Pocketbook of opportunities
Power of the Purse fundraiser honors women of impact
This year’s Power of the Purse fundraiser was a bit different from those in the past.
Rather than a luncheon, the Sept. 27 event was a dinner. Held in the Wally Allen Ballroom of Little Rock’s Statehouse Convention Center, the 25-year celebration of the organization was packed with attendees who’d been encouraged to wear a “POP of color.” And the event featured not just a handful of honorees, but “the Top 100 Women of Impact in Arkansas” … educators; health-care professionals; corporate, government and nonprofit executives; business owners, publishers and others from throughout the state.
Sharon Tallach Vogelpohl and her daughter, Carson Tallach Vogelpohl, co-chaired the evening, whose program began with a welcome by WFA CEO Anna Beth Gorman and WFA board chairwoman Jill Floyd and featured a series of onstage interviews. Following a WFA video retrospective was a chat with founding member Ellon Cockrill, who recalled being asked to decorate for an early foundation event even though “I don’t do fluff.” She encouraged other women to step out of their comfort zones.
Honoree Dr. Jerrilyn Jones and daughter Jordyn Jones weighed in on WFA’s Girls of Promise initiative, which helps women and girls reach full economic potential by introducing girls to opportunities and mentors in STEAM, or science, technology, engineering, arts and math. Co-founder Olivia Farrell spoke on the creation of the Top 100 Women due to the lack of women on boards of directors back in 1994. Gorman shared her hopes for the foundation’s future prior to a film in which various other women shared theirs.
The evening also featured a slide show featuring the honorees and included drawings for prizes.