More than a cool city, Grand Rapids is also home of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum and resting place of Gerald Ford, the 38th President of the United States, and his wife Betty Ford.
Be inspired by Betty!
Born in 1918 (one year before Quota) she became First Lady in 1974 and demonstrated in numerous ways how one person can make a difference for so many.
Weeks after Betty became First Lady, she underwent a mastectomy for breast cancer. She chose to talk about her illness publicly, raising awareness of a disease that Americans had previously been reluctant to talk about. Her openness led more women to do self-examinations and an increase in reported cases of breast cancer, a phenomenon known as the “Betty Ford blip”.
Betty also confronted her alcoholism and addiction to opioids when she went into treatment for substance abuse. Once again she shared her journey publicly and established the world-renowned Betty Ford Center in California for the treatment of chemical dependency, including treating the children of alcoholics.
Betty Ford utilized her national role and personal experiences for the greater good. She is thoughtfully honored at the Gerald Ford Presidential Museum, just west of the Amway Grand Plaza, across the Grand River in Grand Rapids.
Betty’s legacy of turning her own pain into healing for so many is an inspiration for all Quotarians. Grand Rapids is proud to host Quota’s Convention 2020 and inspire thoughtful, significant and impactful actions worldwide.
Cathy Kaiser, Quota International of Grand Rapids.
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