Accomplishments in 2024

This has been a year overflowing with blessings. We’ve seen the Lord bring to fruition several dreams we’ve been praying about. Newim’s first spiritual formation cohort graduated in May and a second cohort began in August. The Springs Retreat was successfully birthed in Savannah, Georgia and Santa Cruz, California. And monthly, women have had the opportunity to meet with Board members and discuss significant topics. All the while, pastors’ wives were gathered for small, intimate retreats. Just about every week we’ve met on Zoom for prayer. Women have opened their homes for partial-day retreats using our Silent Retreat Guides. And the Springs Retreat in Central California, the monthly Writers’ Group, the Book Club, the monthly newsletter and social media posts, and so many wonderful conversations have truly blessed us. One woman wrote:

This is a gift from God to me. I came feeling thankful and wanting to praise him, for he is so good. He continues to draw me to him, to seek him above all else, in all circumstances, the good and the bad and everything else in between. He is the constant that never changes.

We love that NEWIM’s ministries help women draw close to the Lord and trust him more deeply. So as we see 2024 coming to a close, we want to lift our hearts and voices toward heaven and sing a joyful Hallelujah.

NEWIM-Fuller Spiritual Formation Program

2024/2025 NEWIM-Fuller Spiritual Formation Cohort

Twenty-four women from Canada, Tunisia, and six states in the USA formed NEWIM’s 2024/2025 cohort. We are a diverse group of women who serve the Lord in a variety of capacities (staff pastors, missionaries, pastors’ wives, chaplains, church planters, lay women) and have come together to spend ten months focused on our own interior lives. Many of us spend our weeks helping others to hear the gospel and grow spiritually. This cohort is our opportunity to give attention to developing the rhythms and practices that will sustain our ministries for decades to come. Luann Budd, Heidi Glynn are co-facilitating the program. The five small group leaders are Traci Martin, Janet Lee Russell, Lindsay Baldwin, Luann Budd and Heidi Glynn. Ruth Cramer along with the small group leaders completed the program last year and are helping to lead it this year.

NEWIM-Fuller Spiritual Formation Cohort | Virtual Retreats Aug. 23-24, 2024 and Oct. 18-19, 2024

The retreats begin at 7 a.m. PST and conclude at 4:30 p.m. each day. The theme of the first retreat was Community and the second retreat focused on Listening. We always listen to 3-4 chapters of Scripture and pray with Scripture several times. Women have opportunity to retreat in silence for several hours using a Silent Retreat Guide provided by Fuller. We have time to connect with our small group and talk with others in the cohort. We also learn various ways to engage with the Scripture. We conclude our time with a Blessing. Luann Budd, Heidi Glynn and Traci Martin facilitated the retreats. Betsy Sanford ran the tech behind the scenes.

Retreat 1 - Forming our Community, knowing we are “chosen, blessed and sent out” on mission.

Retreat 2 - Listening to the Scripture, Prayer, and our Lives for the voice of God.

One small group leader noted after our second retreat:

“The compassion and depth in our group is a precious gift from the Lord. It's been amazing to discover that so many of us don't have a group of confidants or those that pray regularly for us. What a blessing that we can be that for one another.”

2023/2024 NEWIM-Fuller Spiritual Formation Cohort

The 2023/24 cohort graduated in May after retreating in-person at the Springs-Three Rivers and on Zoom. Women were encouraged to complete a capstone project of their choosing. Some wrote testimonies, Jill Austin and Betsy Stowe hosted the Six-Week discussion of Ruth Haley Barton’s Sacred Rhythms, some were asked to serve as next year's small group leaders and began training for their new role. Ruth Cramer wrote, reflecting on the value of the cohort for her:

It was amazing to learn that I’m not alone in my struggles.  Sharing in a small group setting allowed a positive shift in perspective, and I now see things in a different light.

• Loving acceptance can be transformative. 

• Community can be a spiritual discipline.  I discovered that I like, appreciate, and enjoy the company of like-minded women. 

• The spiritual disciplines can be deeply joyful and meaningful. They are a means to living the spirit-filled life of God.

• I’m easily distracted and careless in my commitment.  It will take structure and planning to fully put myself in a place that allows the transforming work of the Holy Spirit.

Looking back at the completion of our ten months together, I have to laugh at myself for my fears. This has been a time of growth, both relationally and spiritually.  While apprehensive and anxious at the beginning, I’m grateful and thankful for the experience and for the loving relationships that were forged in our small group. I encourage anyone who senses a longing for a deeper and more intimate relationship with our Lord to consider participating in a Fuller Spiritual Formation Cohort.

Women who completed the program received an Achievement Certificate. We were all blessed from our time together.

Several of the 2023/24 small groups have continue to meet monthly and support each other with texts and prayer. The cohort got together on Zoom in December to have a chance to reconnect with the whole group and reflect together on the mystery of Jesus’ birth. Audrey, Rachel, Janet Lee, Ruth and Luann planned the party.

Retreats

Two Night Springs Retreats

The Springs-NorCal, Jan 30-Feb1, 2024

Villa Del Mar Retreat Center, Santa Cruz

I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to all those in the NEWIM community who prayed and contributed financially to the new Springs retreat that was held in Santa Cruz, CA at the end of January. Our new Springs team came together beautifully, and the giftings and courage shown by each new team member was a true blessing!

Also,14 of the 22 attendees were participating in their first Springs retreat, so we were able to reach a large number of women who are new to this type of retreat.

The location of the retreat center by the ocean, and the kindness of their staff, made for a lovely backdrop for God to meet each of his beloved daughters in a special way. As we worshiped together in the chapel and shared our stories during the retreat, God's kingdom came to life in a larger way - especially as this seemed to be one of our most ethnically diverse groups yet!

As a group, we reflected God's Glory back to him as we vulnerably connected with each other for the good of his Kingdom. New relationships formed and old ones deepened. It was also clear to see that walls of resistance and fear came down and we were able to receive more of God's love than we could when we first arrived. I can't wait to see what God does with his work in our lives in the months and years to come! Our team wholeheartedly agreed it was worth the time, effort, and resources, so we plan to do it again next year.

With Love and Gratitude,

Christy Wold, NorCal Springs Team

The Springs - Savannah, GA Feb. 28 - March 1, 2024

The Savannah Springs was the result of prayer asking the Lord to provide an opportunity for the NEWIM Springs Retreat to be offered beyond California to the East Coast. Months of preparation to launch a silent retreat in a new location were worth the effort. With the theme “Be Refreshed” based on Isaiah 58:11, the inaugural Springs Retreat on the east coast ministered to women from coast to coast, even as far away as Brazil. When one woman was asked at the end to describe how the Lord used her time at Savannah Springs in her life, her answer summarized what all of the women echoed.

“He pulled/called me away to breath, to receive, and to rest in Him – He has ministered to me, leading me through my thoughts and His. We have been having a beautiful time hanging out together. He reminded me He is always interested and involved in my life and that I am secure in His love. It was a washing waterfall of Abba’s love for me. ❤”

Our retreat team was overwhelmed by the abundant way God answered our prayers–all of the women embraced the silence and solitude with Jesus and left refreshed. To God be the glory!

The Springs - Three Rivers, CA April 17-19, 2024

We had a full house with 45 women attending this retreat, including 23 of the NEWIM-Fuller Cohort who also attended.

NEWIM's Board and all of the Springs Teams honored Darlene at the Springs Retreat in April. Through tears, we affirmed her years of faithful service. Darlene has served all of us for 35 retreats as the registrar, seamlessly working with the retreat center staff and all participants to make sure everyone's needs were met. Darlene also has the spiritual gift of giving and over the years she made many improvements, such as enhancing the Lunch with Jesus, making signs to remind everyone that we were in silence, and creating branded merchandise with a little bit of bling. She’s also served as NEWIM’s Bookkeeper and was part of the Northern California Pastors’ Wives Retreat team.

June Chambliss, Chair of the Board, prayed a special blessing over Darlene as we all reached out our hands to bless her as well. Women wrote special notes of gratitude for the ways Darlene ministered to them over the years and she was presented with a photo book, a cross made for and used at the Georgia Springs, and a rose to remember her time on the Springs-Three Rivers team. 

Thank you, Darlene, for your tireless and joyful service! We join with the Lord Jesus in saying,
"Well done, my good and faithful servant."

Pastor’s Wives Retreats

Pastors’ Wives Retreats in Southern California (Balboa Island May 31-June 2, and Nov. 15-17)

Pam Cashion and Janae Swan led several retreats in 2024. Pam writes: “Thank you so much for praying for the weekend. It truly was an “immeasurably more” weekend. We are so humbled by how the Lord works in the women he calls and all that he has trusted them with. One of the participants wrote this (she gave me permission to use it). We are overwhelmed by how much God loves His ministry beloveds!

This weekend was incredible. In August I was nominated by a friend for this retreat for Pastors wives. Ones who need some rest and time alone. I was chosen.

I was scared. At the time I was nominated...was struggling being alone. I was afraid of the grief I was experiencing. But I knew the Lord wanted me to go. And my husband agreed. This was so wildly out of my comfort zone. What most people don't realize is that I'm naturally an introvert and going somewhere where I know no one...is hard for me. But I said yes.

GOD MET ME. I was so blown away how I didn't realize how not only good for me this was...that it was needed. And the other three Pastors wives...! am BLOWN AWAY how God knits hearts together and you can love and feel like you know strangers in a matter of hours. All from different parts of the country. The two sweet women who run this ministry...waited on us. Cooked for us. Prayed and loved on us. They ministered to me in every possible way. Physically and spiritually. 

We had a sweet devotional led by an incredible woman who knew who I was and had been praying for me long before I even arrived. We served each other communion and prayed for one another. POWERFUL. I couldn't hold back the tears.

God gave me the word GOODNESS today. In the hard. He is GOOD. In the joy he is GOOD. In the grief...HE IS GOOD. I prayed. I walked A LOT and listened to worship music. I had time to just BE in his presence. And I am grateful for his GOODNESS to me. And bringing me to beautiful Balboa Island for this weekend was HIS gift of goodness to me. I will never forget this weekend. WITH EVERY BREATH THAT I AM ABLE. I WILL SING OF THE GOODNESS OF GOD.

Pastors’ Wives Retreat, Northern California March 22-24, 2024

Christy Wold, Darlene Derby, and Betsy Stowe welcomed six pastors wives to the Washington Hotel in Knights Ferry, California for a weekend retreat. We enjoyed being right on the Stanislaus River where nature could speak to us through the flowing river and the lupine and poppies that were displaying their glorious splendor. Founded during the Gold Rush, the history of the small town was fun to discover. The weekend included lots of time for getting to know each other and sharing the challenges we face, creating an art collage, and times of worship and prayer. We followed the movements outlined in the retreat guide: Release, Surrender, Receive, Confession and Forgiveness, Pour Out and Seal Up as we each sought to comprehend a little more deeply the love of God for us. Christy, Darlene and Betsy provided delicious food for our stay including a BBQ’d dinner (thanks to Dave Derby), three kinds of scones, and wonderful soups. And Betsy brought her daughter’s signature cookies. We went home filled up and renewed.

Half-Day Retreats

The Woodstock Get-Together - Woodstock, GA May 9, 2024

The Inaugural Woodstock Get-Together was a wonderful half-day retreat held on May 9, 2024. It was held in a beautiful home, graciously lent to us for the retreat. Each of the twelve women came with apprehension, not knowing what to expect. We opened with a time of worship, led by Charmaine Landrum. As a group, we engaged in a Bible reading method called, “Conversations with the Lord through Scripture.”  The purpose was to engage all of the senses as a passage is read, to invoke curiosity about the Lord, and to let the questions direct our personal prayers.

After our time together, everyone found a quiet spot to be alone with the Lord for a couple of hours. It had rained earlier in the day, but it turned into a lovely spring morning. The time flew quickly by when it was time to reconvene. Our last bit of time together was spent in small groups discussing our experience with solitude and then praying for each other.

While there were plenty of snacks to be enjoyed, the true refreshment came from the Lord. Each of the women left feeling restored and ready to reengage with the world.  

Modesto/Oakdale In-Person Retreats. Christy hosted three partial-day retreats at her home in Oakdale. On Friday, January 12, eight women joined in Lectio, time for personal reflection, sharing & prayer and everyone stay an extra 45 min just to connect. On Friday, March 22, 2024, from 9:00-12:30 Becky Austin led six women in a time of lectio with Isaiah 58:11. A very familiar verse to all of us. We were so surprised by how God met us in that verse once again. And on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024 the group met to encourage each other as the fall began.

Bakersfield, CA In-Person Saturday Retreat. Ten women met on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, at Sue Saboloni’s home. She writes: “Had a fantastic and amazing time today. We decided to do the Guided Silent Retreat on “Blessed” from Psalm 1. Had such a sweet time and fellowship and sharing. God was truly there for each of us in our own unique and memorable way.” The cost was $15 and included lunch and the program.

Building Relationships

NEWIM ConnectsLive begin meeting monthly - offering women an opportunity to connect without having to attend a retreat. (Georgia, California, Idaho, Arizona, New York were represented in the first meeting.)

We’ve discussed the delicate balance of self-care while caring for others, learning to lament as a means to restore joy, developing a healthy relationship with our heavenly Father, how women can discern God’s call on their lives, how to have meaningful engagement at our local church, and how we can engage more with Scripture. Each evening was an enriching conversation that helps us form friendships and encourage each other.

Multi-Session Small Group Discussions

Aging Faithfully - by Alice Fryling | Six-Week Book Discussion | Spring 2024

Jill Austin and Deborah Mosley facilitated ten to twelve women gathering on Zoom every third week to discuss the content of each chapter, their experience with the spiritual practice discussed in the book, and how the insight from the book resonated with each one. Alice joined the group during the last session for a lively conversation. <Luann add link to YouTube of Alice’s discussion>

Sacred Rhythms by Ruth Haley Barton | Six-Week Book Discussion | Summer 2024

Betsy Stowe and I are excited to share the book Sacred Rhythms by Ruth Haley Barton. The book is designed to help “arrange your life around a regular pattern of spiritual practices that God can use to nourish your soul and transform your life.” As you engage with the Lord through the practices and “open yourself to the presence of God in the places of your being where your truest desires and deepest longings stir” you will hopefully experience a deeper relationship with God.

After completing a 10-month Spiritual Formation Cohort with NEWIM in partnership with the Fuller Center for Spiritual Formation, Betsy and Jill felt called to offer a Zoom book discussion of Sacred Rhythms.

We learned through our Cohort that community is a crucial part of our formation so we invited women to journey with us in learning how “to open ourselves to God’s transforming love and the changes only God can bring about in our lives.” Eight women from across the country joined us in community for six sessions over Zoom. We practiced these spiritual rhythms, and God met us in our place of seeking.

We looked at the disciplines Ruth Haley Barton says, “are basic components of the rhythms of intimacy with God that feed and nourish the soul, keeping us open and available for God’s surprising initiatives in our lives.”

Our discussions encouraged the women to share their hearts’ longings for more and provided opportunities for each of us to create conditions where transformation could take place. It helped us develop and learn to maintain a rhythm of spiritual practices that keep us open and available to God. We created space for God through solitude. We encountered God through Lectio Divina. We learned how prayer can deepen our intimacy with God. Self-examination helped us see ourselves more clearly and discernment helped us to become attuned to the presence of God so we could align ourselves more completely with God’s will and purposes. Through learning about sabbath, we explored ways to establish a rhythm of work and rest. The rule of life challenged us to cultivate rhythms for spiritual formation going forward and how to order our life with what is true and good.

We prayed this book would whet the appetites of the women to delve more deeply into these practices and ask the Lord where he wanted them to begin their transformational journey with him. We shared our longings, experiences, challenges, heartaches, and questions that lingered in our hearts. We were able to listen and support each other’s desire for more of God by paying attention to the movement of God in our lives through these disciplines. We prayed for one another and encouraged each other by sharing testimonies of God’s faithfulness. Journeying together though spiritual practices opened opportunities for spiritual growth and transformation.

If want to understand yourself more fully in your relationship with God, Betsy and I highly encourage you to pick up a copy of Sacred Rhythms and “open yourself up to God’s transforming love and the change that only God can bring about in our lives.

Reading Books With Friends

Tell Her Story by Nijay K. Gupta

The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery by Amanda Cox

Amanda is skillful in her exploration of profound themes such as forgiveness, healing, and the powerful impact of unconditional love, all set within a small-town grocery store that takes on a life of its own.

What I found particularly thought-provoking was how she highlights the undeniable importance of confronting the past, rather than hiding from it. The journeys the characters undertake are inspiring, offering both encouragement and valuable insight as we navigate our own choices about what secrets to keep and what ones to courageously bring into the light and grace of God.

This Seat’s Saved by Heather Holleman

Heather Holleman did not disappoint us with her book, This Seat’s Saved. Having gone through her Bible Study, Seated With Christ: Living Freely In A Culture of Comparison" it was wonderful to see how she brought that crucial message to tweens. Her story believably balanced family life, use of social media, and the mishaps of adolescence. This book will encourage children and grandchildren whether they are currently walking with the Lord or not. 

The hour of our book conversation flew by, filled with a fun discussion. This Seat's Saved allowed us to journey into our own memories, sharing our stories of the struggle and inner conflict over wanting to be with the popular kids. We also talked about how we continue that journey, up and down, even into adulthood. 

At every age, we can benefit greatly from taking to heart the message of this book: when we come to faith in Christ we have a seat saved for us at his table.  

This book is truly well-written, engages the reader to remember that Jesus Christ sits at the right of the Father and we each sit at the right hand of Jesus. How wonderful is that!  -Susan Weinhold (participant)

Resources

Intentional Inclusion Goal Team

The Team wrapped up their work, posting new resources on the website. https://www.newim.org/embracing-diversity-on-teams-and-in-small-groups

Writers’ Group

Kathy Collard Miller leads the Writers’ Group on the first Saturday of the month. Writers are invited to share short pieces for critique. Kathy carefully watches the time and guides us so that everyone has the opportunity to receive feedback on the pieces they are working on. Several of the writers have contributed pieces to the NEWIM newsletter this year.

Prayer @1 on Thursdays

Anne Dhanda faithfully facilitates the prayer time each week on Zoom. The first half hour women are given the opportunity to update each other, share praise reports, and ask for prayer. During the second half hour, Anne then leads us in an opening prayer and Scripture reading and we pray for one another. “It’s a wonderful break in the middle of our week. I look forward to seeing my sisters and being led in prayer for NEWIM and our concerns.”

Marketing and Social Media

<Year-End Statistics will be available at the end of the year>

We continue to post new material on all of our social media outlets (except Pinterest) and work hard to make sure if someone is trying to find an organization for women in ministry, they’ll find NEWIM. But quite honestly, it’s been difficult to attract new followers despite our best efforts.

YouTube

NEWIM’s videos had 4,610 views (+69%); 576 hours watch time (+110%); 32 new subscribers (total 124). Luann’s interview with Tammy Tkach was the top-watched video with 3,110 total views. Alice Fryling’s conversation with the Aging Faithfully group had 250 views, and the online retreat segment, Writing a Letter to Jesus, had 143. Visio Divina 84 views. Bible Reading (Romans 8) and the Benefits of Being in a Spiritual Formation Cohort videos were both viewed 60 times.

Website

10,406 visits; 8,006 unique visitors; 16,714 page views

Ranking: NEWIM.org continues to be on the first page of google searches when people search on these questions: “How to prepare for a silent retreat”, “Christian silent retreat”, “How to do a Christian silent retreat,” “pastor wives retreat”, “contemplation in the Bible”, “the springs retreat”, “Women’s Christian retreats in California”. Google views NEWIM as an authority on Christian silent retreat and pastors’ wives retreats, and we want to continue our high ranking in these areas by continuing to offer fresh content.

110 people signed up for NEWIM’s newsletter while using the website. The average time readers spend on our site (average of all views) is 2-1/2 minutes, with some pages averaging over 5 minutes. 28% of all visitors view more than one page. 5,173 viewers come directly by typing in newim.org; 3,893 come after doing a Google search; 667 come from NEWIM’s newsletter. Half of the viewer are using their mobile device.

We have viewers from US, Canada, UK, Singapore, Philippines, Russia, Australia, South Africa, Europe, India, China and Nigeria.

FaceBook/Instagram

Traci Martin has been leading Newim’s social media team. Leah Fuller continues to faithfully post to all of our channels over 200 times last year.

Monthly e-Newsletter

There are 1,006 people who receive our e-newsletter and 39.3% open rate, meaning that about 412 people open the e-newsletter to read it. Many NEWIM leaders wrote lead articles. Patricia Arps and Luann Budd have been editing the newsletter. See 2024’s newsletters here.

Donations

<Final year-end totals will be available in January 2025.>

Maureen Moore was asked to be the NEWIM Auditor during this period when Audrey Holifield is acting as both the Bookkeeper and Treasurer. We are very grateful for her quarterly audits of the books and management reports submitted to the Board of Directors.

NEWIM-Cape Town

Due to South African law, NEWIM-Cape Town needed to change its affiliation this year from being a chapter of NEWIM to becoming its own South African non-profit organization. Beautiful Women Retreats was founded with the purpose of serving Christian women in South Africa so they can find space, meet with God and others, and walk into freedom and deeper relationship with God. NEWIM continued the same level of financial support for Beautiful Women Retreats. Glenda McMinn, Founder, writes:

Nov. 26, 2024

My Dear Friend

I want to just give you some feedback of the past retreat of last week. 

We were 36 women attending at our favourite venue called Mont Fleur and women came to experience help and a time of healing and refreshment. 

This retreat was named ASK SEEK FIND and it focused on our mental, spiritual, physical and emotional needs as women. The focus of this retreat was a picture of a DOOR and women standing at the door. Based on Matthew 7:7 this retreat theme that God gave to us was important for the women and ourselves. 

There were 9 FIRST TIME attendees who had never attended any form of retreat before this. The diversity of women at this retreat once again confirmed that God was wanting to reach us where we were at. Some women were in divorce recovery, drug rehabilitation, some needed depression and mental health support, while others were disconnected from God and had been struggling to find Him at their local church, or communities. 

There was woman, who attended (withouth her family knowing), as she had secretly converted to Christianity. This was her third retreat with us!  Another woman had come to be healed and delivered from desperation of prostitution. This certainly gave us as a team the 2 weeks before the retreat to seperate ourselves in fasting and prayer for these women who were coming by "word of mouth" 3 women were in divorce recovery. What a diverse group. But we just rested in the fact that God Himself KNEW THEM BY NAME. 

On the Friday evening, we had a short introduction and allowed the women to rest early in preparation of the intensely prepared workshop which we call the OASIS. Our facilitator for the Saturday was a professional Mental Wellness Life Coach, who brought SO many tools and resources for the women to be able to interact and participate in the process of their healing and refreshment journey. 

For this retreat, we divided the attendees into 4 flower groups (e.g daffodils, sunflowers, poppies, lilies), led by our 4 team members who guided the groups in the various activities. 

What was interesting to us as a team and to our speaker, was the safe space we provided, opening up the "doors" in the ladies lives in terms of asking, seeking, finding using Matthew 7:7 as the guiding scripture. Watching from a distance, I saw normally shy and quiet women open up in the discussions and participating in the physical activities of journaling, praying, and counseling provided. 

Because of the success of the groups, we have decided to keep the groups as whatsapp groups where our Lead Facilitator and speaker, along with the group leaders, continue the connection and emotional support. In receiving feedback from quite a lot of women, they truly appreciate this POST RETREAT SAFE SPACE provided. We are excited to see how this support groups will continue to help many of the ladies in their journey of emotional and spiritual healing.

From the bottom of my heart I wish to THANK YOU so much for your support of these retreats this year. 

Your contribution, has helped 8 ladies to attend this retreat, with all food and accomodation paid, as well as it assisted 3 of our unemployed Board members, who were able to bring and share their spiritual gift at this retreat. 

Glenda

To see photos and testimonies from Beautiful Women Retreats, go to: https://newim.org.za/

Upcoming Mens Retreat

We are delighted that Dave Larson (Gena’s husband) and Kevin Budd (Luann’s husband) are facilitating a retreat for men modeled after The Springs retreat. Traveling Together will be hosting the retreat at St. Anthony’s Retreat Center in Three Rivers, CA, Feb. 24-26, 2025. This has been a desire of our hearts for many years and it has been wonderful to watch the Lord open the door for this ministry to begin.

Board of Directors

As a Board, we met five times via Zoom for our regular Board meetings and once at Villa Maria Del Mar retreat center in Santa Cruz, CA for our three-day, in person Board meeting. What a joy it is to serve with women who love the Lord, love his Word, and who are passionate about encouraging others in ministry. As the year comes to a close, we are smiling at the future, confident that the Lord will guide us step-by-step into the new year and the plans he has for us.

Thank you!

Audrey, Betsy, Heidi, Luann and Traci