October — harvest moon month, Halloween month, “autumn’s really here” month — is also proving to be a good month for Idaho women in the nonprofit world.

First, there’s Ann Kirkwood. Kirkwood, who now specializes in rural mental health and stigma, suicide prevention, disabilities, and communication technology as a senior research associate for Idaho State University, has been a long-time advocate for mental health. She’s won many awards, including an International George Peabody Award in 2000 and a NAMI public information award for a documentary, “Hearts and Minds,” concerning teens and mental illness.

This month, she’ll add another award to her collection.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA) honored her with a Consumer Leadership Award at the 2009 Voice Awards in Los Angeles, CA. She’s among only four recipients of the national prize, given to those who go beyond the call of duty to raise awareness and understanding of mental health issues and promote the social inclusion of people with mental health problems.

Also working to improve the lives of Idahoans is Sister RoseMary Boessen, R.S.M., of the Diocese of Boise. The Catholic Church Extension Society is presenting her with the 2009 Lumen Christi Award, the nation’s highest honor given annually to a missionary, in recognition of her exceptional service to the poor and isolated in southern Idaho.

Sister RoseMary, who lives in Twin Falls, has spent her professional life developing religious education programs, establishing a group foster home for teenage girls, ministering to prisoners, and supporting and empowering the growing Latino population in the area.

In 1993, Sr. RoseMary founded La Posada, a nonprofit organization that assists Latino living in the diocese. In 2008 alone, La Posada programs served 3,000 people.

Lumen Christi Award nominations are accepted from bishops of more than 80 mission dioceses that receive support from Catholic Extension. This year, 36 individuals were nominated. Sister RoseMary was chosen by a panel of Church leaders, Catholic Extension donors and past recipients of the award.

Finally, add the name Marian Blake Rowe to your list of cool Idahoans.

The 69-year-old resident of Gooding, left in September for Paraguay and a 27-month stint with the Peace Corps. On the job, Rowe will help farming families learn about sustainable food production, and increasing their crop yields.

Rowe taught high school Spanish and biology, and already has some Peace Corps experience under her belt. In the 1950s, she joined the Corps and worked in Morocco as a large animal scientist.

Rowe is the grandmother of six, and the mother of Marine Capt. Alan Blake Rowe, 35, who died in 2004, when a bomb went off as he returned from inspecting a bridge in al-Anbar province, Iraq.

“I feel strongly motivated to promote cross-cultural awareness and understanding as our only hope for eventual peaceful co-existence among an increasingly globalized population," Rowe said before she left for Paraguay.

She joins 36 other Idahoans currently serving around the world in the Corps.