Central Area of The Links, Incorporated Convenes Leadership Summit in Lexington, KY
For Immediate Release:
Monday, August 27, 2012
Closing the Achievement Gap and Women’s Health Disparities Top Issues
Lexington, KY — The Central Area of The Links, Incorporated, will convene the 2012 Central Area Leadership Summit, Empowering 21st Century Change Agents, October 26-28, 2012 at the Embassy Suites Lexington, KY. Hosted by the Frankfort/Lexington (KY) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, the Summit will address two major initiatives of the Central Area of The Links, Incorporated and discuss the impact from the Central Area’s ‘From The’ Heart HBCU Scholarship Endowment Campaign. The HBCU Scholarship Endowment Campaign establishes endowments at 16 HBCU’s in the Central Area of The Links, Incorporated including Kentucky State University.
Alice Strong Simmons, Central Area Director said, “As a retired early childhood educator, I understand and am passionate about the commitment of the members in the Central Area of The Links, Incorporated in continuing our work in both early childhood education and women’s health disparities.” Simmons continued, “In partnership with the Kettering Foundation, we are excited to take our findings from the initial Closing the Achievement Gap forums hosted by Central Area Chapters, to planning and implementation of programs based on the thoughts and vision of community participants. Our Women’s Health Disparities will enable Central Area members to create sustainable activities addressing women’s health issues from political policy to change of lifestyle. “
The Central Area Links Host Education Forum
The Central Area of The Links, Incorporated is particularly thrilled about meeting in Lexington to highlight their local impact with ‘From the Heart’ Central Area HBCU Endowed Scholarship Campaign establishing endowed scholarships at the 16 Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the Central Area. Funds raised from the campaign continue to enrich the established Central Area Endowed Scholarship established in 2010 at Kentucky State University.
Dr. Mary Evans Sias, PhD, President, Kentucky State University said, “Kentucky State University and its sister HBCUs remain committed to our mission of providing access to educational opportunities to tens of thousands of young men and women. Unfortunately, too large a number of these bright students are not able to follow their dreams of going to and/or staying in college because they can’t afford to pay for their tuition or even their books.”
The Central Area HBCU Endowed Scholarships are to ensure that those who start finish at Kentucky State University.
About The Links, Incorporated
The Links, Incorporated is an international, not-for-profit corporation, established in 1946. The membership consists of 12,000 professional women of color in 275 chapters located in 42 states, the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. It is one of the nation’s oldest and largest volunteer service organizations of extraordinary women who are committed to enriching, sustaining and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African ancestry.
With over 2 million service hours recorded in the past three years, members regularly contribute more than 500,000 documented service hours in their respective communities annually. The Links Foundation, Incorporated, the philanthropic arm of The Links, Incorporated, has made more than $24 million dollars in charitable contributions since its founding.
The Central Area of The Links, Incorporated is comprised of 17 states throughout the Midwest with 69 chapters and over 2200 members.
The Links, Incorporated: Linked in Friendship – Connected in Service. Please visit our website www.linksinc.org for additional information.
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To arrange interviews or photographs please contact the following:
Beverly Reid, Central Illinois (IL) Chapter, Summit Communications Chair; wing61704@gmail.com
Bonita Cornute, Central Area Communications Chair; bcornute3@yahoo.com