VALERIE DENEEN – OCTOBER 13, 2016
Valerie Deneen delivered her classification talk at the October 13, 2016 meeting of Emmaus Rotary Club. Valerie acknowledged Jerry Friedman as her sponsor and cited Rotary’s traditions as being important to her membership.
Valerie told an engaging story of her parents meeting as high school students. Her mother was an exchange student in the USA from Argentina. Three days before her mother’s return to South America, Valerie’s father finally worked up the nerve to show his interest. In the ensuing three days, they grew closer and even discussed names of future children! What transpired thereafter was a five-year intercontinental romance carried on entirely through weekly letters and cassette recordings. During this time, Valerie's father served in the U.S. Air Force and her mother worked in the tourism industry. Valerie’s dad finally proposed on one of his cassette recordings (which was delivered along with roses). Valerie’s parents married soon thereafter and enjoyed 40 years together before her father passed away a few years ago. Because of her parents’ story, Valerie is fascinated with how people connect.
Valerie made her own connection with Mark when they were both working part-time at the Bucknell University computer center. They have been married for 15 years and have two daughters – Emily (12) and Clara (8). After working as a computer engineer, Valerie transitioned to the digital publishing world and formed her own company - Inner Child Fun Media LLC.
Valerie shared several life lessons she learned from her father. Rather than receive an allowance while a child, Valerie was told to find jobs that needed done and bargain with her father on the amount she would be paid to complete the job. This taught her the value of initiative and negotiation.
Valerie celebrates her birthday in a very admirable way. Rather than be the recipient of gifts, Valerie performs an act of kindness for each year she has been alive. Her reward is the happiness and smiles of others generated by her generosity of spirit.
Valerie is clearly a gifted storyteller. During her talk, she shared numerous anecdotes about her life and family. Along the way, we learned that Valerie loves to fingerpaint (using oils), has a deep connection to cardboard (for all sorts of craft projects including one amazing “gingerbread” house), appears regularly in local, regional and national media, and – along with her girls – never misses an opportunity to be “fabulous.”
Valerie ended her talk with pictures and stories from her family’s “Great American Roadshow” from this past summer. Valerie and her family were away for 20 days, visited 6 national parks, drove over 6000 miles, and enjoyed numerous sunrise hikes. We learned that Clara had a knack for just the right words of encouragement for others on the hiking trail and fulfilled a hilarious, but very down-to-earth goal for each state she visited.