has working with community organizations changed your life?
My life has been enhanced through the people I have met while working as a volunteer at Angel Charity and Boys & Girls Clubs. These fellow volunteers and staff, as well as our donors, have become my friends, and my admiration for them grows each and every day.

What's your next challenge?
As I enter my 50th year, my challenge is to find balance in my life. My husband recently retired after running a brokerage firm for 25 years and I want to spend as much time as I can with him, our family and friends, while also building my jewelry business with my sister (she lives in New York and is my partner).