04/01/2023
March’s “Strong Woman of Fuquay-Varina”, Wanda Weeks Denning, is a very special friend of mine. I know you will enjoy reading about her involvement in our community as well as Raleigh and throughout Wake County. She is an amazing volunteer!!
You have been recognized as a strong woman in our community. One that represents leadership, assertiveness, resourcefulness, and integrity. You are “a dash more”.
• What do you feel are some of the characteristics of a strong woman?
A strong woman is courageous, productive, knows who she is, builds others up and is not afraid to
stand up for what she believes.
• Family
• Tell us about your family. What makes you most proud of your family?
I grew up in the Willow Springs area . . . my family has been in the area since 1792! I have two brothers and a sister. We were reared by good parents and especially had a strong woman for a mother. I am married to Mickey Denning, who grew up in Cary. We have two daughters, a granddaughter and a grandson. My daughters are both strong independent women. When my extended family gets together, which is quite often, there are about 50 of us!
• Volunteer work.
• Do you participate in any volunteer work within our community? If so, how? And how does the work of your volunteer organization support communities?
I am a “fulltime” volunteer. My daughters used to say that I was a stay-at-home mom who was never home! Most of my volunteering is in the area of education. . . children and adults.
K-12 education:
1. I chair the F-V Chamber of Commerce’s Education Council, working with our eleven area schools to coordinate their needs with the support of the business community.
2. I co-chair the School to Career Council for WCPSS, working with businesses countywide to ensure that the education of our students is aligned with the world of work. Higher Education:
3. I serve a State President of NCECA, a volunteer organization with ties to NCSU – College of Ag and Life Sciences (CALS), whose purpose is to strengthen families and communities through leadership development, community action and education support from NCSU.
4. I co-chair the Family Consumer Science Foundation with CALS.
5. With ties to NC Cooperative Extension, I chair the Wake County Advisory Council and sit on the Southern Wake Food Security Coalition, a team to address the food insecurity in southern Wake County.
6. I serve on the Wake Tech Board of Visitors
Other:
7. I represent the F-V area on the Wake County Library Commission
8. And have just rotated off as Chair of the Church Council at First UMC, where I help with Vacation Bible School and was intimately involved with the landscape renovation project.
• How do you balance work, family, and volunteering? I have a very supportive husband who helped with the children when they were young. With grown children, I have more time but most activity is during the day with little or no evening events. My husband is still very supportive of my involvement.
• Hobbies
• Do you have any hobbies? (If so) what drew you to those hobbies?
I enjoy sewing, needlework and spending time at the beach. My Mother and grandmother taught me to sew, crochet, cross-stitch, etc. I made a lot everything I wore from the age of 6. I love spending time with family at the beach!
• Inspiration or mentor in your life
• Who do you look up to for inspiration or mentorship? Most of the strong women that I was inspired by have passed away. Even so, they were servant leaders who offered encouragement. I had a village of encouragers growing up including my mom and teachers. In my adulthood, Dr Judy Mock and Dr Linda McCutchen, both at NCSU, were great mentors. For years, I’ve looked to my aunt, Mollie Stephenson for inspiration.
• What do you feel are the most important attributes of successful leaders (or business/small business owners) today?
They inspire others, have good communication skills, they encourage strategic thinking and embrace innovation.
• What motivates you??
• How do you motivate yourself despite obstacles?
Education and community service are my passion. I thrive on learning new skills and creatively finding ways to solve problems. Tell me it can’t be done and watch me!
• What one thing makes you most proud? About seven years ago, I was in a meeting at the Raleigh Chamber and found out that Fuquay-Varina was about the only larger municipality without a youth leadership program. I immediately came back to our high school and the Chamber, and we set out on a journey to create one. We are in our 7th year and work with both local high schools and have served about 150 students. Our program differs from others as we focus on students who fly just under the radar . . . not high achievers and not those needing additional help.
• Part of growth is taking risks. Can you think of a risk you took that you wished you hadn’t? What did you learn from it and how did it motivate you to do things differently?
Taking risks opens new opportunities and builds resilience. I ran for Board of Education several years back and lost. Worst experience of my life! After the election, Jack Senter told me, “The good Lord just did you a favor!” I learned that I could make almost as much difference behind the scenes as I could sitting on the Board. I continue to advocate for our schools, teachers and students.
• Is there a book that you have read that motivated you?
Most of what I read are books on leadership development. A couple that come to mind are The Leadership Secrets of Santa Claus by Eric Harvey and Tough Cookies: Leadership Lessons from 100 Years of the Girl Scouts by Kathy Cloninger
Prepared by Amy Massengill
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