The YWCA of Oahu honored 11 outstanding women to honor as community leaders at a luncheon recently, and is encouraging the public to contribute their thoughts about them via a Web site.

“;The LeaderLuncheon theme this year is based on the principle that it takes a community to raise a leader. In turn, the leader raises the community,”; said Cheryl Kauhane Lupenui, president of the YWCA of Oahu.

The 2009 honorees are:

» Erlinda M. Cachola, M.D., Cachola Medical Clinic.

» Suzanne D. Case, executive director of Nature Conservancy of Hawaii.

» Anna Elento-Sneed, Alston Hunt Floyd & Ing.

» Signe A. Godfrey, president of Olsten Staffing Services.

» Marsha Graham, chief of medical management at Tripler Army Medical Center.

» Janice Kalanihuia, president of Molokai General Hospital.

» Melody K. MacKenzie, assistant professor of law at the William S. Richardson School of Law.

» Diane J. Plotts, vice chairwoman of the Board of Trustees for Kamehameha Schools.

» Virginia M. Pressler, M.D., executive vice president of Hawaii Pacific Health.

» Indru Watumull, community volunteer.

The YWCA also honored the late Mary “;Sue”; Wesselkamper, former president of Chaminade University, with a Lifetime Achievement award.

People can write about their experiences with the honorees at www.raisemyleader.org.