- May 8, 2024
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The United Way’s Women’s Initiative of Volusia-Flagler Counties hosted their annual Power of the Purse event August 1.
The Hilton in Daytona Beach was packed with purse-loving women August 1 for the United Way’s Women’s Initiative of Volusia-Flagler Counties’ annual Power of the Purse event.
“This is our 11th annual Power of the Purse,” Assistant Director of Resource Development for United Way Courtney Edgcomb said. “So it began in 2004. A group of women in the community that wanted to see a change with women and children in Volusia and Flagler counties started this major fundraiser to donate money to local agencies. Last year we donated over $35,000 to over 14 different agencies that help women and children.”
Edgcomb said the donation goal for this year was at least $38,000 but they won’t have the final number until October. The event included a silent auction and champagne-themed raffles. Ormond Beach resident Laura Gilvary of Intracoastal Bank won a $1,500 necklace donated by Humphrey and Son. Guest speaker Deb Cheslow inspired the audience with her powerful words and the dangerous habit of excuses
“The economy is terrible, times are tough,” said Cheslow, who lives in Ponce Inlet. “I can’t because I’m too old. I can’t because I’m a woman. On and on it goes. We are taught to use logic to justify our excuses.”
She went on to talk about how logic can interfere with taking risks and action.
Logic is the accumulation of our past experiences and our present knowledge. It’s our history and our experiences and all the emotion that goes with it. It’s everything we’ve done and everything we done. Well how on earth can we expect to do something we’ve never done before? Truth is we can’t. When we try something new, our logic triggers all these feelings that holds us back.”
Cheslow said that logic turns into fear that keeps people in the same place. In order to do better, one must overcome that fear.
“We have to get past what’s holding us back,” Cheslow said. “When we step outside our comfort zone, we are going to get uncomfortable. But when we try we can overcome a lot that is holding us back.”
“I hope that people learn about what we have going on in the community,” Edgcomb said. “We want to get more women involved and enlighten some great women in the community that are helping out.”
