Muncie Times, Muncie, Delaware County, 4 September 2003 — Page 24

Page 24 • The Muncie Times • September 4, 2003

Branson encourages group decisions at Coalition of 100 women

Linda Branson

By David Hoelscher Linda Branson was born and raised here in Muncie and spends her time between helping senior citizens, her mother, the Coalition of OneHundred Women and giving time to different programs at her church. Although she has a large and humble heart, she remains single to this day. Branson graduated from Southside High School and furthered her education in various schools. After high school, she attended the Key Punch Academy for a six-week program, where she received a Certificate of Completion, she than moved to Detroit to study at Wayne State University where she made the Dean's List. Branson studied at the Purdue University site in Anderson from 1993 to 1994 where she maintained a 4.0 grade point level (GPA.)

Although she does not have a degree from Purdue, she holds a Certificate of Completion in human development. She was taking classes there taught by Ron Goodnight, the director of Human Resources at Fort Warner where she was working in management. Branson than attended Ball State University from 1995 to 1996 where she again maintained a 4.0 GPA. "You can always find somebody you think [you're compatible with] than you can get to point where you can see their goals aren't the same as their goals," Branson said of why she is not married. "Maybe I'm picky . . . I'll take the blame." Referring to goals, she wants to a 'help mate,' she wants to help senior citizens. She described this to me with a story about how she was at a

pharmacy and the lady in front of her was trying to figure out how she could stretch $30 to purchase $140 worth of medicine. Branson brainstorms constantly about whether she should become an advocate or activist in order to develop better programs for senior citizens to help them afford the cost of living and medical expenses. She is a very accepting person, respecting others religious beliefs and expects the same from her without trying to change her and make her believe in something or someone that she does not believe in. Branson spends much of her energy at her church. Trinity United Methodist. One program she is involved in is United Methodist Women, a national program with a local chapter. It is an organization that is responsible for the training of lay leaders, fund raisers, in-house programs and United Methodist Women's Day. She also takes part in the education programs and the Circle of Trustees. After being laid off in 1996, she started "Professional Laser Company." A cartridge specialist, she remanufactures different cartridges for local businesses. She is currently running the business out of her home. Branson took over as president of the Coalition of One-Hundred Women in January of this year. The local chapter of the coalition was

begun by Bea Moten-Foster as an extension of the Indianapolis chapter. This is her second two-year term; her first was in 1989 to 1991. She describes the group (which is currently under one hundred members) as characteristically unified. She describes herself as being a figurehead since all decisions are made as a group. It is an organization that has women from all sorts of background that raise money through their "Ethnic Buffet" for a scholarship that is awarded to deserving, graduating high school seniors. The scholarships are $1000 each for the male and female winner of their annual cotillion and $500 for the runners-up. The recipients have gone on to become engineers, teachers and attorneys. "I don’t want to say, well I'm president, I can make decisions, I can do this or I can do that ... I like them to be group decisions," Branson stated on her approach to the organization as being its president. Due to the unexpected and sudden death of her vice president, one of her first duties upon resuming meetings in September will be the hard task of appointing someone new to the position. Branson shared a story with me about an accident she was involved in four years ago. She was on her way to a coalition meeting on a Saturday morning. The night before had brought a storm

that knocked out the traffic lights at Jackson and Madison streets, turning it into a fourway stop. When it was turn to go she hit a car whose driver had failed to stop, her mother while in the passenger seat was injured. A man that Branson described as being white and unkempt approached the car and said,, "she's gonna be ok." He asked if she wanted him to go across the street for an ambulance. Branson began to panic at the sight of the "gobs of blood" that were in her mother's mouth. The man from nowhere aided her mother by taking the blood from her mouth. Having no other materials, he wiped the blood on his trousers and continued to help. Around the time the ambulance arrived, her cousin and a guy she worked with pulled up to make sure that everything was alright. When she turned around to thank the man who had shown her mother kindness, she found that he was no longer there. No one else there had seen him leave and no one else there had seen him while he was helping. The EMS crew at the ambulance station house that the man had talked to could not acknowledge his presence either. After trying to rationalize the presence of the man - where he came from, who he was, where did he go - she accepted the man as being and angel, sent to comfort and help Branson and her mother.

Burkett fights for fair housing for all

By David Hoelscher Billie Burkett was bom and raised on a one acre farm in Harrison Township where she occasionally helped raise a chicken or sow. Her parents had more acreage, but they rented it out. She attended her first three years of school at Riley Elementary. She was born to the parents Bernard and Ruby Theo. Burnett is a very calm and warm-hearted person. Although she was not born in Delaware County, she

considers Muncie to be home and has not lived anywhere else She moved here 45 years ago when she married her husband and had three children with him. Troy, her eldest, works here in Muncie as a supervisor for "Duffy Tool." Her second son, Steven, owns and operates "Drives by Design" in Anderson, where he sells hydraulics, hoses and gaskets for assembly line equipment to factories there. Her third son, Bryan, is on the maintenance crew at Barber

Manufacturing, also in Anderson. She has four grandchildren and a nine month young great-grandchild. She attended Harrison Township from fourth grade through high school. When she moved to Muncie, she worked full-time at the Center Township Trustees Office, where she spent nine years. During that time she took night classes for about two at Ball State University, studying in the General Studies program. continue on page 25.

Billie Burkett