Joanie Ostendorf received the Valiant Woman Award from Platteville Area Church Women United.
Ostendorf was described as “the Energizer bunny for both community and church activities.” While raising her children with husband Dean, Joanie was the assistant treasurer for the City of Platteville until Dean bought a tree service business and asked Joanie to be his bookkeeper. At the same time she was the treasurer of the St. Mary Council of Catholic Women and very active in the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary. Joanie mentored many upcoming officers in both church and VFW organizations. Her willing spirit and dedication to baking (including cooking for funeral dinners), cleaning, sewing and working in groups with fellow members inspired many to do more.
Her family remembers that even though Joanie was very involved in many organizations her family always came first, from playing cards with daughter Lisa’s friends, working at the sheltered workshop with Lisa, running countless errands for grandchildren and just being a shoulder to lean on. At one point Joanie was active in the Mazzuchelli Citizens, a workshop for developmentally delayed adults. She went to bazaars and with the adults sold the crafts they had made in the workshop. Daughter Lisa and her friends assist Joanie with the St. Mary Sewing ladies who make quilts for needy groups.
“Joanie is a faith-filled Christian who lives her faith through prayer and action,” said Dee Wolff, one of the two people who nominated Ostendorf. “She may be tired but she will never let you know it. She has a pleasant smile and goes day by day with the grace of God to lead her. She is most appreciated by those who know her because of her encouraging demeanor and offering of new and improved ways to achieve goals. Whether it is distributing the memorial poppies for the VFW Auxiliary or American Legion Auxiliary Joanie is there. For St. Mary Parish events Joanie contributes countless hours of work and donations. Joanie has also been active in Church Women United activities and recently baked apple crisp for the state meeting in Platteville. If anyone would need a mentor to guide them both in civic and church matters Joanie certainly is the one.”
The aim of Church Women United is to gather in prayer and fellowship and create awareness of human needs that Church Women United can better for the general welfare of the community.
Platteville Area Church Women United is open to all women of the churches in the Platteville area. Participating churches pay dues and work on local and worldwide humanitarian service projects while praying together as a faith-filled group at meeting sites throughout the year. The group has a board of directors and sets up a schedule for the host church sites and the program presenters for the four main meetings of the year. A human rights meeting is held in January, a World Day of Prayer assembly is held in March, a Friendship Day meeting is held in May, and World Community Day is held in November.
The Platteville Area Church Women United Group hosted the Church Women United of Wisconsin meeting in September. Platteville Church Women United recently gave monetary donations to Southwest Opportunities Center, the Platteville Food Pantry, Habitat of Grant County, Clarity Clinic, Family Advocates and Wisconsin Badger Camp.
