Werling Anita Werling of Delphi is among nine women from the Greater Lafayette area who were honored Tuesday evening by the

YWCA Greater Lafayette for their achievements and contributions to their community.

She was recognized at the annual YWCA Salute to Women Banquet held at the Purdue Memorial Union Ballrooms, West Lafayette.

Award recipients were selected based on outstanding and inspirational achievement in volunteer and/or professional roles, community involvement, and leadership/role modeling qualities.

After retiring several years ago, Werling relocated to Delphi and quickly became a leader in the movement to revitalize the small town and return it to its days as a center of cultural and business activity.

Currently chair of the Delphi Preservation Society’s Opera House Advisory Board, she has taken on the task of raising $4.1 million to restore the Opera House, which was once an architectural gem. The goal is to make it a performing arts venue and to include space for retail use, art exhibits, and community meetings. She works closely with other organizations, including the Carroll County Historical Society, the Wabash & Erie Canal Association, Delphi Main Street, and the Leadership Carroll County task force.

With Bonnie Maxwell she co-edited the book “Carroll County, Indiana Legacy, 1824-2005.”

Her previous professional career was spent in the library and information publishing world, with University Microfilms International in Michigan and with Cine- Books Inc. in Illinois, where she served as president. She also was a consultant for library and archival service organizations and ran a business offering planning and marketing services.

On the side Werling enjoys music and performs with the Carroll County Community Band, the Lafayette Flute Choir, and a local saxophone quartet.

The evening’s keynote speaker was Chicago Sky Assistant Coach Stephanie White, who is also an analyst for the Big Ten Network. She spoke about her efforts to work for equality and respect for women in sports and sports entertainment.

The first Salute to Women awards dinner was held on March 15, 1974. During its first two and a half decades, the Salute to Women program was coordinated by several local women’s organizations and in 2000, the YWCA became the sole sponsoring organization.

After the 2010 awards are presented, 258 women will have received Salute to Women awards.