Wednesday
Jun082011
LO's Executive Director Presents at DFW's Onancock Chapter
Wednesday, June 8, 2011 at 3:41PM
A visit in April from Lotus Outreach Executive Director Erika Keaveney breaks attendance and fundraising records
by Carolyn Mayers, chapter leader for Dining for Women Onancock, Virginia
We were thrilled to host Erika (and her sister-in-law Scarlett – more in a minute on that) at our April 28 meeting! Erika and I go WAY back. We first “met” when the Dining for Women Program Selection Committee was looking for a program to support that addresses the issues of human trafficking in SE Asia. I searched and luckily found Lotus Outreach, was completely captivated, and immediately contacted Erika back in November of 2009. After much hard work and patience, Lotus was April’s featured program, with chapters nationwide learning about and supporting their incredible work of providing critical aftercare to victims of human trafficking, rape and domestic violence residing at a safe shelter near the Thai-Cambodian border.
Founders of the Onancock chapter, Shannon, Carolyn, and Kitty
Fortunately for us, Erika’s sister-in-law, the aforementioned Scarlett, lives within driving distance of our chapter, and she was born at the end of April, the month and time of our meeting, giving Erika the perfect extra reason needed to fly out and present to our chapter here on the rural Eastern Shore or Virginia. What a meeting!! With a record 36 women in attendance, Erika blew us away with her wonderful Power Point presentation, which began with a clear, succinct history of Cambodia so we could better understand the extraordinarily difficult conditions under which many people, especially women, live in that country. Then we really got to experience the work of Lotus Outreach, the passion and dedication of the women we are so proud to support through our donations this month. Throughout the entire talk, it sometimes seemed as though Erika was fighting back tears, so deep is her passion about her work. She wasn’t the only one, it seems, because our generous members donated more than we have ever raised for a DFW program - $1,637! WOW!!
SO many women came up to me as the meeting was breaking up, after Erika had already left, to tell me what an inspiring young woman she is, and how nice and kind and smart and dedicated, and how moved they were by her visit with us. Erika came to us with the opinion that she has a lot to learn about public speaking. All the professional training in the world is no substitute for heartfelt passion expressed with sincerity. Don’t change a thing!
Erika and the Onancock chapter watch LO's short film
by Carolyn Mayers, chapter leader for Dining for Women Onancock, Virginia
We were thrilled to host Erika (and her sister-in-law Scarlett – more in a minute on that) at our April 28 meeting! Erika and I go WAY back. We first “met” when the Dining for Women Program Selection Committee was looking for a program to support that addresses the issues of human trafficking in SE Asia. I searched and luckily found Lotus Outreach, was completely captivated, and immediately contacted Erika back in November of 2009. After much hard work and patience, Lotus was April’s featured program, with chapters nationwide learning about and supporting their incredible work of providing critical aftercare to victims of human trafficking, rape and domestic violence residing at a safe shelter near the Thai-Cambodian border.
Founders of the Onancock chapter, Shannon, Carolyn, and KittyFortunately for us, Erika’s sister-in-law, the aforementioned Scarlett, lives within driving distance of our chapter, and she was born at the end of April, the month and time of our meeting, giving Erika the perfect extra reason needed to fly out and present to our chapter here on the rural Eastern Shore or Virginia. What a meeting!! With a record 36 women in attendance, Erika blew us away with her wonderful Power Point presentation, which began with a clear, succinct history of Cambodia so we could better understand the extraordinarily difficult conditions under which many people, especially women, live in that country. Then we really got to experience the work of Lotus Outreach, the passion and dedication of the women we are so proud to support through our donations this month. Throughout the entire talk, it sometimes seemed as though Erika was fighting back tears, so deep is her passion about her work. She wasn’t the only one, it seems, because our generous members donated more than we have ever raised for a DFW program - $1,637! WOW!!
SO many women came up to me as the meeting was breaking up, after Erika had already left, to tell me what an inspiring young woman she is, and how nice and kind and smart and dedicated, and how moved they were by her visit with us. Erika came to us with the opinion that she has a lot to learn about public speaking. All the professional training in the world is no substitute for heartfelt passion expressed with sincerity. Don’t change a thing!
Erika and the Onancock chapter watch LO's short film
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