Nevada Women's fund honors past, celebrates future

RENO - The Nevada Women's Fund paid tribute Wednesday to a past champion of its causes and celebrated a $100,000 contribution from a famous inventor's foundation for programs aimed at building confidence in young women.

Assemblywoman Jan Evans, a Sparks Democrat who died last month after a year-long battle with ovarian cancer, was posthumously inducted into the non-profit group's Hall of Fame.

''It's tough to get into, I know. But I suspect this year it was an easy choice,'' said Sue Wagner, former lieutenant governor and current Nevada Gaming Commission member who was inducted into the hall in 1994.

''Jan, a Democrat, and I, a Republican, shared many of the same concerns on issues,'' Wagner said.

Among other things, they teamed up to raise marriage license fees to finance domestic abuse shelters in 1981 and joined forces to fend off an attack on abortion rights in 1987.

''Jan came to change things, mix it up, open doors and give a voice to people who didn't have a voice,'' Wagner said in a speech to about 1,000 people who gathered at the Reno Hilton Theater for the fund's eighth annual salute to women achievers.

The surprise gift of $100,000 came from Dorothy Lemelson, wife of the late Jerome Lemelson, one of the most prolific inventors in U.S. history.

Jerome Lemelson, who died in 1997, had nearly 500 patents for many everyday devices, from the bar code scanner to parts used in camcorders, computers and personal radios.

''That's a patented invention every 30 days for 40 years,'' said Fritsi Ericson, a Nevada Women's Fund board member. ''Behind every great man is a great woman.''

Mrs. Lemelson, who lives in Incline Village, said the Lemelson Education and Assistance Program reflects her husband's dream to keep young people interested in science and innovation.

''My subsequent dream is to help individuals ... The mission of the Nevada Women's Fund is very similar,'' she said.

The money will be used to establish mentoring programs ''so that girls in our community become confident young women - our next generation of achievers,'' Mrs. Lemelson said.

The non-profit Nevada Women's Fund provides financial help to women and children. It has awarded $914,550 in scholarships to women since it was founded in 1982.

The Nevada Dance Academy and the Nevada Opera's Georgiana Rodriguez performed at the $70-per-plate luncheon before the keynote address from Mimi Feller, a senior vice president in charge of public affairs and government relations for Gannett Co., owner of the Reno Gazette-Journal and USA Today.

Feller worked in the U.S. Treasury Department and as a top aide to Rhode Island Sen. John Chafee, a moderate Republican who often crossed party lines before he died suddenly in October.

Feller said she learned a lot from the way Chafee ''put the spotlight on all of his employees and never left anyone out.

''His style was to pull people together, not drive wedges,'' she said.

Feller said it's important not to let personal connections disappear at times of great advances in computers and other technology.

''We manage projects ... but we lead people,'' she said.

''I've never heard anyone say, 'I'd follow that Web site anywhere.'''