YWCA Dayton has paused its largest fundraiser, its Women of Influence awards luncheon, which had originally been rescheduled from March 12 to June 3 due to the global coronavirus pandemic.
“Above all else: we want our community to be safe,” said Shannon Isom, president & CEO. “This event is special; it is Dayton’s largest luncheon, giving space to celebrate women and uplift the YWCA mission. It is truly an experience, and our honorees deserve that full experience. It is for these reasons that we have decided to pause the 2020 Women of Influence Awards Luncheon until it is clearly safe to hold the event, hopefully by Spring 2021.”
2020 Honorees include: Maribeth Graham, Retired Administrator, Iddings Foundation; Peggy Lehner, Ohio Senator; Marya Rutherford Long, Vice President – Community & Economic Development Manager, Fifth Third Bank; Jane Marx, Vice President/Controller, Culmen Real Estate Services; Julia Reichert, Academy-Award-Winning Independent Filmmaker; Becky Sorrell, Director, Preble County Job and Family Services; Jenell Ross, President, Bob Ross Auto Group – Lifetime Achievement.
All purchased sponsorships, tables, tickets, raffle tickets, and program ads will be honored when the event is held. There will not be a call for nominations for a 2021 class of Women of Influence.
This year marks the 23rd anniversary of the award, which is presented to women leaders who have made a lasting impact on the Miami Valley through their dedication to, and support of, the YWCA mission of empowering women, eliminating racism, and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. For the fourth straight year, the awards sold out; we were expecting a crowd of 880, making it the largest Women of Influence since 2010. 2020 also marks YWCA Dayton’s 150th anniversary.
