Becking to headline Women Aware

Author, speaker, adoptive mom and business owner Chantelle Becking of Cape Girardeau will be the keynote speaker for the 2021 Women Aware Conference “Born to Stand Out.” The event will be held Thursday, Sept. 16, at the Black River Coliseum in Poplar Bluff.

Becking had agreed to speak at last year’s conference, which was canceled by the COVID-19 pandemic. She held this year’s date open for the organization, which was formed 33 years ago by a small group of women centered around community, empowerment and family.

Today, this passion-filled mission encompasses hundreds of women from different seasons of life, joining together for a day brimming with laughter, inspiration and joy.

Becking said, “Women. We do it all. We are everything to everyone... except ourselves. We spend our whole lives loving on and taking care of the people around us. It follows us into the big job, the marriage, the mom life, the pursuit.”

Becking admitting, she doesn’t “begin to have it all figured out and (am) here to let you off the hook too. The goal is freedom friends. We could all use a little more of it. Let’s face it - we could use a lot more of it.” 

In her book “Unapologetically You: Freedom to Be,” Becking brings laughs and tears with her self-deprecating humor and real life challenges. She drops the filter and shares a vulnerable side, which is refreshing and needed in a culture putting far too much pressure on women, according to organizers.

Along with being an adoptive momma to five girls, businesswoman and public speaker, she’s “a lover of God, life and tattoos.”

Her true passion is helping women get a taste of freedom from the heavy load life can bring, she says.

She said she “will bring the funny and get to the heart of the matter, challenging everyone to embrace there is no time like the present to get about loving the life we have right now.”

Becking is a 1992 graduate of Dexter High School.

When she was featured in the Southeast Missourian newspaper’s Flourish Magazine several years ago, Becking said, “It was never my goal in life to have five kids, but it’s just taken a totally different turn.”

They adopted a daughter, Bianca, from Guatemala, a second, Solie, from Ethiopia, and daughters Ari, Dolly and Lennyx through foster care.

She also donated a kidney to a person she previously didn’t know.

The donation is part of a philosophy she’s also adopted, and something she wants her children to see.

“Even to me, with this kidney donation, I’m committed to not wasting a day,” Becking said. “We kind of joke around about it, but it’s true, I’m not leaving anything on the table in my life.”

Tickets to hear Becking speak, attend breakout sessions, network and have lunch are $40 each prior to Sept. 1, then will go up to $50 at the door.

Conference chairperson Tracey Tarpley said, “We are excited to have the conference this year, since we had to cancel last year to keep everyone safe in the midst of a global pandemic.”

Tarpley said, the organizers are “excited to get back out there and be able to offer this networking opportunity to those in the area. We have all been cooped up for the past year and being able to get out and visit with other mothers and women in business is a much needed break.”

The Women Aware planning committee is downsizing the number of tables and booths this year to provide better social distancing.

Tarpley added, “We are also limiting the amount of walk-ins the day of the conference to make sure we don’t overcrowd and can still maintain the social distancing protocols.”

Tarpley said, “We are recommending everyone wears a mask, and we will have hand sanitizer stationed around the conference.”

Anyone who would like to be a sponsor, have a booth or purchase an ad in the event book may contact Meredith Rines, Penny Taylor or Carrie Schimweg.

Rines is taking care of the booths. Her email is meredith@daireldentoncpa.com.

Taylor is in charge of fundraising. Her email is mspdtaylor@gmail.com.

Schimweg is in charge of the conference book. Her email is cschimweg@gmail.com.

Editor's note: This article has been updated for clarity.