2008 Woodie Awards
Leadership offers community help
Samantha Gillis
Issue date: 11/28/07 Section: Campus Life
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Single mothers will get help Saturday in Mossman Hall. Leadership has partnered with Eagle Nest, Inc. to host a free Exploration Workshop focused on giving women a boost in the working field.
Kaydee Johnson, business freshman, said, "This is a great opportunity for women struggling in the work force, but students can be involved too. We need volunteers."
Johnson has been working with Andrew Topham, chemistry freshman. This is the first year Leadership has teamed up with Eagle Nest, Inc. so the two had to start from scratch.
Sarah Hodgkinson, 2006 alumni, has been supporting the two with their project. Hodgkinson said, "Kaydee and Andrew came up with the idea and have really ran with it."
Johnson said, "We were lacking an event that supported this town, which would make it stronger."
Eagle Nest, Inc. originally started to help women get into the work force and better the community. It offers parenting classes during the day. Eagle Nest also sells used clothing. Sarah Ketcham, class coordinator for Eagle Nest, Inc., said, "Hopefully this workshop will bring in more people who need our assistance from the community."
The team is still looking for volunteers, mainly business or nursing students to help with the resume and nutrient workshops, but any student can help.
Johnson said, "This community does so much for this school and we need to give back."
Many businesses offered aid for the workshop, including the parole offices, CornerBank, Arnold and Co. and some local gas stations. Hutto's Printing made 35 free color flyers.
The Exploration Workshop will include a parenting class.
A resume building class will help participants write a resume. Johnson said, "Many of these women have no computer skills. Some are even farmer's wives who have been forced back into the work force because crop prices have plummeted."
Johnson has been affected on a personal level by employment struggles, which is why she is so passionate about her project. Johnson said, "When I was in the fifth grade, my mother was laid off from the Rubbermaid factory after 20 years of working there. I remember it was extremely hard for her to get a job, especially because she didn't have a resume. The only jobs that would hire people without a resume are the low end jobs. So I remember how me and my older brother had to help her type up a resume after school everyday. It was very difficult time for our family. That's why I believe it is so important for us to help these women."
Around 50 women were sent invitations but Johnson is hoping by word of mouth more will come. Johnson said, "If only one shows up it's worth it, because one person is worth all this work."
Samantha Gillis is a freshman majoring in journalism. You may e-mail her at samantha.gillis@sckans.edu.
Kaydee Johnson, business freshman, said, "This is a great opportunity for women struggling in the work force, but students can be involved too. We need volunteers."
Johnson has been working with Andrew Topham, chemistry freshman. This is the first year Leadership has teamed up with Eagle Nest, Inc. so the two had to start from scratch.
Sarah Hodgkinson, 2006 alumni, has been supporting the two with their project. Hodgkinson said, "Kaydee and Andrew came up with the idea and have really ran with it."
Johnson said, "We were lacking an event that supported this town, which would make it stronger."
Eagle Nest, Inc. originally started to help women get into the work force and better the community. It offers parenting classes during the day. Eagle Nest also sells used clothing. Sarah Ketcham, class coordinator for Eagle Nest, Inc., said, "Hopefully this workshop will bring in more people who need our assistance from the community."
The team is still looking for volunteers, mainly business or nursing students to help with the resume and nutrient workshops, but any student can help.
Johnson said, "This community does so much for this school and we need to give back."
Many businesses offered aid for the workshop, including the parole offices, CornerBank, Arnold and Co. and some local gas stations. Hutto's Printing made 35 free color flyers.
The Exploration Workshop will include a parenting class.
A resume building class will help participants write a resume. Johnson said, "Many of these women have no computer skills. Some are even farmer's wives who have been forced back into the work force because crop prices have plummeted."
Johnson has been affected on a personal level by employment struggles, which is why she is so passionate about her project. Johnson said, "When I was in the fifth grade, my mother was laid off from the Rubbermaid factory after 20 years of working there. I remember it was extremely hard for her to get a job, especially because she didn't have a resume. The only jobs that would hire people without a resume are the low end jobs. So I remember how me and my older brother had to help her type up a resume after school everyday. It was very difficult time for our family. That's why I believe it is so important for us to help these women."
Around 50 women were sent invitations but Johnson is hoping by word of mouth more will come. Johnson said, "If only one shows up it's worth it, because one person is worth all this work."
Samantha Gillis is a freshman majoring in journalism. You may e-mail her at samantha.gillis@sckans.edu.
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