The Holiday Gala thrown by the Network of Entrepreneurial Women (NEW) on Wednesday, December 5 at the Seventh Mountain Resort isn’t just about celebrating the season, networking, dancing and having fun. It’s also about supporting Meadowlark Manor, a local non-profit organization dedicated to empowering troubled girls become successful young women. Their tag line says it all: Mending Lives & Restoring Hope.
The NEW membership selected Meadowlark as the recipient of its Holiday Gala proceeds at the July meeting, which always spotlights local non-profit organizations. The deciding factor was a tear-generating speech by Halee, a teenage Meadowlark resident, about how her life and sense of self had turned around during the time she had spent at the facility.
“NEW is all about supporting women to live up to their potential. Helping these girls to rise above their tough circumstances makes so much sense,” says NEW president Lisa Sloan. “At NEW, we believe in supporting and giving back to our community as much as in providing our members with business sharing opportunities, relationship building, growth and learning. With our holiday events, we can give back with the kind of dollars that really make a difference.”
Last year’s holiday event raised $ 3,617 for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), allowing the organization to train more than a dozen additional children’s advocates. That wouldn’t have been possible without contributions from NEW members as well as local businesses including Cycle Pub of Bend, Dancin’ Woofs, Kelley Real Estate, Ice Fine Jewelry and Douglas Fine Jewelry.
NEW is hoping to raise even more money this year. Meadowlark has already specified that the funds raised will go to creating educational and recreational opportunities for the girls. Silent auction items at the Holiday Gala will include $250 worth of catering from Bleu Bite Catering; an entertainment package from Wildhorse Resort & Casino consisting of a night’s stay, a round of golf for two and $55 worth of casino coupons; a full chiropractic consultation including x-rays; a one-night stay in an ocean-front room at Newport’s Hallmark Resort; a raft trip donated by NEW member Kathy Kemper-Green; a one-day Harley rental; a writing coach package from the One Stop Writing Shop and a $50 gift certificate from Bend Pine Nursery.
Of course, additional donations—or even sponsors for the holiday gala—are welcome. Sponsors will be recognized in Holiday Gala marketing materials, at the event and in post-holiday media.
The evening, which starts at 6 p.m., includes live music and dancing, heavy hors d’oeuvres, desserts, a no-host bar, a silent auction, a photo booth and more.
Tickets: networkwomen.org
$25 a person before Thanksgiving; $30 as of November 23.
For more information, please call Amanda Albrich at (541) 848-8598, check out our website at www.networkwomen.org or just come party with us (tickets are available on the website). We also invite you to join us for our regular meetings as well. NEW meets at 6 p.m. on the third Wednesday of the month at
