An angel story

Maureen Bashaw, a Fort Myers icon, is in my opinion an "Angel." I say this because she has made this city better artistically and au-tistically. Yes, you read that right. Artistically as a muchadmired Fort Myers drama critic and

au-tistically because of her role in prodding schools to provide special classes for autistic children, one of whom is her own.

The Angel designation is bestowed by the Women's Legacy Fund of the Southwest Florida Community Foundation to honor special women. It was my privilege to donate the requisite $1,000 to the WLF and give that encomium to my friend Maureen.

I've admired her ever since we worked together in newspapers. I thought her well-crafted critiques accurately interpreted and rated the plays staged at local theaters. She is the only theater critic I know who included audience reaction in her reviews. For 31 years, she enriched the performing arts experience here and was a founder of the Lee County Alliance for the Arts.

In addition to her newspaper work, British-born Maureen and her husband, Richard Bashaw, one-time city councilman, worked tirelessly to improve life for autistic children. Their fourth child, Ian, was diagnosed with autism at age 6.

"There was little being done for these children," said Maureen, "so, we and other parents fought to have the Lee County school system create special classes for autistic kids. Now, there are special classes through high school."

Richard Bashaw died in 2001, and now Maureen and her daughter Beth Cameron carry on together to manage the Adonis Autism Center of Southwest Florida.

So, for these reasons I nominated her as an Angel. She exemplifies the mission of the Women's Legacy Fund: to improve the quality of life in Southwest Florida from a woman's perspective. Maureen received special recognition at the Women's Legacy Fund annual spring luncheon on May 15, along with several other Angels honored by their families.

Sixty-four local women make up the 2008-2009 fiscal year membership of The Women's Legacy Fund, who contribute annually as Patrons ($25-$249) or Benefactresses ($250 or more.) Half of the contributions go to building an endowment fund and half go to grants that are awarded annually at the spring luncheon.

Last year, WLF awarded its first grants, which totaled $15,000 going to organizations that emphasized literacy programs. Recipients were Brightest Horizons Child Development Center,

Community Cooperative Ministries, Literacy Council of Bonita Springs, and Amigos en Cristo Inc.

This year's grant focus was in the area of mental health. Julia East, president and CEO of the Southwest Florida Community Foundation,

says, "It is

most fitting that the Women's Legacy Fund is looking at mental health needs — for too long overlooked and underserved." Recipients of this year's grants were Lee Mental Health Center, receiving $10,000 to provide counseling for women who are uninsured, and to Community Awareness in Recognizing & Educating on Suicide, receiving $1,500 to develop a public service announcement that will aid in the prevention of suicide.

If you are interested in joining the Women's Legacy Fund or in designating a special woman as a WLF Angel, call Arlene Knox at the Community Foundation at 274-5900, or e-mail her at aknox@floridacommunity.com.

Th e Southwest Florida Community Foundation has been supporting the communities of Lee, Charlotte, Collier, Glades and Hendry through endowed funds for 33 years and during that time has provided more than $39.5 million in grants and scholarships to the communities it serves. For more information, please call 274-5900, or visit our Web site at www.floridacommunity.com.

Rusty Brown is a Fort Myers writer/ dramatist who performs her original one-woman shows throughout Florida. She is a former nationally-syndicated newspaper columnist and author of the book, "Women as We See Ourselves."