Valley girls blaze in limelight to show they rock with the best
HOLTVILLE — Perhaps it was fitting Imperial Valley Girls Rock! was inaugurated in 2016, when the last glass ceiling imaginable shattered with the first nomination ever of a woman candidate leading her party’s presidential ticket.
The El Centro Chamber Foundation honored those ladies age 5 and up who strive to the highest level of personal, academic and professional accomplishment by devoting time and effort to their community in a momentous way and serve as a role model to others. Fifteen ladies assembled at the Imperial Palms Resort at Barbara Worth to be recognized for their dedication to civic engagement on Thursday evening. A better-than-expected turnout of 150 helped raise funds for college scholarships to be disbursed at the end of next spring’s term, noted Darletta Willis, chief executive officer of the El Centro Chamber of Commerce.
“We’re really excited because we wanted to reach youth more (but remember our mature ladies, too),” said Willis. “They’re our business leaders, employers and employees of the future so we wanted to make a contribution to their education.”
As the mother of two daughters honoring Valley girls is important, remarked Anne Irigoyen, one of the chamber’s directors. “My grandmother was a widow who went back to work as a teacher to care for six children,” said Irigoyen. “And my mother was a dentist so she was breaking boundaries too. I believe in women, in their ability to do anything they want to do.”
Volunteering in multiple capacities, nominee Angie Pena, a professional counselor who donates time to Dancing for a Dream, the fundraiser for children with cancer, said acknowledgement by the community inspires her to serve in whatever capacity she is capable. “It’s a positive thing that ladies stand up with whatever skills they have and use them for the good of the community.”
Reet Goyal on the varsity golf team at Brawley Union High School is another nominee, and arrived at the event straight from golf practice. “I think it’s a great program to recognize all the special things girls do,” she said.
Frequently giving of her time and effort to the community is typical of nominee Anne Britschgi. “I started working at the chamber this summer and it was fun helping those out who don’t know the area or how to do business with the city,” said Anne.
There are just phenomenal girls in the Valley, said Kati Luna still another nominee. “It’s a wonderful event to highlight girls in Imperial and what they do for the community,” she said.
The youngest nominee, Maya Lara, a kindergartner at the Hedrick School, an experienced artist, kept busy during dinner drawing with her assorted box of felt markers. “I love to dance the hula and I’ve been dancing since I was a baby.”
Speaking for many at the event, Carla Kuhns, another chamber board member said, “You need to instill in young girls that they matter from a very young age.”