Dorothy Schleimer is still dancing by Horst Cerni

On Sunday, March 22nd, our former colleague Dorothy Schleimer celebrated her 97th birthday. Her friend and colleague Joan Lassalle was able to reach her on Monday by telephone and said:

"I just spoke to Frank, Dorothy's caregiver. He was with Dorothy at the Rehab care home with other residents having another birthday bash. I also spoke to Dorothy and she's in good spirits. She can dance again. All is well and I'm happy for her. She's very appreciative that people still remember her."

Dorothy was the heart and soul of the original reunions of former UNICEF staff. They called themselves WAWIG reunions—the "We Are Worth It Group". The idea took root in 1989, and two years later, in 1991, the first official reunion was held in Philadelphia.

Dorothy was unanimously chosen as coordinator.

Reunions where organized by a retiree in his or her neighborhood. When no one else stepped forward, Dorothy hosted six reunions herself—including a cruise to the Bahamas in 2001 and one in her hometown Myrtle Beach in 2009. In 1999 and again in 2010, the reunions were held on St.Croix,

Although WAWIG originally focused on former colleagues in the U.S., it gradually evolved into the broader xUNICEF community. As that transition unfolded, Dorothy gradually stepped back from organizing.

The 2010 reunion on St. Croix may have been her last official involvement, but our friendship continued. She even joined us for our Golden Wedding Anniversary in 2013, She visited St.Croix again via a cruise the following year. She loved cruising and dancing, and the group she usually joined named her the "Dancing Queen." We are delighted to know that she is still able to dance which probably helped her to stay fit.