Power of the Purse: Dalecki named Woman of the Year

Palm Coast Observer
Neighbors

As United Way Women’s Initiative of Flagler President Donna Murray stood in front of the powerful women that filled the room Wednesday, Aug. 22, she recited the words from Maya Angelou’s “Phenomenal Woman” to set the mood for the evening, at the Hammock Dunes Club.

More than 160 people were gathered for the annual Power of the Purse dinner and silent auction, which acts as the Women’s Initiative’s major fundraiser each year and aims to educate, engage and raise funds for women in need, in Flagler County.

At the event, the group also named Cindy Dalecki, of Marketing2Go, as its Woman of the Year. Later in the evening, she was also awarded the President’s Volunteer Service Award.

“There are so many powerful women in our lives if you think about it," Dalecki said. “My parents were fantastic. They taught me to go for what you want. They gave me self-confidence and told me to never give up, and most of the women in here probably had those women in their lives, those icons to look up to. And many of you are those icons for your children as well, and we are so grateful for that.”

She said: “I feel like I’m cheating a little bit taking this because I don’t feel like I’m giving, I feel like I’m taking because it feels so good to give.”

So far in 2012, the Women’s Initiative of Flagler has contributed 543 hours of community service and donated $11,832 and more than 64,000 pounds of food to be distributed to Flagler food pantries.