Last Thursday, over 100 young ladies from Athens City and Limestone County high schools gathered at Athens State University to attend Grit & Grace: Breaking Barriers & Leading Boldly. Scheduled in conjunction with Athens State’s inauguration festivities for President Dr. Catherine Wehlburg, the event consisted of a powerhouse panel of women with impressive careers and inspiring stories, led by Women of True Grit author, Edie Hand. Dr. Wehlburg welcomed the students and VIP guests, followed by a standup set performed by comedienne Sunny Brown, and keynote speech by Edie Hand. The panel included Dr. Shelia Nash-Stevenson, NASA Langley Research Center; Marsha Folsom, former Alabama First Lady; Julie Mobley, Cullman Internal Medicine; and Jan Matthews, founder of MTM Unsung Heroes, Unity in Community, and other local nonprofits. Pammie Jimmar, Athens-Limestone Chamber President, closed the event with a Q&A session.
The panelists shared stories of perseverance through difficulties in both their personal and professional lives. They each identified with a “Pearl of Hope” that embodies a certain aspect of life: passion, self-esteem, courage, leadership, etc. Edie Hand, during her keynote speech, also described the origins of the pearls, meaning of Women of True Grit, and the importance of passing stories of triumph throughout generations.
“I use the metaphor of a pearl formed inside an oyster shell through irritations from a speck of grit to form these different colors of pearls. In life we go through irritations that teach us tools of how to get from hard to beautiful situations. GRIT- Great Resilience is Transformative.” – Edie Hand
Chamber President, Pammie Jimmar was grateful to bring the Women of True Grit franchise to the Athens-Limestone community, recalling, “It is difficult at a young age, or any age really, to see a world of possibilities ahead, but no immediate way forward. We all need someone to root for us and reinforce our spirit of hope and endurance… hopefully some young ladies left today embracing that.”
Dr. Catherine Wehlburg also commented, “It was an honor to welcome such an inspiring group of women and students to our campus. Events like Grit & Grace show us that no matter our background or challenges, we all have the potential to lead boldly and lift others along the way. That’s what true grit and grace are all about.”
The Women of True Grit series is a collection of over 60 stories, interviews, and on-air segments about successful women who have overcome extraordinary obstacles. Featured women share stories from all walks of life, including the worlds of business, entertainment, science, medicine, education, and healthcare. Recently, our own Pammie Jimmar and Dr. Catherine Wehlburg had their experiences added to this inspirational collection. People from any background can find hope in the stories as they tackle leadership, confidence building, entrepreneurship, mental and physical health and much more. To dive deeper into the Women of True Grit franchise, visit https://ediehand.com/women-of-true-grit.
The event was presented by the Athens-Limestone County Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Athens State University, and the Women of True Grit franchise. Other sponsors include the ASF Foundation, Edie Hand Foundation, State Farm, Whataburger, and WAFF 48 Huntsville, a Gray Television Corporation.
Article courtesy of Athens-Limestone Chamber of Commerce