By Eric Stock
BLOOMINGTON – McLean County women have demonstrated the ‘Power of the Purse.’ The United Way of McLean County’s first time event in Bloomington on May 5 raised $31,000 which made Director of Resource Development Pat Grosso ecstatic.
“We have United Ways in Peoria and Champaign who we look to for setting up this event because they have now done it several years,” Grosso said. “We were very pleased in comparing with our colleagues in what we were able to raise in the first year. It was outstanding.”
About 500 women who attended the event at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Bloomington bought designer purses and spa packages in a live auction. United Way presented that check to Habitat for Humanity McLean County Women Build on Tuesday at its current jobsite at 14 Trailside Court in Bloomington.
Grosso said the United Way’s all-women Power of the Purse committee determined that an agency that serves women by helping to build homes for single mothers was an ideal fit.
“This is the philosophy of the entire committee and it’s ideals; great things happen when women get together,” Grosso said. “That’s the power of the purse and that’s the power of women.” Women Build helps build about one home each year. She added each home costs about $40,000 to build. “It was just really right there for us as a perfect lineup for our first event,” Grosso said.
She added the second annual event has already been scheduled for next June 1 at the DoubleTree.
Eric Stock can be reached at eric.stock@cumulus.com.
