The EL women kicked-off 2009 at Shuze in South Bethlehem!

First, please allow me to apologize for absent EL communications over the past several months.

As we all are experiencing either first-hand or through a family member or friend, the difficult economy, the recent election, the holidays and beginning of the New Year has changed - seemingly overnight - from normal to anything but.

In addition, the EL group has taken off faster than any of us could have imagined. We are so grateful to each of you for your support and belief in helping our community and each other. We have reached a turning point in our program and are working to make the EL activities align with your personal, professional, and philanthropic goals - so thanks to all for your feedback and enthusiasm as we do just that!

So, in getting back to what I love to do more than anything - connecting with each of you - I wanted to send the first update about our first EL kickoff event held at Jennifer Mann's styling new store in South Bethlehem, Shuze.

The night began with the mixing and mingling of young women who want to make a difference in our community. The event would not have been as successful without the assistance of three of our newest members: Candi Staurinos, Maureen Connolley, and Jennifer Mann. Candi brought exquisite greek food from her parent's diner on Broad Street in Bethlehem, The Mayflower Diner, while Maureen strolled in with a variety of wine for guests to enjoy.

Jennifer has done a beautiful job setting up Shuze for its grand opening celebration in April of 2009. Make sure to subscribe to updates on her homepage which you can access by clicking here.

**NEW MEMBER UPDATE!**
As of today, March 4, 2009, the Emerging Leaders program has 26 members and has raised over $6,900! Thanks to each of you for helping us make a difference in the Lehigh Valley!

Stay tuned for a list of upcoming events - I will get that posted by next week. Also, for those of you on Facebook, remember to become a member of our cause and invite your friends to join us!

Sarah

P.S. I am working to integrate our various communication efforts in to one place and will have a solution for us soon. In the meantime, continue to invite your friends to subscribe to the blog (http://uwemergingleaders.blogspot.com) and, again, look for us on Facebook!

Emerging Leaders: This is YOUR Program

To all who filled out our most recent survey on Polldaddy, thank you!

This past Saturday, November 8, 2008, the Emerging Leaders steering committee met to discuss the future direction of your program. Your input was crucial as we discussed issues and program elements that are going to move our agenda forward.

What is the agenda, you may be asking? The agenda is to create a program that allows each of us to grow and develop as young leaders; to make a contribution to United Way through the Women's Leadership Initiative and realize the benefits of supporting an organization dedicated to improving our community; to build a bridge between our generation and generations above us who want to assist in the development of a better community.

We're ready to go and we hope you are, too. The next meeting of the Emerging Leaders is December 11th at 7:00 a.m. at Panera Bread on Route 512. At that time, we will meet to discuss future plans, events, and communications, and hope you will join us!

Please let us know if you'll be able to attend by sending an email to Sarah at sarahb@unitedwayglv.org or call 484-550-2502. You can also join the group of Emerging Leaders through Facebook Causes and LinkedIn Groups!

TTYL! :)

Articles Worth Reading....

$5 Billion Battle of the Sexes....

When it comes to philanthropic giving, as many of us already know, women surpass men in their charitable gifts. Read The NonProfit Times' latest article on the differences in charitable giving between men and women by clicking here. Now that's what we call "power of the purse!"


More and More, She's the Boss....

Time.com's article on "More and More, She's the Boss" highlights the growth and acceleration of women in the workforce in the 21st Century. While trying to balance their careers along with home life, many women are taking the reigns and storming the corporate ladder, rising to the top, and creating a new standard of respectable career paths that young females are aspiring to. Click here to read the full article.

Upcoming Events

For those of you who joined us at Loopers Bar and Grille on Tuesday, we hope you had a great time! We'll be posting a link to pictures from the event soon.

In the meantime, please check out the following upcoming events:

Bethlehem Brew Works Charity Cask Night
Thursday, October 2nd 5:00 p.m. - ?

A craft brewery draws its character and strength from its community, but it can also give back to the community and help create positive change. That’s the idea behind the series of benefit events taking place at the Bethlehem Brew Works every month. Each Thursday, beginning at 5 p.m., Bethlehem Brew Works head brewer Beau Baden offers a hand pumped, cask-conditioned ale from a ten-gallon barrel called a firkin. The cask is always a special, one-of-a-kind beer connoisseur’s treat. It is available only until it runs dry, which could be just hours (or less) after it’s tapped.

569 Main St., Bethlehem http://www.thebrewworks.com/

All proceeds during the evening will benefit
United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley

Please RSVP to Sarah Blum at sarahb@unitedwayglv.org or (610) 807-5704


Girls Night Out 2008
Thursday, October 2nd 6 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Did You Know...

• One & a half million women are abused in this country annually.
• Every day 4 women will die as a result of domestic violence.
• Children are hurt by hearing or seeing domestic abuse in their home.

This epidemic needs to end! Girl’s night out of the Lehigh valley was launched in 2006 & is an evening of beauty, shopping, food & entertainment hosted by TC Salon Spa. The event raises funds & awareness for Turning Point of the Lehigh Valley, the Beginning over Foundation & the Crime Victims’ Council of the Lehigh Valley.

The Third Annual Girls Night Out, at TC Salon-Spa will be a night of fun and revelry with headline blues musicians Bev Conklin, the LehighValley Idols, emcee and anchorwoman Eve Tannery, delightful menu items from more than 25 fine Lehigh Valley, spa and salon services, and a fabulous line up of auction items donated by area business.

Contributions to this year's event will benefit The Beginning Over Foundation of Easton, Crime Victims Council of the Lehigh Valley, and Turning Point of the Lehigh Valley.

Tickets begin at $25, and are available online
at http://www.girlsnightoutlv.org/, by calling TC Salon
at 610-865-9811, or at the door.
TC Salon Spa 61 W Walnut St., Bethlehem

With two great events on the same evening and within a block of each other, you can easily stop by the Brew Works for a drink on your way over to TC Salon where you'll get pampered for a good cause. All the while, you'll be making a substantial contribution towards our community!

Please let me know if you will be joining us for these exciting events. Send an email to sarahb@unitedwayglv.org or call 610-807-5704.

United Way Needs Your Help!

For many people in our community, making ends meet is simply wishful thinking.

There are many families in our neighborhoods - families who you may know well and not even realize are struggling - whose bread-winners work full-time, only to leave at the end of the day and head over to our local food banks... or may work full-time and frequent homeless shelters as a place to rest for the night... or have to make a choice between paying bills and putting food on their family's table.

The staff and volunteers at United Way are headed for a tough campaign this fall, hoping for the best for thousands of Lehigh Valley residents most in need. We know, through the generosity of people like you, we can continue to meet the needs of our children and families throughout the Lehigh Valley. However, we are learning every day that the needs are drastically increasing.

Consider these statistics over the last 12 months:

• Since 2007, requests for housing assistance through Valley Wide Help have increased a whopping 30% (almost 500 more calls!);
• Energy assistance calls have increased 64%;
• Food assistance calls have increased by 11%;
• Transportation assistance calls have increased over 33%;
• Financial assistance calls have increased by 17%.

Your support of United Way this year is critical to making sure programs are available for local families when they need it most. Through an Emerging Leader membership gift of $250 to the United Way's Women's Leadership Initiative, you help play a role in the health and vitality of our community... a health and vitality that is at risk for many of our neighbors, friends, and relatives.

United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley officially kicks-off its 2008 campaign tomorrow, September 11th, with its annual Day of Caring event - the Lehigh Valley’s annual event that raises awareness of our community’s needs. Because volunteers work on various activities for local nonprofit agencies that would otherwise need to be paid for, over 1,000 volunteers saved these agencies over $80,000 last year!

It's easy to make a contribution through your organization's fall United Way Campaign. If your company does not currently run a campaign, please let us know who we should talk to to get a campaign started!

For more information on how you can help or get involved, questions or concerns, please email sarahb@unitedwayglv.org.

Commit Yourself as a Lehigh Valley Young Professional!

The Network of Young Professionals has asked members of the Emerging Leaders, along with other local young professional groups, to sign a pledge committing themselves to the Lehigh Valley region.

The NET will be hosting a NO COVER media event and announcement this coming Thursday, September 11th, from 5 p.m. - 7 p.m. on the Mezzanine Level of the Allentown Brewworks, 814 W. Hamilton St, Allentown. If you are interested in attending, please email Sarah Blum at sarahb@unitedwayglv.org

Details

Come together for an evening to celebrate your commitment to the LehighValley with young professionals throughout the region. This is a uniqueopportunity to get involved in area young professional organizations.

Drink specials and $5 food specials will be available. AND special half-price appetizers and burgers. *Free* appetizers will be provided by the NET.

Special announcement at 5 p.m. by young Allentown City Council Member PeterSchweyer. Remarks by Vanessa Williams, NET president, and Matthew Tuerk of Allentown Economic Development Corp.

Come for the celebration, stay for LIVE entertainment at 8 p.m.

www.netyp.org

Save the Date!

Get CONNECTED with the Emerging Leaders at the 2nd Annual Women's Leadership Initiative event on the patio at Loopers Grille and Bar!

Date: Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Time: 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Cost: $10 (includes drink coupon and hors d'oeuvres)

Looper's is located at 313 East Third Street, Bethlehem, PA 18015

RSVP by September 17th to Roxanne Strohl at roxannes@unitedwayglv.org or (610) 807-5736