Scene & Heard - Support Group: Professional women raise scholarship money

Perhaps one of the best ways to find loose purse strings is to find purse-string owners who identify with a cause. That's what happened during a silent auction held Wednesday during the monthly meeting of the Professional Women of Winston-Salem, or PWWS.

The auction benefited a higher-education scholarship fund for single mothers in Forsyth County. The fund provides scholarships of at least $500.

"I can't imagine being a working single mother and trying to go to school," said Tammy Caudill, a member of PWWS. Caudill, the owner of Tammy Caudill Design, said she spent years as a single mother. She understands how much work it is. "This is a wonderful way for professional women to lift up other soon-to-be professional women," she said.

About 75 PWWS members ate lunch in the Cardinal Room of the Piedmont Club. Before, during and after the meal, the women took the opportunity to bid on 54 items, such as massages or services donated by the organization's members.

Ana Tampana was one of the members who donated her services as a women's group facilitator. She said she joined the organization about six years ago. "It's a group of vibrant movers and shakers who support each other," she said.

The day's fundraiser turned out to be a success. Beryl Parks, the chairwoman of the scholarship committee, said that the silent auction "surpassed the group's $1,500 goal by raising more than $1,600. This is going to really make a difference in how many women we can help this year," she said.

"Knowing you're making a difference in a woman's life who's trying to better herself is very fulfilling," said Parks, a financial adviser with Edward Jones in Lewisville. "It's important having help to go back to school, especially in these times with a lot of industries that built this city going away."

Judi Wallace, a member since 1993, started the scholarship fund in 2000. She owns Wallace Consulting and taught advertising and public relations in the communications department at Salem College. She said that while she was there, she met a lot of single mothers trying to get their education. "It's so rewarding to see women with children trying to go back to school and see how the scholarship helps," she said.

Nobody understands the need in this community better than Julie Holcomb-Pack, who works in the marketing department at Crisis Control. She said she sees women every day who come for help. "Having no education is a big problem," Holcomb-Pack said. She talked about "Breaking the Cycle," a Crisis Control program that focuses on helping people get an education. "Education is critical," she said.

Holcomb-Pack has been a member of PWWS for about five years and said she enjoys the camaraderie.

The women at the meeting were checked in by Carrie Hansley, the treasurer, and Dee Sprinkle, the assistant treasurer. Handing out name tags was Madeline Cashdollar, a co-chairwoman of the membership committee.

"We've seen a significant increase in membership since moving downtown," Cashdollar said. "There's a lot more interest from people who work down here in this area."

Jessica Baumann, this year's president, welcomed the women to the Piedmont Club and read the mission statement: "The purpose of Professional Women of Winston-Salem is to stimulate professional and personal growth and development through a community of women who support each other in becoming more effective in the business world by offering opportunities to exchange resources and new ideas, make new contacts, and open new lines of communication."

Baumann recognized J.J. Elliott, a membership co-chairwoman, and asked new members to stand. She also thanked Donna Hall, with Bald Eagle Technologies, for her work on the Web site. Katy Ringeman, the vice president and president-elect, handed out two door prizes. Elizabeth Dunn won a box of chocolates and a $25 gift certificate from Costco. Tammy Caudill won a bottle of champagne.

To give everyone plenty of time to bid during the silent auction, we played a networking game. Everyone at the tables was given a slip of paper with several questions to ask the person sitting next to them. One of the questions was, "What is something nobody knows about you?" I sat next to Baumann, and I don't think she would mind me sharing that her answer revealed that she was home-schooled.

Cathy Seaver, one of the most long-standing PWWS members, said that the organization formed in 1990 with six women. When she joined in the mid-'90s, it had grown to 20 people. Now PWWS has a membership of more than 100. It meets at the Piedmont Club on the second Wednesday of each month.

"The founders saw a need as women emerged into the business sector to gather together and support each other," Seaver said.

It looks like the members are also doing a good job of supporting other women as they try to get the educational tools that will allow them to emerge, as well.

■ Have a social or charity activity that you would like Scene & Heard to share with Journal readers? E-mail features@wsjournal.com and type "Scene" in the subject line or call 727-7339. You may contact Leigh Somerville McMillan directly by e-mail at leigh@studiomcmillan.com.