The Steering Committee of the Women of Distinction of Greater Chattanooga announced that more than $70,000 was netted from the 2018 Awards Luncheon held in October and attended by 550 guests.
All proceeds benefit three local institutions; thus, $23,359 will be awarded to each of the following: the Erlanger Heart and Lung Institute, the Heart and Vascular Center at Parkridge Medical Center, and the Buz Standefer Lung Center at CHI Memorial.
This event continued the long-standing tradition of the Women of Distinction and initiated the Women of Distinction of Greater Chattanooga after the former sponsor closed its local office in 2017.
While the 333 women previously named Women of Distinction continue to be honored, the new organization has made these changes: women from surrounding counties may now be recognized, all proceeds remain local, and the event is staged by volunteers with no staff involved.
Steering Committee members of the new group are Julie Baumgardner, Paula Henderson, Lynda Minks Hood, Rickie Pierce, and Barbie Standefer, and 134 women have become founding members of the Women of Distinction of Greater Chattanooga.
This year’s awards luncheon will be held on Friday, Oct.
25, at the Chattanooga Convention Center at 11:30 a.m.