We are in the second half of 2020. If you feel like I do, the first half was a bit unnerving! The COVID-19 pandemic has affected us all, at various degrees, and at YWCA Northeast Indiana the pandemic caused a delay in a few of our initiatives. The upside is that July marks the start of the second half of 2020, and YWCA Northeast Indiana is on the move! This edition offers a sneak peek into some of our new, forthcoming initiatives.
YWCA Northeast Indiana is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. Our vision is to empower individuals, support families, and unite communities to improve quality of life. In everything we do, our mission and vision are front and center, which you will see reflected in our new initiatives, highlighted in the Program Spotlight section below.
Last month, in partnership with Fort Wayne Metals, we launched our Empowering Leaders video series, highlighting Councilwoman Michelle Chambers. This month we are excited to feature Heather Herron. See our brief video in the Empowering Leaders section below to hear more about her valued work in our community. Can you guess who will be next?
Lastly, we are in need of table captains for our annual Circle luncheon! The Circle luncheon is scheduled for October 22 and will begin at 11:30 a.m. We are planning for a live event, but should it become necessary to go virtual, we promise to still deliver a remarkable experience. Our Circle luncheon is in its 24th year and provides a significant revenue stream for our domestic violence programs. We are excited about the themed event we have planned for this year, and we hope that whether Circle is live or virtual, you will continue to support us and consider signing up to be a table captain.
Thank you for your continued support of YWCA Northeast Indiana!
Spoiler Alert! A Sneak Peek at Several New Initiatives
After a COVID-19 delay, YWCA Northeast Indiana is preparing for the launch of several new initiatives, and we aren’t doing it alone! A few strong partners have come together with YWCA NEIN as we work to promote peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all.
Named after YWCA’s “persimmon” brand color, The Power of Persimmon initiative is brought to you by empowered women helping to empower other women. There are numerous wise and talented women throughout northeast Indiana, and this initiative enables them to share their tutelage with others. The Power of Persimmon will be launching soon; stay tuned for more details!
A strong initiative with an odd name. YWCA Northeast Indiana has partnered with another agency to deliver a videocast discussing a variety of community topics and spotlighting great minds from the non-profit world. I am busting at the seams to tell you more about this one, but for now the geese are silent..
We want to stand with our community members in speaking out against injustice and do our part to rally for systematic solutions. YWCA Northeast Indiana launched our Racial Justice 101 blog series this month and is also preparing for our first “Eliminating Racism through Community Conversations” virtual event. We hope you will be joining us!
Cecile Weir
Cecile Weir was introduced to YWCA Northeast Indiana in 2010 by a former Circle event committee chair who was asking for volunteers to join the Circle Committee.
Why does a busy community leader like Cecile choose to volunteer with YWCA Northeast Indiana?
“After learning about the services of YWCA, I found that I had a personal connection to the mission and have been involved in some capacity since,” Cecile says. “I spent 9 years on the Circle committee and chaired the event in 2014, 2017, and 2018. I joined the board of directors in 2012, serving as vice chair, executive committee member, and chair of the facilities committee. Over the years, I have enjoyed seeing YWCA Northeast Indiana grow and expand the reach of its services. I am involved with the YWCA because it gives me the opportunity to help support women and children and strengthen our community.”
YWCA Northeast Indiana is thankful for Cecile Weir. If you know Cecile, please take a moment to thank her for her service in our community!
YWCA will be hosting our first “Eliminating Racism through Community Conversations” virtual event on July 22 at 12:00 p.m. In this event, we will be watching a few short TEDx video clips to spark conversation and facilitate dialogue on the impact of racism on children, being courageous in times of fear, and brainstorming solutions to end racism in our community.
Please be sure to register in advance as we will have limited space in the Zoom meeting.
Heather Herron
Join us as a TABLE CAPTAIN in the most Powerful of Circles!
Our Circle luncheon provides a significant revenue stream for our domestic violence programs and is now in its 24th year! This year’s Circle luncheon is scheduled for October 22nd at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.
Get involved by volunteering to be a table captain! All you have to do is invite five friends to share a table with you and enjoy this year’s themed and interactive event.
Our hope is to celebrate Circle in person; however, we are working on a virtual plan (should it become necessary) that will be equally meaningful. Whether we meet in person or virtually, our table captains are essential to the support of our mission. Circle 2020 will focus on the children served in our domestic violence program. You won’t want to miss this fun and interactive event!
To volunteer as a table captain, please contact Kristina at kjohnson@ywcaerew.org.