WFLA Names LT COL (RET) Karen Mertes A 2023 Exceptional Lady Finalist

FOUR TAMPA AREA WOMEN ARE CHOSEN OUT OF 140 ESSAYS

Tampa, FL (March 13, 2023)— Every year the WFLA Exceptional Lady Franchise seeks nominations for girls who’ve made an amazing distinction in neighborhood influence, self-achievement, exhibit innovation, creativity and entrepreneurial spirit. An ideal match for this nomination was Lt Col (Ret) Karen Mertes; and WFLA agreed! On March 8, 2023, WFLA shared the information that Karen was named considered one of their 4 finalists for his or her 2023 award. Mertes’ life-story embodies the 5 components of the WFLA Exceptional Lady.

Finalist Lt Col (Ret) Karen Mertes was simply months away from fulfilling 20 years of service in the US Air Power and heading in the right direction to turn into a full colonel when her life immediately modified. Touring on Interstate 75, Mertes’ automotive was rear-ended by a drunken driver touring at over 100 mph.

“He broke my axle, shoved that into my transmission, so I didn’t have brakes or steering. I slid the equal of three football-field lengths earlier than ever coming to a cease,” says Mertes. The scary accident left Karen together with her mind bleeding inside her cranium, a traumatic mind damage (TBI), and a determined promise to God that if her life have been spared may spend the rest serving to others.

Mertes retains that promise by motivational talking, authoring books and devoting a lot of her life to her non-profit, Fulfill Your Future and its signature initiative, the $1,000 Enterprise Builder Grant program. Mertes appears for native entrepreneurs whose lives will probably be meaningfully impacted by a $1,000 grant meant to assist them take their enterprise to the following stage.

Karen generously invitations locals and companies to companion with Fulfill Your Future by sponsoring a grant. Sponsorships will be nameless or can embody the donor in all promotions and bulletins of the sponsored grant. Sponsorships are tax-deductible and are personally matched 10% by Karen Mertes. For optimum publicity, Mertes invitations companies to include the awarding of the grant into considered one of their occasions or conferences. Mertes makes this tax-deductible alternative straightforward and a win-win for all. Fulfill Your Future does all of the behind the scenes leg-work and requires little or no from the sponsor. She understands that entrepreneurs are busy and over time has perfected this system with an utility and choice course of. Please think about partnering with FYD and sponsoring an upcoming grant.

WFLA Information Anchor Rebecca Barry interviewed Karen at Josephs Tea Room and Store in Clearwater. Homeowners, Shannon and Gerby Joseph are former Fulfill Your Future grant recipients. WFLA will proceed to disclose the remaining three finalists at 4pm every Wednesday all through March; culminating on Mar twenty ninth with their announcement of the native winner on their 5pm present. Tune in every Wednesday to be taught extra about every of those WFLA Exceptional Ladies Finalists. Watch WFLA on Wednesday, March twenty ninth and be taught who they’ve chosen as their 2023 Exceptional Lady who will then go on to compete on the nationwide stage.

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Fulfill Your Future provides a “Second Probability” to residents whose potential to work has been lower quick by damage or unexpected circumstances. Working with zero administrative overhead, we prolong assist to underserved residents with nowhere to show. Since 2010, we have now provided “Second Possibilities” enabling residents to attain independence and fulfill their future. Fulfill Your Future’s signature program is its ‘Enterprise Builder Grants’. Fulfill Your Future has pioneered ‘Enterprise Builder Grants’ awarding these grants to confirmed entrepreneurs who’ve skilled life altering occasions and need to take their companies to the following stage. www.fulfillyourdestiny.org

For extra info, press, grant sponsorship or charity allignment solely:
KAREN S GILLMAN
813.716.1166
[email protected]

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