The 2013 Winter Career Panel, Expo and Luncheon on Tuesday, Feb. 5, at The Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center, discussed non-profit and philanthropic work.
Joy ArnovBlondheim, co-founder of the Joy to Life Foundation along with her husband Dickie, provided the keynote speaker address during Tuesday's event.
"Joy and her husband have taken what was a family heartbreak and turned it into something that has had a positive affect on numerous Alabamians," said Sidney James Nahkjavan, Drummond Throne Stukes executive director for the Cary Center for the Advancement of philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies and Women's Philanthropy Board. "Their dedication to service and philanthropy and the impact they have made and continue to make are all very inspirational."
Joy to Life is a nonprofit organization based in Montgomery that seeks to build awareness and provide free mammograms along with other breast exams to women in Alabama who cannot afford to do so on their own or with their medical insurance.
"As a breast cancer survivor, our purpose was just to give back in honor of my good health and that we came through a very dark time," Blondheim said. "We got started in a small way providing mammograms for women under 50 in the tri-county area of Montgomery, and now we are providing mammograms, other breast screenings and great awareness throughout the entire state of Alabama."
Blondheim discussed what philanthropy means to her and how young people can get involved and start their own philanthropic endeavors.
"With philanthropy, it's not all about money. It's about doing something for somebody else and volunteering," Blondheim said. "I'm really looking forward to this experience tomorrow and having the opportunity to educate people on Joy to Life and provide some insight."
Blondheim's presentation, "Finding the Joy in Breast Cancer," ignited the day's events, which featured three career panelists: Paul W. Kennedy, president of the Walker Area Community Foundation; TasiaMalakasis, the "Goat Cheese Guru," owner and president of Belle Chevre and Julie C. Smith, vice president of external affairs in the southeast region for Verizon Communications. Each panelist was a business or nonprofit leader, and each discussed their careers in their organizations and service as mentors for students and members of the community.
The Women's Philanthropy Board was established in 2002, and since then it has been the inspiration for the development of a minor in philanthropy and nonprofit studies in the College of Human Sciences.
New York Times' best selling author Andy Andrews was the keynote speaker at this event.
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