Women Aware seeks volunteers for September conference

The 2022 Women Aware conference will be Thursday, Sept. 22, at the Black River Coliseum, conference director Meredith Rines announced during the first planning meeting Thursday at Productive Staffing.

“We are really excited to kick off this year’s planning for the Women Aware conference,” Rines said. “This year, we are trying to be innovative and expand on our traditions.”

Rines will serve a third term as director. She is an accounting manager at Dairel L. Denton, Jr. & Associates CPA, P.C.

Conference committee members are asked to bring ideas for the event’s theme, proposed budgets as well as keynote speaker suggestions to the next meeting at noon Wednesday, March 16, at Productive Staffing in Poplar Bluff. The committee will meet monthly until the conference in September. Volunteers are invited to attend the monthly meetings if they want to work on the event.

The group discussed ways to expand opportunities provided at the conference and open the event to a broader range of attendees.

Fundraising chairperson Stephanie Griffin talked about better ways to help the businesses and community leaders who annually help finance the event.

The group is exploring opportunities to expanded Women Aware activities and programs throughout the year.

In spite of COVID, 300 attended the 2021 conference “Born to Stand Out” to hear keynote speaker Chantelle Becking of Cape Girardeau. Becking is an author, speaker, adoptive mom and business owner.

A small group of women founded an organization centered around community, empowerment and family 30-plus years ago. Today, this passion-filled mission encompasses hundreds of women from different seasons of life to join together for a day brimming with laughter, inspiration and joy, according to organizers.

The conference committee will be able to utilize volunteers with a variety of skills. Anyone interested in becoming involved with the organization and/or the conference, or who wants to make suggestions, may email pbwomenawareinc@gmail.com.