Education played an important role in the lives of five Poplar Bluff women, who have formed a community outreach organization named “Women of Purpose” to help others negotiate the road to success.
Meeting since October, the group includes Gloria Blackmon, Tasha Brandon, Eardie Carter, Revia Wade and JoAnn Brandon, who is the chairperson.
Their first public program will be an informational session on Tutoring Needs For Poplar Bluff students. Parents, grandparents, guardians and caretakers are invited to hear keynote speaker Kathern Harris beginning at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 7, at the Northside Community Center, 1450 Garfield St.
While recalling their own struggles, they are working to help others receive the rewards without having to struggle as much.
While Tasha Brandon works at the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center, the others are retired.
JoAnn Brandon is a registered nurse who retired after working 31 at the VA medical center.
She describes herself as a “mom, wife, proud grandmother and member of Lively Stone Church of God.” She is on the board at the Northside Community Center and president of the Sisterhood Association at Lively Stone.
Carter worked as a surgical technitian at Doctors Regional Medical Center for years and retired from Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. She proudly states she’s the oldest of 11 siblings and is a grandmother. She is active in Faith Tabernacle Church.
Blackmon is retired from J.C. Penney Co. She is active in assisting Harris in the summer camp for youngsters. She works with Wheatley Historical Preservation Associations’ annual Christmas gala. She is involved in a faith-based community group and is active in Faith Tabernacle Church.
Wade is retired. She worked in the hospital in the telemetry department, which is responsible for calling codes. She is a member of Mount Calvary Power House Church.
Wade explained their group wants to reach out into the community and make the public aware of what services are available.
Carter explained, the group’s goal is to give back and empower others.
JoAnn Brandon shared her own life experiences to emphasize the group knows firsthand the needs of others.
“I was pregnant my senior year and I did not know about the programs available,” she said, adding she realized she had to get an education. She enrolled at Three Rivers College in a vocational program to become a licensed practical nurse.
While she was in school, she learned about different programs which helped meet her needs.
“We just want to make sure people in the community have their needs met,” she said.
Blackmon echoed her training at Three Rivers College helped with her career at J.C. Penney. She believes Women of Purpose’s efforts will help others learn about available programs.
While they describe the organization as “growing” and “fledgling,” they have an email address Wop.62019@gmail.com, where they may be contacted, and they plan to have a website in the next 30 days,
The group’s vision statement reads “To build relationships through teamwork, to encourage by providing tools to progress to the next level, to provide affirmation by supporting individuality, goals and dreams.”
They’ve also prepared a mission statement:
“As women of Purpose we will strive to Empower other women to know their strengths and not be afraid to embrace them.
We are a Sisterhood that will always have the women of our community best interest at heart.
As women of Purpose we are Thankful for where we are and where we are going.
As Women of Purpose we embody a sense of Humbleness by appreciating the effort that went into a specific task knowing the end result reflects the love and attention that is being given and received on a daily basis.
As Women of Purpose we will strive to live a life of Excellence that we maybe an example to others.
We are Royalty and as Women of Purpose we will be the women who will fix another woman’s crown without telling anyone that her crown was ever crooked.”