Girl groups garner green

Columnist gathers crowd

Sunday, April 21, 2013

Butterflies and Blooms, a benefit luncheon for Saving Grace, exploded in its fourth annual iteration on April 9 at the John Q. Hammons Center in Rogers, with attendance going from 400-plus in 2012 to more than 800 this year. Those attending helped raise more than $100,000.

Saving Grace, a faith-based nonprofit organization, works with young women ages 18 to 25 who have “aged out” of foster care or group homes. Providing transitional living, the group also equips residents with independent living education, educational assistance and a support system that is missing for most of their girls.

An integral part of the program is that each girl has three mentors - one who is a sister age, the second a mom age and the third a grandmother age.

Those at the luncheon helping girls find a safe cocoon in which to finish growing up included Jenny Broughton, keynote speaker, Brittney Duke, Jayci Schmitt, Yvonne Ley, Jan Shinall, Karen and Mark Weiller and Becky and Kent Shaffer.

Some 225 Girls on the Run of Northwest Arkansas supporters helped the group raise nearly $25,000 at its second annual Out-of-the-Box luncheon April 12 at the DoubleTree Guest Suites in Bentonville.

The nonprofit organization offers an after-school development program for girls in third through eighth grades. Tracey Montgomery, board president, told us that the program is about more than running and contributes to emotional as well as physical well-being. She said the “research-based curriculum gives the girls tools and strategies … to become leaders and problem solvers who work well with others.”

Caitlyn Boyle, keynote speaker, is a blogger and author who started the Operation Beautiful movement where people are encouraged to leave anonymous, encouraging notes in public places for othersto find.

She told us the project came about because “words matter” and stressed the importance of positive self-talk, especially for young girls.

Among those going outside the box to encourage girls were Beth Brown, Tracy Cude, Tori Holloway, Ally Gruener, Kim Lauderdale, Scott Salmon, Jane Sears, Gary Alecusan and Joan Glubczynski.

Fayetteville Public Library Foundation backers had the opportunity to meet and mingle with Pulitzer Prize-winning humorist Dave Barry at an early evening reception April 12, prior to his public talk at the library. He was here as part of the foundation’s Roberta Fulbright Distinguished Author Series. Among those hanging out with the humorist were Nancy and Jim Blair, Lois and Harry Alward, Elizabeth Jordan, Denise and Hershey Garner, Ann and Morriss Henry, Elaine and David Longer, Rhonda and Charles Adams, Brenda Boudreaux and Maylon Rice.

Columnist Carin Schoppmeyer can be reached by email at [email protected]

Northwest Profile, Pages 35 on 04/21/2013