The Apopka Area Chamber of Commerce celebrated Women's History Month with its annual Women Success luncheon on Wednesday, March 19, at Highland Manor in Apopka. The event celebrated incredible women leaders, such as Eileen Ricketson, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award for her 45 years of dedication to the community.

Remembering Eileen Ricketson

Eileen Ricketson has been a community leader for many years. She was a key part of The Apopka Chief newspaper, where she managed subscriptions, ad bills, and legal notices. She also ran the family business Apopka Office Supply store. When her husband, John Ricketson, passed away in July 2024, she rallied even harder to serve women, ensuring the newspaper was still accessible to the community. She recently sold both The Apopka Chief and The Planter newspapers to Mainstreet Daily News, which is owned by MARC Media in Orlando, just last month.

At lunch, Ricketson's youngest son Jamey read her acceptance speech. He conveyed her message and sincere thank you:

"Mom wanted to say thank you to all of you. She penned it because none of us can say it, so I'm doing my best," Jamey Ricketson said.

Eileen showed gratitude for the blessings and support of the community. "My prayer is that you are able to continue making this community be all that God would have it be," she said.

Eileen is from Maryland. She and John Ricketson were married on March 20, 1964, at a military base. They later moved to Florida and had three sons—twins Jerry and Joey, born in 1969, and Jamey, born in 1971. John was the publisher of The Apopka Chief in 1982 and worked diligently for the paper to thrive, and Eileen assisted him.

Inspiring Speech by Laura Halfpenny

Laura Halfpenny, senior director of soccer success for the U.S. Soccer Federation, provided a moving keynote address. She challenged nearly 100 attendees to think about their values and to focus on developing their skills for women's achievement.

Halfpenny devised a game of "Rock, Paper, Scissors" to determine key characteristics of success. "Rock" stood for standing firm in belief and community, "paper" stood for being receptive to success and listening to other individuals, and "scissors" stood for releasing unnecessary items to focus on the essentials.

"It's not stubbornness. It's about believing in something," Halfpenny explained. "Ask yourself, 'What do I need to defend?'"

She also discussed how important it is to prioritize and manage time effectively. "Think about time because time is limited. We can't get more of it," she said to us. "Ask yourself, 'What can you give up today?'"

Halfpenny has worked in effective positions in various soccer associations, including Georgia State Soccer Association and Orlando City Youth Soccer Club. She now directs strategic programs to expand the footprint of soccer across the U.S.

Celebrating Success

The Women Success luncheon was successful. It united people in the community to celebrate women's success, such as Eileen Ricketson. Individuals in the community were inspired by speakers such as Laura Halfpenny. The event showed the significance of success, giving back, and empowering women in Apopka and globally. The Apopka Chief, an award-winning weekly newspaper established in 1923, continues to thrive.