All About the Girls Part 2: “Dear Me” celebrates the strong women of the Region

All About the Girls Part 2: “Dear Me” celebrates the strong women of the Region

The Ideas in Motion Media "All About the Girls Part 2" event returned to the Region at Sand Creek Country Club, and with attendance more than doubling from the inaugural event in 2015, it seems that this event hit a chord that resonated with the women of Northwest Indiana.

With the beautiful club providing the perfect setting, All About the Girls Part 2 had all the stops pulled out for those who attended. Cocktails were sipped, and hors d’ oeuvres, prepared by the talented kitchen staff at Sand Creek, were happily consumed. Guests entered amazing drawings for Albert’s Jewelers and Spa Blu giveaways, mingled and felt the excitement crescendo as the evening’s main features approached.

Soon, eight strong and inspiring women stood and shared their stories of success, providing motivation and mental momentum for those who attended.

“This event is a perfect event for regional women to attend for many reasons: networking, relating, learning, and being inspired by other like-minded ladies,” Jenny Craig, Executive Team Leader at Ideas in Motion Media said. “This is really important to me because I think being empowered and empowering other women is something we can all truly learn from and thrive on. It is amazing to be a part of a company like Ideas in Motion Media because our company is so supportive of women and the entire ‘Lean In’ idea and movement. This company has allowed me to grow in ways I would have never imagined.”

All About The Girls 2016

All About The Girls 2016 81 Photos
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Along with the speeches, Ideas in Motion decided to share their #DearMe video with all in attendance. This inspirational video showcases past and present Lady Lifers giving advice to their younger selves.

"Jenny [Craig] made a pretty compelling case for me to get up and speak in front of 200 people. I have a very unique story and sharing it helps me grow as a person. Being recognized with this group of women is an honor," Jennifer Brown, Corporate Communications Manager for Lakeside Wealth Management said. "I think the overwhelming support of this event shows the values that the Duneland community has. I think continuing to honor and recognize outstanding people in our community makes everyone strive to be great."

The event hosts were equally as excited to be a part of such a great celebration of women, too.

"Sand Creek is all about supporting our community and the women who live in it. We felt that working with Ideas in Motion to put on their All About the Girls event was a perfect way to put a spotlight on the hard working women of the Region," Angela Furness, Catering Sales Manager said. "We have the perfect setting for large, exciting events like this one and we were happy to open up our space to the ladies of Northwest Indiana."

And the empowering women speakers were just as thrilled to be a part of the special evening.

"Events that showcase the success of women in the area are inspiring for other female professionals, especially those that are up and coming," explained Sue Reed, speaker and President/CEO of the Crossroads Chamber of Commerce. "They can hear mistakes, obstacles that others have encountered and hopefully learn from those that went before them and/or learn that is part of the path to success. I think it also sends a strong message to our youth that there are leadership positions in our Region and they don’t have to move away to have a successful career."

"I participated in All About the Girls Part 2 because of the positive influence this event has on our region." said Marie Foster, Senior Director of Advancement at Purdue Northwest. "To have a room full of female (and male) leaders who learn from and inspire each other is a catalyst for fresh ideas and new opportunities. We can all benefit from that experience. If, as a speaker, I can help to encourage others while having some fun, then I am all in!"

The other speakers were in all agreement as to the power that women-driven events likes this one had on the Region.

"I can’t think of anything better than investing my time into something that is about making people feel good about where we live and helping them see the good in the world," said Michelle Andres, President of Group 7even. "I think that women are making a significant contribution to the region as a whole.  Not only are we busy raising the future generation of our community, but we are also actively making our community a better place to live and work.  We are active contributors to the economic sustainability of the region and rising through the ranks to leadership positions.  I think this is creating a sense of camaraderie and excitement and women want to be a part of that and this event speaks to the heart of that."

"It’s an honor to receive the invitation," added Kim Ramsey, Assistant Development Director of the Greater La Porte Economic Development Corporation. "I decided to take part in this event because we all have unique journeys through life.  By sharing my journey at the All About the Girls event I hope to inspire and encourage someone who is considering going back to college later in life, or looking for encouragement to incorporate health & wellness into their daily routine; find the humor in difficult situations and to sometimes just take time to truly enjoy life. NWI has a really amazing group of women who build each other up.  An event like this gives us the opportunity to network and build relationships within in our region."

"It was truly and honor to be asked to speak," said Maura Durham, President of the Duneland Chamber of Commerce. "I think women are a driving force in Northwest Indiana. They make so many important decisions about our future and they need to be recognized like this for it."

Centuy 21 Alliance Owner, and Executive Director of Lakeshore PAWS, Jeanne Sommer, thought the opportunity to speak served as a great chance to support women and the positive news they're creating.

"I think so much of ValpoLife and the organization, so speaking was an easy call for me tonight," said Sommer. "And events likes these allow women to meet in one place and share ideas with one another."

And while everyone first came to All About the Girls for their own reasons, Lead Community Outreach Coordinator at NorthShore Health Centers, Denise Carpenter, explained the reason why so many new and returning faces filled Sand Creek tonight, and why so many more will continue to do so next year.

"I think I can speak for everyone when I say we love Jenny. Anything she is involved with we want to be a part of, so I already knew I was coming to this before Jenny even asked me to speak. And all these people here are influential, but they're also a part of our community and want to help women, and everyone in the community, grow."

Now on to All About the Girls Part 3 in 2017!

Sponsors for All About the Girls Part 2: NIPSCO, Lakeside Wealth Management, NorthShore Health Centers, Group 7even, and St. Mary Medical Center.