ABWA Charity Coat Drive
The American Business Women’s Association presented the Women’s Resource Center of the New River Valley with over 460 coats for their annual charity coat drive on Wednesday November 15th, 2023.
For the last 15 years ABWA has been donating coats for those in need. This year was a huge success having over 20 local businesses throughout Christiansburg, Blacksburg, Pulaski, Radford, Salem, and Roanoke be drop off locations for those willing to donate used and new coats. Back Country donated over five boxes of new coats to our drive. Local radio station, WPSK-FM donated air time to let those in the community know about the drive. On the last day of the drive, Brenda Eanes, Jennifer Kennelly, and Shelly Hughes collected coats from all locations and took them to A Cleaner World in Blacksburg who graciously cleans all the coats donated at no cost.
To celebrate our success when we presented the coats to the Women’s Resource Center of the New River Valley, we invited those who helped us along the way, Back Country, WPSK-FM, and A Cleaner World. We also heard from Andi Golusky, Executive Director of NRV Cares, Katie Rose, Miss Virginia, and Laura Beth Weaver, Executive Director of Women’s Resource Center of the New River Valley. It was a great collaboration of speakers to hear about the good being done in this local community. We are grateful for the many business and individuals who helped us reach out goal of over 400 coats.
To find out more about the New River Valley Express chapter of the ABWA, please visit our Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/ABWANRVExpress.
Founded in 1949 by Hilary A. Bufton Jr., a Kansas City, Missouri businessman, ABWA has thousands of members in chapters and Express Networks nationwide. ABWA has dedicated more than half a century to women’s education and provides workplace skills and career development training for its members.
–Submitted by Kasey Blouse, VP-Marketing and Public Relations, New River Valley Express Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association