Marg Renaud and Char Tosi at the WW 10th Anniversary Celebration

"Marg is glue to the (WW) Web," Char Tosi wrote in September, 2007, suggesting an interview with Marg. This statement sounded very intriguing to me. Having heard Marg's name only now and then over the years. I wanted to find out who she was and what she did that was considered pivotal to Woman Within.

Marg was born and grew up in Canada within a 25 mile radius of where she is living now. She married her high-school sweetheart at age 18. She has been married for over 37 years and has two daughters, both of whom are married. Marg is also the grandmother of a very active young man named Trent and step-grandmother to Trevor, daughter Tracie's stepson. Marg's youngest daughter, Jenny, was married in early April, 2007 in Costa Rica.

From left: Mike, Jenny (the newlyweds), Tracie, Rod, Trevor, Marg, Ken, with Trent in front of Marg, in Costa Rica for Mike and Jenny's wedding.

Marg Renaud and Maxine Sutcliffe, circa 1992

In January-February, 1991, Marg was one of the first women from Canada to go through the Woman Within Training Weekend (WWTW). Marg says she became more adventurous because of Woman Within. Before her WWTW, Marg believes she was not in control of her own life. She was very shy, did not know how to pump the gas for her own car and would never drive on the highway. Today, Marg travels across the United States and abroad, staffing several WWTW weekends as well as one WWII Weekend each each year.

Soon after Marg's WW Initiation in 1991, the Initiated women in Canada started a drive to bring Woman Within to Canada and establish the WW Canada Region. According to Marg, "Maxine Sutcliffe was very instrumental in getting our e-circle set up here in Windsor, and brining WW to Canada.  She made those famous Welsh cakes that staff all wanted when they came to Canada to staff.  This photo (above) is from our very early Canada weekends at Chelsea house, our first site. Maxine was always telling a funny joke or story."

The Canadian region was the first WW region established outside of Wisconsin. The new Canada region had a lot of energy and drive and held many WWTW's, with over 720 women participating over the years. Both of Marg's daughters, Jenny and Tracie, went through the WWTW together. Marg said this shared experience brought both girls closer together.

From left: Marg Renaud, Katrina Taee (first president of the UK region), Char Tosi, Joyce Brahm (first president of the Midwest region), Trudy Herolz (first president of the Texas/SW region) , Karen Kahn Wilson (first president of the East Coast region)

Soon after Char moved to Michigan in the mid 1990's, Marg started helping her by working on the Web newsletter gradually taking on more and more of the office work that Char had taken care of. In the summer of 1999, Marg took over all of the office administrative work for WW International. She continues to work in that position and has expanded it over the years.

Women who are interested in going through the WWTW weekend often call Marg at the WWI office, looking for more information about the WW Weekends. It was obvious during our conversation that Marg truly enjoys talking about Woman Within. Marg has taken every workshop that WW offers and loves promoting Woman Within trainings to anyone who calls. Marg takes care of all of the administrative work for Woman Within International, bringing all the details together. She says she loves the freedom of working from her home office, staying so closely connected to Woman Within as well as the flexible hours. (Char maintains that Marg puts in "countless hours.")

Marg Renaud and Yvonne Taylor (UK) at South Africa WWTW

Following two interviews with Marg conducted several months apart over the past year, I can see that she really is "the glue to the (WW)Web." I would also call Marg, "a rock." She has no interest in facilitation work but knows how to hold together the organization for the women who create processes and walk gently into women"s hearts and souls on each Woman Within weekend.

Marg is the one who makes sure the wheel keeps moving, the Web keeps spinning, She maintains thousands of delicate Web strands to keep the the whole intact and working.

When I asked Marg what is most important in her life outside of her family, she said that her friends are very important to her, especially her WW friends, including Char Tosi. She continues to keep in touch with the friends she has had since her late teens -- they dated at the same time and together, were married about the same time, traveled together and their kids grew up together.

I ask what she would change about her life. She says she would exercise more and eat right . . . and, "it would be nice to have a pink Hummer, all mine, no husband thing." She recently moved to a new home further away from her usual familiar territory. She would like things to remain the same for a while, her life continuing to revolve around her daughters, their families and her friends. She would like to stay connected to Woman Within, as she has for the past 18 years.

Mary Walilko
(WWTW Dec. 1996, Lake Delavan, WI)
Email: ww.heartbeat@gmail.com