SANDPOINT — The five criteria for nominating a Woman of Wisdom are very concise: vision and collaboration, love of learning, commitment to the community, dedicated leadership, inspiration to others, and facing life and its challenges with grace, courage, dignity, integrity and honor. And, she needs to be over 65 years of age.

Chosen to be the 2016 Women of Wisdom honorees are Brenda Hammond, Carolyn Gleason, Leata Judd, Marguerite Suttmeier and Ruth Wimberly. Each of these women contributes unselfishly to make our community a better place to live.

“Every candidate nominated this year deserves this recognition,” Kari Saccomanno, Women Honoring Women committee chair, said. “So although choosing our five WOWs is hard every year, this year the selection was even more intense because our candidate pool doubled.”

Saccomanno said that the committee was shocked that there were so many nominees although perhaps they shouldn’t be surprised considering the number of amazing women in Bonner County. But, in the end, the 24 potential honorees had to be whittled down to five deserving women.

People often ask how the nominees are chosen. The committee, made up of 24 women ages mid-30s to mid-80s score the nomination letters and then meet to discuss each candidate and to come to consensus on who will be honored.

“When we discuss each candidate, it is interesting how each committee member picks up different details from the same letters. The discussion is lively and we are all in awe of each and every candidate,” Saccomanno said.

“From the very beginning of this achievement award, the committee has done everything possible to prevent it from being a popularity contest,” Saccomanno said. “We select our candidates using the five criteria. We stick strictly to the contents of the nomination letters submitted.”

She also said that she encourages those who wrote letters for women who weren’t chosen this year to submit them again next year as the voting was very close.

“Each of the nominees had strengths that would qualify her as a Woman of Wisdom and the committee would like to hear more about each of them,” Saccomanno said.

This year’s five chosen women will be honored at a gala luncheon to be held on Saturday, June 18 at 11:30 a.m. at Tango Café in the Columbia Bank Building. Contact Diane Stockton for reservations at 208-290-6362 or at Stockton_diane@yahoo.com.