Anne Imanuel and Alisha Curtis co-chair the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Arkansas 2017 Woman of Inspiration dinner honoring Lisenne Rockefeller and featuring an exclusive fashion show by Barbara/Jean and Carolina Herrera.
What are you most excited about for this year’s event?
It’s hard to pick just one aspect! First and foremost, we are thrilled to be honoring Lisenne Rockefeller as our Woman of Inspiration. She has a long history of service to others and specifically working to better the lives of children in Arkansas. She is a leader who doesn’t seek out recognition but is beyond deserving of it.
We’re so happy to also once again have first lady Susan Hutchinson serving as our honorary chair for this event. She was the inaugural Woman of Inspiration in 2015, and she inspired both of us to get involved with the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Arkansas. Her passion for this is contagious and we know the estimated 800 attendees will feel her sense of urgency to help the children in our state as they hear from her that evening.
We are also looking forward to honoring our Blue Ribbon recipient, KFSM Chief Meteorologist Garrett Lewis. Garrett is an abuse survivor and we know his story will have an impact on everyone that night.
We also cannot wait for some fun and high fashion with an incredible show by Carolina Herrera! Attendees will feel like they are at New York Fashion Week as they get a chance to see Herrera’s Resort 2018 collection which is inspired by the Gardens of La Vega — the Venezuelan Estate of the Herrera family. Barbara/Jean and Sarah Hutchinson Wengel are coordinating the show for us, so we know it’s going to be spectacular!
Finally, in this event’s third year we have shifted it from a luncheon to a dinner. Guests will don cocktail attire, get a chance to bid on our incredible silent auction items and enjoy the evening as we raise what we already know is a record amount of funds for the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Arkansas.
What surprises do you have in store?
We know supporters coming to the event will be awestruck when they see the runway that’s being shipped in from New York! And that’s not the only surprise they’ll be greeted with as the doors to the Wally Allen Ballroom at the Statehouse Convention Center open on Sept. 6. It wouldn’t be a surprise if we told you, though! We will also have a surprise speaker at the event that we know will mean a lot to Mrs. Rockefeller. And attendees can also look forward to leaving the event with something special!
Why should people come out and support this event?
We hope people will support this event for the same reason we have poured our hearts into organizing it over the last 12 months: It makes a real difference for abused children. Through this event in the past two years, we raised enough funds to open a 15th Child Advocacy Center in Arkansas. It’s our goal to have a center within an hour drive of everyone in the state so victims and their families can receive coordinated care at no cost.
Arkansas Woman of Inspiration will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 6 at 6 p.m. at the Statehouse Convention Center’s Wally Allen ballroom. For tickets, email ArWomanOfInspiration@Gmail.com or call 501-615-8633.