History of Power of the Purse
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The inaugural Power of the Purse event was held in 2006 in a warehouse donated by the El Paso Chile Company. Hoping to raise $25,000 for that first event, the Women's Fund was overwhelmed by the interest and genreosity of donors raising more than $100,000 for scholarships for single mothers. Thus begun the tradition of the Power of the Purse -- held every 18 months at unique locations featuring silent auctions, live auctions and a boutique/mercado. Women gather to shop but more importantly to support the empowerment of other women in the community. Hundreds of volunteers make these unqiue and fun events possible. Inaugural Chairs: Tina Yamada & Carol Brey-Casiano
Power of the Purse 2007. The second Power of the Purse was staged at the OLO Gallery in the Union Plaza. This home to Creative Kids became the place to shop for your new handbag (or two or three) and support a great cause. Chair: Stephanie Dodson Power of the Purse 2009: "Bubbles, Baubles & Bags" was the theme of the 2009 POP, again at the OLO Gallery, but taken up a notch as the gallery was transformed into a truly "urban chic" event featuring more high-end bags than ever before. Chairs: Caroline North & Maria Klein Power of the Purse 2010: As popularity continued to grow, the Power of the Purse moved to the Union Depot where there was record attendance anchored by the "Tree of Giving" and a record number of handbags to bid on. Chairs: The Honorable Cortney Niland & Dana Frank Power of the Purse 2012 was held in the Transtelco building, another downtown space converted to accommodate the event. Chairs: Taylor Moreno and Amanda Petersen In 2013, the Power of the Purse paid homage to one of fashion’s greatest female icons, Coco Chanel, at the Radisson Hotel, space generously donated by Rose and Amen Ayoub. it had one of the most successful live auctions in the event's history and new technology where guests could bid in real time via smart phones. Chairs: Nichol Ayoub & Rose Ayoub |
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