Girls Inc. of Jacksonville will host its second annual Women of Vision Celebration Luncheon Thursday, March 8 at WJCT from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The goal of the Celebration Luncheon is to raise awareness about global, national and local issues and challenges girls face; the importance and relevance of the Girls Inc. mission in the world today; and how Girls Inc.’s mission and transformational programming helps girls successfully overcome any issue or challenge they face so they can live empowered and inspired lives.
With the designated theme of “The Power of a Girl,” the event will feature keynote speaker Rear Admiral Bette Bolivar, the new commander of the Navy Region Southeast in Jacksonville. Bolivar will discuss her journey in achieving the position she has today, and the importance of investing in youth so they have opportunities to realize their own power and fullest potential.
The luncheon will honor two local women for their successful leadership and lifetime achievements that have benefitted many women, girls and institutions, as well as girls who are thriving and succeeding in the organization’s programs. Dr. Frances Kinne, Jacksonville University past president and Chancellor Emerita, will receive the 2018 Women of Vision award for her long list of lifetime accomplishments to further the opportunities for all women and girls. Kinne’s considerable abilities and dedicated work ethic resulted in her being the first woman to break through the “glass ceiling” in many arenas, academic and otherwise, including as the first female dean of a college of fine arts in the world, the first female president of a Florida university, the first female member of the Jacksonville Rotary Club, the first female president of the Jacksonville Rotary Club and the first female member of the River Club of Jacksonville.
In addition, the organization will bestow the Champions for Girls award to Audrey McKibbin Moran, senior vice president for social responsibility and community advocacy at Baptist Health, for her extraordinary leadership and lifetime accomplishments for women and girls in the Northeast Florida community. Moran’s accomplishments equally demonstrate “The Power of a Girl” to achieve significant lifetime success.
She is an active member of the Northeast Florida Women’s Giving Alliance to improve the lives of local women and girls; a recipient of the Klechak Award for Downtown Advocacy, the Rotary Good government award in 2003, the Gateway Girl Scout Council Woman of Distinction award, the Leadership Jacksonville’s Community Trustee award in 2004, the Jacksonville Bar Association’s Lawyer of the Year award in 1998 and the University of North Florida’s Prime F. Osborn III Distinguished Business Leader award; and was also recognized for her significant accomplishments in 2012 during Women’s History Month.
Corporate and individual table sponsorships for the event are available now and can be obtained by contacting Amanda Padgett, director of development, at padgetta@girlsincjax.org or by calling (904) 731-9933. Individual tickets are $55 and can be purchased online at www.girlsincjax.org or by calling Padgett.
