The Celebration Luncheon was hosted April 20 at Sarasota Municipal Auditorium.
By
Kayleigh Omang
| 5:07 p.m. April 20, 2018
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Girls Inc. hosted its Pearls of Wisdom Celebration Luncheon on April 20 at the Sarasota Memorial Auditorium.
More than 700 guests were in attendance to celebrate both this year's honorees and Girl's Inc.'s 30th anniversary.
The morning started with social hour and shopping the dream harbor boutique, which featured handmade crafts by the Girls Inc. girls. Following social hour was lunch and speeches from the honorees. Each honoree gave a touching speech, some met with tears, others laughter and all filled with inspiration.
The luncheon concluded with a song by the Girls Inc. choir from the balcony of the auditorium.
Co-Chairwomen Sheba Matheu, Penny Hill and Jackie Rogers
Honorees LaShawn Houston-Frost, Susan Buck, Tylee Giorgio, Jennifer Arreaga and Beth Knopik
The Girls Inc. colors, red and white, filled the room.
Sloan stands next to the candles for sale.
The girls made Mexican wedding cakes to sell.
Margi Furey, Patrick Del Medico, Kelly Hazeldine and Alicia Larkins
Terri Najmolhoda with the Girls Inc. girls.
Kelly Abercrombie, Penny Hill and Clara Renardus de Villanueva
Morgan Gerhart with Terri Najmolhoda
Jamie Kattrein, Myra McPherson and Jean Cooper
Jennifer Compton and Michelle Senglaub
Mary Pat Radford and Stephanie Kempton
Evie and Jordan stand next to their artwork.
Girls Inc. sold Lily & Laura Strong, Smart and Bold Bracelet Trios to guests.
Saks Fifth Avenue donated items for a chance raffle.
This Eric Javitz clutch was one of the chance raffle items.
Cherie Leetzow and Mary Ann Usher
The luncheon was hosted at the Sarasota Memorial Auditorium.
Dessert was a clamshell on sand with a pearl.
Each guest was given a bag of birthday cake popcorn in celebration of Girls Inc.'s 30th anniversary.
The table was adorned with paper "pearls."
The auditorium had pearl balloons hanging from the ceiling.
Clara Renardus de Villanueva, Donna Koffman and Tomeika Hunter Koski.
Lorraine Buck and Lisa Taylor
Diane Roskamp and Andrea Hillebrand
Lisa Wells and Ellen Gesell
Aneta Lagos, Melissa Miner, Lindsay Cornejo, Grace Estle, Alicia Larkins, Colleen Nagy, Stephanie Chen and Jennifer Labonte
Raina Hickman, Stephanie Brady and Angelica Cognac
Erin Reid and Marilyn Cates
The Girls Inc. girls opened the luncheon up with a song.
Regional Director Deb Hopkins talked about the Sarasota chapter of Girls Inc. and its accomplishments.
Honoree Susan Buck thanks a Girls Inc. member for the introduction.
Honoree Susan Buck talked about her journey to becoming a licensed pilot.
Honoree Tylee Giorgio gives Fab-tastic speech.
Honoree Beth Knopik received the She Knows Where She's Going award.
Honoree LaShawn Houston-Frost also was awarded the She Knows Where She's Going award.
The luncheon closed with a song by the Girls Inc. girls.
The girls waved to the audience to thank them for coming.
Each girl held up a sign with an inspiring word on it.
