Northwestern College | Classic magazine - Winter 2004-05 - Vol. 76 ...

Peggy BilstenNorthwestern ClassicAlumniprofileone-year term) in 1997 andagain this year.Unsurprisingly for a formerstay-at-home mom, daycareprovider and educator,Bilsten is passionate aboutfamily issues, especiallydomestic violence preventionand the well-being of children.Bilsten helped to establishthe Family AdvocacyCenter for victims of domesticviolence and now chairsthe Governor’s Commissionto Prevent Violence AgainstWomen. She also serves onthe boards of several childrenand family advocacy organizations.“Domestic violence isthe No. 1 call for service forour police officers, and themost dangerous,” Bilstensays. “I also read recently thatthe leading cause of death forwomen ages 19 to 41 ishomicide by a husband orpartner. It broke my heart to▼“As a teacher, I was verylimited as to what I coulddo, but as an elected official,I am able to bringattention and money to ourdomestic violence shelters.”▲learn of a young woman wholost her life in front of herchildren because her husbandfound out she hadbeen calling shelters, noneof which had any openings.Today, cookies. Tomorrow, calculus.Will she be ready? Will you?Maybe her only college thoughts today are about thosecool cheerleading outfits—or the excitement of Morningon the Green. But give her 15 years, and she’ll be thinkingabout her college education. And you’ll be wonderinghow to pay for it. Start working on that now, through theIndependent 529 Plan, and lock in tomorrow’s tuition atless than today’s price.Visit www.independent529plan.org or call 888-718-7878to learn more about this prepaid tuition program, sponsoredby Northwestern and over 200 private colleges.Future Northwestern cheerleader: Maria De Jong, daughter of Kelly andSheila (Born ’94) De Jong.“As a teacher, I was verylimited as to what I could do,but as an elected official, Iam able to bring attentionand money to our domesticviolence shelters.”Bilsten’s other top issueis transportation, which shesees as vital to the health ofthe community. She chairsthe council’s transportationsubcommittee and hasworked hard to improve thecity bus system, the Dial-a-Ride program for disabledand senior citizens, andmass transit.“If you have a poortransit system, you are notable to attract and retainnew and/or big businesses,”she says. “Without employmentopportunities, yourcommunity begins to sufferin all areas.”Bilsten credits her timeat Northwestern and inOrange City for teaching herthe value of community.“[Iowa taught me] the valuesof a small town, one whereyou didn’t have to lock yourdoors or worry about yourchildren,” she said. “Peoplewere friendly; they knewtheir neighbors. Now Iencourage people to get outof their enclosed backyardsand get to know their neighbors.Once people begin gettingto know each other, theybegin helping each other.”First things firstFor all of her accomplishments,Bilsten says herproudest achievements areher marriage and children.She and Tom, who works forSwans Foods, have beenmarried for over 20 years.“He is my best friend andsoul mate,” she says.Their son recently marriedand lives in Phoenix,while their daughter is a collegesophomore who wantsto become a missionary.Bilsten’s mother also movedto Phoenix recently afterbeing widowed. “It is truly ablessing having her in my lifeon a daily basis,” says Bilsten.Bilsten is serving her lastterm on the City Council;when it ends in 2007, she’snot sure what she will do.“But I am sure if God wantsme to continue serving thepublic, I will,” she says.27 ▲ Winter 2004-05