SHARE Fox Valley to host Woman of Power Lunch Sept. 19
SHARE Fox Valley will host the 11th annual Women's Power Lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19, at Pipers Banquet Hall, 1295 Butterfield Road, Aurora. Registration begins at 11 a.m.
This year, the committee has announced its 2019 Woman of Power award recipient is Cathy Ferrel. The keynote speaker for the event is retired Gunnery Sgt. Tee Marie Hanible, U.S. Marine Corps veteran. Proceeds will be donated to Mutual Ground Inc.
The 2019 Woman of Power award recipient Cathy Ferrel moved to Aurora in 1997 and has had a distinguished career of 40 years in financial sales with Fortune 100 companies, but she also has a drive to make her community a better place to live.
In addition to dedicating her time and energy to help build new food pantry programs, Ferrel has been active with other nonprofits in the Fox Valley area, such as the Fox Valley Marines, Vets Week, The Neighbor Project, East Aurora Educational Foundation, the Aurora Kiwanis Club and downtown Aurora parades, to name a few. If you ask her for assistance, she will eagerly dedicate her time and energies to help causes that she's passionate about.
The keynote speaker is retired Gunnery Sergeant Tee Marie Hanible, USMC, who is a woman of many firsts. She was one of the first female classes of recruits to complete the Marine Corps Crucible and the Marine Combat Training, and the only female to deploy with her unit to Iraq in 2003.
Hanible is a Southside Chicago native. After surviving the death of her father, enduring foster care and being expelled from school, she joined military reform school, where she began uncovering her inner warrior. She later joined the United States Marine Corps and rose to the rank of Gunnery Sergeant. Hanible learned the way to become an unbreakable woman. In 2011, Hanible founded Operation Heroes Connect, an organization partnering Veterans as full-time mentors for at-rick youth. In 2012, she was honored at the White House by then President Obama for her work both in and outside of uniform.
Her first assignment after retirement was becoming the only female military expert on the Fox Network reality-based competition show, "American Grit," hosted by John Cena. In her book, "The Warrior Code," entrepreneur, philanthropist, reality star, and retired Gunnery Sergeant Hanible serves up 11 principles to awaken the "inner badass" in all of us and thrive in the face of adversity. Copies of the "Warrior Code" will be available for purchase at the luncheon.
SHARE Fox Valley is a committee formed of women who are committed to Supporting individuals, giving Hope and Respecting Everyone, is again coordinating the 2019 Women's Power Lunch. Proceeds go to the Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley as the fiscal agent, and will be distributed to support Mutual Ground Inc. which was founded in 1975, with the goal of providing services to victims of domestic and sexual violence and their families. Mutual Ground is one of the largest and oldest domestic violence shelters in the state. All services are victim-centered and focus on advocacy that empowers each individual to make her/his own decisions.
Ticket donations are $50, purchased before Friday, Sept. 13.
Copies of "The Warrior Code" will be available for purchase at the luncheon for $20. Checks are to be made payable to SHARE Fox Valley Fund, c/o the Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley, a 501(c)(3) organization.
For sponsorship information or to reserve your seat, go to www.sharefoxvalley.com by Sept. 13. For more information, call Share Fox Valley at (630) 551-8547 or email info@sharefoxvalley.com.