Join the party
tonight at City Gallery on Waterfront Park from 6-8:30 p.m. for
the Center for Women's eighth annual It's In the Bag silent
purse auction and reception. All proceeds go to programs
designed to help women succeed.
"It is a
great party, a fabulous networking opportunity and a true
recognition of creative women by their peers," Center for
Women Executive Director Jennet Robinson Alterman said.
Each of the 100
purses on display and up for auction was created by a local
designer, artist or other creative mind that makes an impact in
the community.
"We said,
'you can have your way with this purse.' There are no rules, no
theme, just express yourself and your creativity on the
purse," Alterman said. "Every year we try to mix it up
a little bit. We looked at people that would represent women and
women in community."
And if nabbing a
one-of-a-kind designer bag and supporting a good cause were not
enough, each bag comes with a $100 gift certificate from
businesses all over town. With the bidding starting at $50, it's
hard not to see the value in splurging just a bit on yourself,
and in the process, others.
"We wanted
to do something more inclusive, and not make it a high-ticket
event," she said. "It's something fun and creative,
and it's about celebrating women's successes."
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And the Center for
Women is dedicated to helping women succeed professionally and
personally.
"Our programs
include the Entrepreneurial Women series, the Brown Bag Lunch
series, the You Can Do It series, the Women Writers Forum and
other ongoing programs throughout year," Alterman said.
"We recently
started job counseling, too, and also have a range of empowerment
groups, for example, career transitions."
With so much the
Center for Women has to offer to women and with a community of
women with so much to offer, how did purses become center stage?
"We chose
purses for two reasons. First, every woman in the world carries
some form of a purse. The other reason is that women hold most of
the economic power and we need to be reminded that women make 80
percent of all consumer decisions," Alterman said.
"It's also a
way for us to remind everyone that women in South Carolina are not
making what men make. According to the national average, women
make 79 cents for every dollar a man makes, and in South Carolina,
it is 72 cents for women.
"And that's
just for white women," Alterman said. "For
African-American women, it is lower, and for Hispanic women, it is
even less. So we have a positive, celebratory event for women.
"We have great
sponsorships that cover the cost of the event. Every dime goes
directly to programs."
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