Dear Berkshire BPW members and friends,
October is such a beautiful time to live in the Berkshires. Every Autumn, the foliage and scenery remind me just how lucky we are to live in such a beautiful place. I hope that this month you can take a moment to enjoy the cooler temperatures and beautiful colors that we are so fortunate to have during this time of year.
On September 20th, we held our Women of Achievement Event, honoring the women of the Berkshire Vaccine Collaborative. The honorees this year were so thankful to be recognized for their amazing contributions to our community during such a challenging time. Through the generosity of our event sponsors, guests, and donors, and through the hard work of so many amazing women, we were able to exceed our fundraising goal and over $30,000 for our Career Achievement Scholarship Program!
A special thank you Women of Achievement Co-Chairs Abby Powers and Stephanie Bosley for coordinating a fabulous event, as well as to Celia Clancy and Roberta McCulloch-Dews and and keynote speaker Tricia Farley-Bouvier for helping to present the event at Mill + Main, Catherine Van Bramer and Alisa Costa for coordinating the virtual portion of the event, Abbie von Schlegell and Janet Brennan for setting up the raffle/silent auction, and all of our board members and volunteers who worked with sponsors to fundraise and publicize the event. So many of you lent your time and talents to this event, and we couldn’t have done it without all of you. I am so proud of what we accomplished with WOA this year!
We were so pleased to recognize our 20 scholarship recipients during our October meeting. We all know that the BBPW Career Advancement Scholarship Program provides assistance with the financial barriers associated with attaining career-advancing education and credentials, but so many of our scholarship recipients highlighted other positive impacts of the scholarship:
“Receiving this generous scholarship from BBPW does more than just ease the financial burden of college, it has reminded me of what is so special about this community. This support has been a huge morale booster and further motivates me to do the best that I can.”
“I believe that by helping me financially you affect more than just one person. With this kind gesture, you are investing in our community. Your devotion to helping people with their financial burdens inspires me and brings up a desire to be the one who gives back. This scholarship is more than just money; you help people achieve their dreams!”
“Receiving this scholarship not only alleviates the financial burden of paying for my academic and professional growth but also encourages me to continue my educational path.”
The words of our scholarship recipients are a real reminder of the impact that we can have as we work together to help women in our community achieve success in their careers and lives. So many of this year’s recipients cited the confidence boost and validation that being selected for the BBPW scholarship provided for them. Taking steps to advance or change your career takes courage, and I am so happy to be welcoming these hardworking women into our membership.
Lastly, we are still looking for a Membership Chair to round out our board of Directors. There is so much opportunity to positively impact the organization in this position, and serving on our board is a great way to expand your skills and build your resume. If you are interested in this position with the board, or if you have questions, please contact me.
Thank you to all for your support and membership. Working together, we continue to have a positive impact on our community, as well as within our organization.
Take care,
Hannah
