Women Can/Women Do table designers (top, left) include (front L to R) Emily Waugh, Classic Cabinets and Interiors; Michelle Egas, Peebles; Marjorie Mehney, Pretty Woman Boutique; Julie Cupps, Bay Harbor Yacht Club; Shauna Bezilla, The First Tee of Northern Michigan; Kathie VanderBreggen, Drost Landscaping and Design; Cynthia Marovich, Cynthia’s Too! Yarn and Gifts; Susan DeHut, Brown Motors; Susan Capaldi, Evening Star Joinery; Katie Capaldi, Between the Covers; (back L to R) Kathy McCreight, CKD, Classic Cabinets and Interiors; Traci Oosterhouse, Peebles; Valerie St. Pierre Smith, Crooked Tree Arts Center; Andrea Symonds, Pretty Woman Boutique; Jennifer Haf, BLOOM floral design; Brooke Anderson, Preston Feather Building Centers; Lindsey Young, Renee Guthrie Design; Linda Longworth, Lavender Hill Farms; April Myers, Cottage Interiors; Lisa Loyd, Little Traverse Conservancy; Linda Richter-Clutter, Ferguson Enterprises.

Women Can/Women Do Emmet County fundraising luncheon table captains (bottom, left) include (L-R: Courtney Oberg, Lisa Blanchard, Ashley Whitney, Maggie Kromm, Linda Hume, Sallee Engstrom, Sandi Wolf, Billie Jo Head, Kay Baldwin, Julie Norcross, Jane Millar, Caroline Knowlton, Lisa Loyd, Cathy Meyer and Michele Walker.

More than a hundred volunteers ensure the success of three annual Women Can/Women Do fundraising luncheons that raise dollars to help fund essential programs and services provided to women, children and families through the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan (WRCNM).

The Emmet County luncheon will once again be held at the Bay Harbor Yacht Club-Lange Center on Wednesday, September 11.  Table captains have the important responsible of filling seats at each of the more than 50 tables, while table designers are assigned the task of creating unique and elaborate displays on each table including a table favor for each guest.  It’s not unusual to see table designs featuring trees, fountains, moving displays, edible centerpieces and lots of gorgeous flowers.

“We rely on our table captains and talented table designers to undertake tasks vital to the success of these elaborate luncheons,” said WRCNM Assistant Director, Deb Smith who works closely with luncheon volunteers.  “We could never pull off events of this magnitude without their active participation.”

The Emmet County luncheon will feature table designs created by local businesses, including: A Salon and Spa, Bay Harbor Yacht Club, Between the Covers: A Book Cellar, BLOOM floral design, Brown Motors Ford Lincoln Chrysler Jeep Dodge, Christians Renolda Greenhouse & Florist, Classic Cabinets & Interiors, Cottage Interiors, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Cutler’s, Cynthia’s Too! Yarn & Gifts, Drost Landscape Design & Construction, Edgewater Design Group, LLC, Elaine Keiser, Architect, Evening Star Joinery, Ferguson Bath & Kitchen Gallery, Flowers From Sky’s the Limit, Gattle’s Linens, Lingerie, Gold Mine North, Gold Mine Resale Shop, Habitat Restore, Integrative Medicine, Kilwin’s Chocolates of Petoskey, Lake Affect, Lavender Hill Farms, Little Luxuries and Mackinac Outfitter, Little Traverse Conservancy, Meyer Ace Home & Hardware, Monarch Garden & Floral Design, North Goods, Northern Michigan Artists Market, Odawa Casino Resort, Peebles, Pontius Flower Shop, Preston Feather Building Centers, Pretty Woman Boutique, Probuild, Renee Guthrie Design/At Lake Street Design Studio, Ruff Life, Sky Iris, Snow Fairy Farm, Sturgeon River Pottery, Sunglass Shoppe, Sweet Maria’s Confections, Tableau Events, Talulu Beauty Lounge, Tara Nichole Photography, Taylor Rental Center, The First Tee of Northern Michigan, The Spa at The Inn at Bay Harbor, The Thirsty Goat, Three Pines Studio & Gallery, Tres Belle Interior Design, Vogue Salon and Spa and Wineguys Restaurant Group.

The Emmet County Women Can/Women Do fundraiser also features a silent auction made possible through the tireless help of volunteers who secure a variety of biddable items and services donated by local businesses and individuals.

The Women Can/Women Do luncheons have been instrumental in raising critical dollars for the WRCNM over the past 12 years.  “These fundraisers are vitally important to help support the many specialized programs and services provided by the Women’s Center,” said WRCNM Executive Director, Jan Mancinelli.  “Over the past 36 years the agency has grown in response to persistent community need, providing direct services to literally thousands of women, children and families annually.”

Last year the agency handled 1,001 calls to their 24-hour crisis line and information line and provided emergency shelter at the Safe Home for 139 domestic abuse survivors and their children.  An additional 626 survivors were provided with counseling, support and medical, legal, financial and housing advocacy.  During the same period, 321 sexual assault survivors were provided with support and counseling, fifty of whom were under the age of 12.  The Women’ Center also operates a fully licensed child care facility providing quality educational programming for children age 2½ to 11, Project FREE preschool, free community playgroups and educational and employment services for those re-entering the workforce.

A few seats are available on a first-come/first serve basis for those interested in attending the Women Can/Women Do fundraising luncheon at the Bay Harbor Yacht Club, Lange Center 11:00 a.m. to 1:45 p.m., Wednesday, September 11.  Seats are a minimum donation of $150 per person and may be reserved by calling the WRCNM Administrative Office at (231) 347-0067.  The agency is also looking for a few additional businesses or individuals to assist with table design.