April
12, 2014

Safe Connections’ Together! Engaging Women, Enpowering Girls

Story by Midge Greenberg

Photos by Midge Greenberg

Safe Connections' Together! Engaging Women, Enpowering Girls

at Ritz Carlton, St. Louis benefiting Safe Connections at 9:30 AM

Safe Connections’ Together! Engaging Women, Enpowering Girls

Safe Connections hosted its annual Together! Engaging Women/Empowering Girls Brunch at the Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis, Saturday, April 12, 2014. Together!   offered a morning of camaraderie for women, mothers and daughters. It celebrated the strenghth of women, culminating with the first-hand stories of successful women who are living exceptional lives.

The morning always begins with incredible “shopping”. Guests grabbed their coffee and browsed through more than 100 must-have auction items. This year, bidders could text and monitor their bids through their phones, not hovering over the auction tables. If any one felt uncomfortable with this procedure, assistants came to the rescue with I-Pads. Besides serious bidding, a photo booth remained available for fun group or solo pictures.

After a gourmet breakfast, guests heard from several stoic women who shared their personal stories of struggles and success. The event benefitted Safe Connections and its mission to reduce the impact and incidence of relationship violence and sexual assault through education, crisis intervention, counseling and support services. Ekon Benefits repeated as presenting sponsor.

The panelists engaged in a conversation that inspired, educated, and entertained the audience. The group featured:

  • Bella and Lily Ibur, teen sisters with an indie-pop album, Count to Ten
  • Kim Hudson, FOX2 News reporter and print journalist
  • Betty Sims, former state senator and women’s pioneer

Back by popular demand, Rachel Lippmann, Reporter, St. Louis Public Radio, served as the moderator. She prompted each panelist to share poignant moments and intimate details about her background.

 

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Event Info

  • Event Chairs:

    Jill Powell

  • Executive Director:

    Susan D. Kidder, MS

  • President/CEO:

    Crystal Kennedy, Esq. Board Chair

  • Staff:

    Janet Amitin, MSW, LCSW, Therapist; Amanda Antenucci, MSW, LCSW, Youth Services Manager; Lynne Bealke, MSW, LCSW, Therapist; Ilene Bloom-Ellis, MSW, LCSW, ACSW, Director of Clinical Services; Terrell Borum, MSW, Prevention Groups Coordinator; Carla Brown, Business Administrative Assistant; Stephanie Brown-Bohlen, Clinical Administrative Assistant; Holly Turk Collier, MSW, LMSW, Adolescent Therapist; Kaleigh Cornelison, MSW, LMSW, Project HART Coordinator; Deb Cottin, Director of Development and Marketing; Catherine Cox, Crisis Helpline Advocate; Germitrious Dixon, Guys Group Facilitator/Prevention Educator; Liz Fales, MA, Crisis and Community Outreach Manager; Katie Flaschar, Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator; Karrie Flowers, Business Director; Michael Gall, MSW, Guys Group Facilitator/Prevention Educator; Ashleah Gilmore, MSW, Lead Prevention Educator; Rachel Glass, M.Ed., LPC, Therapist; Heidi Harbin, MA, ATR, LPC, Adolescent Therapist; Mindy Harms-Coleman, MA, LPC, Therapist; Gina Howe, MA, LPC, Adult Clinical Manager; Randall Jenson, LGBTQ Youth Advocate; Susan D. Kidder, MS, Executive Director; Jeannine Lamb, M.Ed., LPC, Therapist; Margie Lewitt, MSW, LCSW, Adolescent Therapist; Kerrie Lintner, Prevention Educator; Sameera Malik, MSW, LMSW, Support Services Therapist; Sean Marz, MA, Crisis Helpline Advocate; Allison McDonald, Development Specialist; Sandra Miller, MSW, LMSW, Therapist; Amanda Newcomb, MSW, LMSW, Assessment Therapist, Support Services Therapist; Bob Nickles, MSW, LCSW, Adolescent Therapist; Kristi Nigh, MSW, LCSW, Therapist; Carmelita Nuñez, Administrative Assistant; Dan Pearson, Prevention Educator; Cristina Scholl, Lead Crisis Helpline Advocate; Kathy Sciranko, Grants and Communications Manager; Katie Silversmith, MSW, LMSW, Assessment Therapist; Rita Skiba, Girls Group Facilitator/Prevention Educator; Megan Slusser, MSW, LMSW, Support Services Manager; Karen Vaughan, Crisis Helpline Advocate; Michelle Vollmar, MSW, LCSW, Therapist; Katherine Wallner, MA, LPC, Therapist

  • Speaker:

    Rachel Lippmann; Bella and Lily Ibur, indie-pop duo; Kim Hudson, FOX2 News reporter and print journalist; Betty Sims, former state senator and women’s pioneer

  • Entertainment:

    Bella & Lily Ibur, indie-pop duo

  • Sponsors:

    Ekon Benefits

  • Attire:

    Luncheon

  • Florist:

    Centerpieces and event support by the National Charity League

  • Information:

    Deb Cottin, 314.646.7500

  • Ticket Prices:

    $60.00 Adult Ticket / $30.00 Youth Ticket

  • Steering Committee:

    Event Chair-Jill Powell, MD, Auction Chair-Julie Hornsby; Patrice Billings, Jennifer Brinker, Deb Cottin, Dannae Delano, Vicki Dolan, Katie Flaschar, Amy Garrison, Susan Kidder, Allison McDonald, Julie Nies Miller, Chalana Scales-Ferguson, Heather Sullivan, Kathleen Wehrfritz

  • Board of Directors:

    Officers-Crystal Kennedy, Esq. - Board Chair, Kathy Wehrfritz, MBA, Board Vice Chair, Jennifer Cresswell-Ketley, Board Secretary, Todd Tobiasz, Board Treasurer; Members-Patrice Billings, Carol A. Brownson, MSPH, Mike Cahill, Dannae L. Delano, Esq., Michael Felton, AIA, Amy Garrison, Jeanne Goff, CPA, Peggy Guest, PhD, Amy M. Klinge, SPHR, Cynthia McCafferty, Alexander C. Schoch, Esq., Daniel Sokol, Esq., Eleatha L. Surratt, MD, Teresa Luth Thornton, CPA, Rhae Yancey