By Samantha Cart
The Junior League of Charleston (JLC) will be hosting its second annual Women on the Move (WOTM) fundraiser on Tuesday, May 5, 2015 at the Woman’s Club of Charleston. This year’s event theme will focus on the STEAM movement, encouraging interest in the areas of science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.
“STEAM is a movement championed and widely adopted by many institutions, corporations and individuals,” says Tiffany Hoke, president-elect of the JLC. “It represents an integrated and multidisciplinary approach to education, and with the emerging significance of STEAM in our economy and in our world, women are taking an increasingly important role in these industries.”
The WOTM event will host a networking reception followed by a panel format and feature many guest panelists, including Kathy D’Antoni, assistant superintendent of schools for the West Virginia Department of Education and the Division of Technical and Adult Education Services; Betty King, vice president of Operations and Education for the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra; Carolyn Long, campus president at West Virginia University’s Institute of Technology; JLC Member Dr. Christen Simpson Raynes, a dentist at Simpson Dental, and guest moderator Anne Barth, executive director of TechConnect West Virginia.
Last year’s event was a great success and raised just under $10,000 for JLC’s signature project, Backpack Buddies. This program provides underprivileged children in Charleston and the surrounding area with meals during the weekends and holiday breaks, a cause that the JLC has been funding for the past three years. This year’s proceeds will be used to help fund Backpack Buddies; however, the JLC has also partnered with Sojourners, a local women’s shelter. The shelter encourages and supports women getting back on their feet by practicing interview skills and teaching proper workplace dress.
“The JLC has always been interested in building a better community,” says Hoke. “We have been committed to promoting volunteerism, developing the potential of women and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Our purpose is purely charitable, and our focus is on addressing issues affecting women and children in our area.”
While fundraising is the main priority of the event, JLC members hope to target woman of all ages, from college students to seasoned professionals, and encourage them to get involved in STEAM.
Tickets to the event are $30 per person and $15 for students and include unlimited food and beverages. To purchase tickets, visit www.jlcharlestonwv.org. For more information about the event, email JLCWomenontheMove@gmail.com.
About the Author
Samantha Cart is a native of Buffalo, WV and graduated from West Virginia University with a master’s degree in 2014. She currently lives in Birmingham, AL with her husband and works as a blogger for Atkins & Ogle Law Offices, LC and a writer and editor for Sweet Relish.
