At Smart Girls, we learn the qualities of being girls. There's only girls there, and it's really fun.
We're kind of like a family. The conversations we have, like the period talk, sex talk, hygiene, boys,
it's kind of easier because I'm talking with people that can relate to me. Not that my mom can't, but
they're my age and they know what I'm going through at this point. I like when I was invited to the
Smart Girls' luncheon for the first time.
happens at the luncheon that I really like is where we get to talk to the ladies and they ask us questions
and they want to know things about us. It seems like they really care about us. Smart Girls taught me
how to be myself and have fun. When I was like in school I got bullied and
It took to the point where I went suicidal and stuff like that and I couldn't talk to my parents about
it. And so our staff, Ms. Jackie, she tells us stuff about her past.
how she was abused and everything. It helps me to know that I'm not alone and that if I needed a person
to go to, I can go to her and talk to her about it. Smart Girls helped me process my anger right. It
shows me how you can be a different person if you change your attitude and do it the right way.
You are you, and what you do makes you. So you can't try to be someone else while you're trying to be
you. And that's what Smart Girls has taught me. Before Smart Girls, we
My friendships were crazy. I couldn't trust anybody, and I really didn't tell them a lot of stuff. But
then after Smart Girls, I got to know them better, and now we have a bond that nobody can break.
Good evening, everyone, and welcome to Smart Girls, Strong Women. We are so happy you are here with
us tonight at the Stephen Conney Ferguson Cresmont Club celebrating this wonderful evening where we're
going to recognize women and girls and raise a lot of money for the programs at the Boys and Girls Club.
So thank you for being here. Feel free to make your way back through the food lines and the wine and
ice cream. That's totally fine. We're going to get through some logistics and some sponsor thank yous,
and then we'll get started with our show. For those of you that don't know me or I didn't get to say hi
My name is Leslie Absher. I'm the CEO of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Bloomington. Thank you. So I've
been in this job a little over a year, but I have been with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Bloomington
for 12 years this month. I'm celebrating my 12-year anniversary with the Bloomington Clubs,
which is awesome. And I remember envisioning this night. I remember when we created this event and thinking
about how we could get
people in this community to support women and girls and come together to listen to stories about how
successful girls have been in our community and listen to stories about female empowerment and listen
to stories about what it is that we can do when we come together as a collective community. And tonight
you are part of that.
movement and part of that mission. And so thank you for being here. I know it is a busy time of year.
It's the end of year. School's wrapping up and IU is ending, but we are glad you are spending the evening
with us tonight to attend, to participate, and to give this wonderful event celebrating our girls. Some
of those girls you may have noticed on your tables made paper dolls. So in the centerpieces, you see
the paper dolls that our kids at the club made. Kids like Justice at the Lincoln Street Club. Her doll
has no face.
And we asked her why she made a doll with no face. And she said, well, sometimes I feel happy. And sometimes
I feel sad. And all of those things are OK. And I love that. We taught her that in Smart Girls,
she told us, that she learned that all of those emotions are fine. And so she didn't want to put a face
on her doll because she doesn't always feel the same way all the time. And that's a really powerful
thing coming from a nine-year-old.
to believe that she can feel however she feels and it still represents who she is. She gets to be sad
and happy and angry and joyful and silly. And that's all part of what makes her her. And so that's what
we're doing tonight is we're reminded of what those kids need when they're seven, eight, and nine years
old. What we got when we were seven, eight, and nine years old. And that's really what we're celebrating
tonight. Empowering young women in our community is the work of all of us.
Modeling the way for young people is the collective burden of a high-functioning society. We need people
to replace me someday. We need people to replace you someday, right? We have to continue to grow this
great community, and the way that we do that is by investing in our kids. And I believe that you are
all here tonight because you believe that too. You believe in the power of that investment. Yeah, we do.
When a community works together to support the most vulnerable among us, our children, we build a strong
foundation for our collective community future. We build strong leaders. We build leaders that are confident,
that are smart, that are generous, and that are determined to take us where we need to go. Young women
who will guide us through the challenging times ahead.
who will ensure that this community continues to be a place where everyone is welcome. A place that
ensures opportunities for all young people and continues to fight for the citizens that need us most.
We want everyone to do well because then we all do well. And it's our job to invest in those kids and
give them every opportunity that they deserve. Far too many young women in our society lack this kind
of support. They lack nurturing
They lack adults in their lives that believe in them and speak life and truth into them, and that is
not acceptable. We are here tonight together to take a stand and make sure that we reach every young
girl who needs us most. The club is currently serving our highest number of kids ever. We've been around
for 70 years, and we are serving more kids today than ever before. Yeah, that's great. I love it.
We have as many as 723 kids in our building each and every day. There's about 200 of us in this room.
So think about 723 kids across this community are being served at a Boys and Girls Club each and every
day, and about half of those are girls.
The Boys and Girls Club provides a safe place for all of those kids in our community. And even though
we're creeping closer and closer to capacity, especially at our Ellitsville Club, we have space. We
have room for about 100 more kids a day to be in our buildings. And so we're excited to continue to
spread the word about what the Boys and Girls Club provides. And tonight, that is part of what we're
doing, too. We're teaching you about what it is that we're doing so you can go tell everybody about
the great work of the Boys and Girls Club. Everything else in our world is getting more expensive.
Yes, and if you spent money today on coffee or lunch or gas, you know this, but the Boys and Girls Club
is just $20 a year. It's been $20 a year for as long as I know, and it remains $20 a year per child.
It is our mission to stay accessible for all youth, to give all young people an opportunity to receive
robotics and tutoring and mentoring and all kinds of programs that equip them for their lives, and it's
only 20 bucks a year. And the only way we can do that is all of you.
community support. The true cost of what we do is about $750 to serve a kid throughout the course of
the year. And the difference between the $750 and the $20 we charge to families is made up by donations.
And it's not made up by a bunch of large donations from all over the country. It's made up by people here.
in this community that say, yeah, I can do a little bit. I have something that I can give. I can contribute
to this community. And I believe in investing in kids. And that's how we get it done. And that's how
we're going to get it done tonight, too. It's very exciting. So this marks our 70th year in Bloomington.
And so seven decades, this community has said yes to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Bloomington. So thank
you so much for that. Yeah. So by being here tonight, you are part
of that legacy. The legacy that we've had for 70 years in this community and the legacy that we hope
to have for generations to come. So thank you again for being here. It's going to be a wonderful night.
A few logistics before we get started. I want to thank our sponsors for the evening and also I want
to show you
You all got a bid card when you came in, and there was a little blue ticket attached to it. That is
your raffle ticket. You must be here to win, but don't lose your raffle ticket. Don't leave early. That'll
be the last thing we do. We will have a signed IU football from our very own Khalil Benson. Latonya,
wave at us. That's Khalil's mom right there.
She is our unit director of this building right here, Ms. Latonya, and we're so glad to have Khalil's
signature on our IU football that we're going to give away. We've assigned IU men's basketball from
our coach DeVries. We have a signed book, More Than a Doll, by our keynote speaker tonight. And we have
an Oliver winery gift basket. So make sure you keep that raffle card and make sure you can be ready
for it when the time comes at the end of the evening.
At this time, I will start recognizing groups. So if you are a board member or a board ambassador at
the Boys and Girls Clubs of Bloomington, I'm gonna ask you to stand up. You can do it. Stand up and
stay standing. Let's give these people a round of applause. Stay standing, folks. All right, stay up, stay up.
If you have ever been a board member, please stand up. If you have ever been on the auxiliary, either
a current or past member of the Ladies Auxiliary, go ahead and stand and be recognized at this time.
All right, you can go ahead and sit down.
These people lead our organization. We can't do this for 70 years and have all of these wonderful programs
for kids, serve 700 kids a day without strong leadership. These individuals serve, they roll up their
sleeves, they donate money, they go out and ask for money, they work in programs, they bring food to
kids, they do all kinds of things that help the Boys and Girls Club
grow. And so thank you to all of you who have been leaders in our organization, past and present board
members and auxiliary members. We see you. We appreciate you. Thank you so much. We also want to thank
those of us that helped get us fed tonight. So we want to thank Texas Roadhouse and Finney Hospitality
Group for providing our dinner tonight.
All of our friends in the back, Brewster's Ice Cream, Oliver Winery, Crazy Horse, and Verona Coffee,
give it up for them as well. All of that is donated so that every dollar we raise tonight goes directly
to kids' programs and it doesn't go to putting on this event, so that's a huge gift from all of them.
We also wanna thank Go Express Travel for providing the shuttle and Try North for letting us park in
their parking lot, so a huge round of applause for them, we appreciate that.
We want to say thank you to the Bloomington Fire Department. They come and help us set up tables and
chairs and tear them down at every one of our events. They do that for us. Bloomington High School South
Honor Society was here tonight helping Lambda Sigma Epsilon Latino fraternity and other individuals
for volunteering this evening. Give our volunteers a round of applause for me, please.
We also want to thank Nature's Way for the plants on this stage and Three Blondes Floral Co. for all
the flowers. It's almost Mother's Day in graduation, so keep Three Blondes and Nature's Way in mind.
Thank you for making the room look so pretty. We appreciate that. And again, just thank you for everyone
who donated tonight and helped us to make sure that every dollar we raise goes to kids and programs.
So next table sponsors I want to thank, and this is a long list, so I'll have you hold your applause
until we get through it till the end. So these are our gold sponsors this evening, Comprehensive Financial
David Hayes is a board member and he was a club kid and he's been a supporter ever since. So thank you
to CFCI, we appreciate you guys. Service Master, Restoration and Cleaning, we thank you to Dusty Bean
and Sheena. Service Master also presents our Father Daughter Dance. They've been longtime supporters
of the club so we appreciate them.
Choice Realty, thank you to board member Lori Todd, past board president and advocate for kids. Lori
not only supports the club, but she rolls up her sleeves and does whatever it takes for kids.
So thank you, Lori, we appreciate you. IMA, Internal Medicine Associates Healthcare Foundation, we're
so thankful for the Rink family. The Rink family's been long time supporters of the club and we really
appreciate their support tonight. Markies, rental and staging, thank you to Zach Strabing and the crew
for making us sound and look good. We appreciate that so much.
Master Rental, Darren Lavin is a past board member. He donates equipment for almost all of our events,
which is a huge expense that we don't have to pass on. And so we really appreciate that gift. It's a
big gift from him. Cassidy Electrical Contractors, a division of Houston Electrical. The Cassidy family
has left a legacy for the club. And with this event specifically, May Cassidy was an inaugural speaker
at this event 10 years ago. So thank you to them.
Boston Scientific, John Hauser, Mariah Souders, and the whole Boston Scientific team. Not only are they
great supporters of our Owen County Club and the Bloomington Clubs, but tonight they're here to support
Jayla, who's our Youth of the Year, who you're going to hear from later tonight. Give it up for Jayla
over there.
Jayla's mom works at Boston Scientific, and so we're excited to have them here and supporting us. And
then Elmore companies, DG Elmore and the whole Elmore family have been longtime supporters of the club
and of this event specifically. And then DSC Consulting, Dana Star Cummings, who you'll hear from pretty
soon here. We're getting to our emcee for the night. And that rounds out our gold sponsors. So can you
give us a round of applause for the gold sponsors, please?
All right, now for our silver sponsors. Thank you to the Eads family, the Engraving and Stamping Center,
German American Bank, Ryan Prahl, and Meinakee of Ellesville. Please give them a round of applause.
And then a thank you to our bronze sponsors, JC Bank, Monroe County Public Library, IU School of Nursing,
IU Health South Region, Bryan Thompson, F.C. Tucker, Bloomington Realtors,
Susan Yalie Holmes, Sterling Real Estate, the Wyman Group, Spring Hill Sweets, and Hoosier Hills Credit
Union. Round of applause for all of those sponsors.
Again, this is how we get it done tonight so that dollars we raised this evening go directly to kids
and programs. So thank you so much to all of our sponsors and for being here tonight. And I think that's
all my thank yous for now. So without further ado, I'm going to introduce you to our emcee for the evening
and we will start our program. So Dana S. Cummings, Dr. Dana S. Cummings is an entrepreneur, a consultant
and passionate advocate for women and girls with more than two decades of leadership experience across
philanthropy, higher education and civic initiatives.
Her work is consistently focused on creating pathways for women to lead and thrive. Her doctoral research
explored the leadership journeys of women in higher education, and she previously served on the board
of our friends at Girls Inc. of Monroe County, including board president, where she championed programs
that empowered girls to be smart, strong, and bold. Professionally, Dana most recently served as vice
president for the Institution on Advancement at Franklin College, where she led fundraising, alumni
engagement, and communications.
She's also held advancement leadership roles at DePaul University and Indiana University, leading teams
and raising funds for scholarships, capital projects, and operating support. In 2024, after completing
her doctorate, Dana founded DSC Consulting to help mission-driven organizations navigate complex challenges
through strategic clarity, strong governance, and collaborative leadership. Her work focuses on philanthropic strategy.
strategic planning, and community-centered initiatives that strengthen organizations and the people
they serve. Dana's from Owen County, but she currently lives with her husband and three children on
a farm outside Franklin, Indiana, where they raise sheeps and chicken. And she has the best blazer on
of the evening, so why don't you give me a warm welcome to Dana Cummings.
Can you hear me? Good evening, Bloomington. How's everybody doing out there tonight? I love it.
I love it. Y'all are in a good mood. I can see that because you lucky ducks, you get to live here in
Bloomington, Indiana. How wonderful is that? I am so jealous. Those of us who live elsewhere and get
to come back and visit, boy, I'll tell you, it is palpable. The minute that I set
back here in B-Town, there is just something special. There's just something really unique about this
community. And I am absolutely overjoyed to be here tonight with all of you for what I know is going
to be a really special evening. So thank you all very much for being here. Thanks for having me.
As I said, Bloomington is a really special place for me. It is a place that is really filled with deep
connections, memories, friendships,
and people I care very much about, many of whom are in the front row here tonight. I thank them for
being here. And every time I have an opportunity to return, I'm reminded of just how lucky we are and
how powerful it can be when people come together around a shared purpose. And everyone in this room
tonight is here for a shared purpose. In many ways, this is where it all began for me.
here in Bloomington. I started my career at the Indiana University Foundation. I see lots of IU folks
out in the crowd tonight, which is awesome. I love connecting with old friends. And when I was there,
I was extremely fortunate to be supported by some of the very best people I have ever known, truly.
These are people who invested in me, people who believed in me, and people who helped to shape the path
that I'm still on today. And I can tell you this with complete certainty tonight. I would not be standing
here in front of you if not for the love, the mentorship, and the care that was poured into me by people
right here in this community. So being back here tonight, ladies and gentlemen, at a room like this
for a purpose and a cause like this, it is everything to me. It is deeply, deeply meaningful. And again,
Our purpose tonight is clear. We are here tonight to invest in girls. It's about lifting up women tonight.
And it's about strengthening a community by making sure that every young person, especially every girl,
has the opportunity to grow, to lead, and to thrive. I have spent much of my career working in philanthropy
and in higher education
and most recently in consulting with organizations that are, in many cases, trying to solve what seem
like impossible problems. But woven throughout, all of that work has been a consistent thread for me,
a deep commitment to supporting and advancing women. A couple of years ago, I was really fortunate to
get to complete my doctorate. It was a lifelong goal of mine.
that came to fruition in the summer of 2024. And my dissertation focused on women in leadership.
Go figure, of course it did. How women navigate systems, how they build influence, and how they ultimately
find their voice. Long before that research, I had the privilege of serving on the board at Girls' Inc.
of Monroe County, including a stint as board president. And that experience also shaped me in profound ways.
and deepen my belief in the importance of creating spaces where girls can truly be themselves. I'll
also say this, supporting and empowering women isn't just something I studied or something that I do
professionally, but it has shaped every aspect of my life. Because along the way, I have been surrounded
by truly extraordinary women.
These are women who lead with strength and grace, women who speak the truth when it isn't easy, and
women who have created opportunities for me and for others. These are women who have showed me what
leadership could and should look like. Many of you are in the room tonight. You know who you are. Family,
friends, colleagues, community leaders. Thank you.
Because the work we're talking about tonight, it doesn't happen just in theory. It happens in real life,
and it's all about relationships. It happens when one woman believes in another, when one voice lifts
another, when one person creates space for someone else to get to take a step forward. That's why I'm
so excited about tonight's keynote speaker.
She has spent her entire career doing exactly that, challenging expectations, expanding possibilities,
and helping girls and women to see themselves differently. I cannot wait for you to hear from her a
little later in the program. And if I'm being honest, my awareness of how girls are shaped by the world
didn't start in a boardroom or a research study. It actually started much earlier. It started on a basketball court.
Why? Because this is a basketball state. Who's with me? I'm glad to have that national championship,
but we can have both. This is a basketball state. And when I was growing up, I played a lot of ball.
And my dad was my coach. And I thought he was about the greatest thing in the world, but he did have
a go-to phrase when he was in the gym with me, teaching me, encouraging me, pushing me to get better.
If I wasn't playing well, if I missed a shot, or if I fumbled the ball, he would say, come on, you're
shooting like a girl. Or, you gotta do better, you're dribbling like a girl today. And at the time,
I really didn't think much of it. That was what people said. He wasn't the only one who said things
like that. But years later, I remember reflecting and thinking to myself, well, wait a minute,
I am a girl, actually, as it turns out.
What exactly does that mean and what am I supposed to take away from that message? And I think in that
moment, I really understood that phrase and it became the beginning of something for me because I think
what it revealed was something perhaps subtle but also powerful. That even in environments where we
are encouraged, even in spaces where people love and support us, there can still be messages, small,
often unintentional messages that shape how girls see themselves. Message about what we're supposed
to be, or what we're capable of, or how we should show up in the world. And I'll tell you this, this
feels even more real to me now than ever before because I have a daughter. She is 13, so yes, ladies
and gentlemen, that means I have a teenage daughter in the house.
send reinforcements, if you like. The caffeinated variety are preferred. Her name is Susan Indiana,
and I think about things differently now. I think about the messages that she's hearing, the environments
that she's navigating, and the moments that are shaping how she sees herself, whether we as adults realize
it or not. And I think about how much it matters that we have to get this right.
Not just for her, not just for Susan Indiana, but for every girl. And the good news is we've come a
long way, haven't we? We really have, we've come a long way. Girls have more opportunities today than
ever before. More visibility, more examples of strong, capable, successful women in every field imaginable.
And that really matters. Representation matters. Opportunity matters. And voice matters.
But I think we all know this as well. We're not done yet. There is still a lot of very important work
to do, and not just in abstract ways, but right here at home in the great Hoosier state. In my doctoral
research, I spent a lot of time looking at the landscape for women in leadership in our state, and what
I found was sobering, especially for someone who is so deeply proud to be a Hoosier.
Indiana ranks in the lower half of states when it comes to outcomes for women, from economic opportunity
to representation and leadership to overall safety and well-being. Women are less likely to hold leadership
roles, more likely to face economic barriers, and in many cases, they are still navigating systems that
were not designed with them in mind. So when you take a step back and look at all of that,
it becomes clear that the work we do with girls today is not just important, it is vital. It is absolutely
essential. Because the confidence we build now, the opportunities we create now, the support systems
we put in place now, those are the things that shape what leadership looks like 10, 20, and 30 years
down the road. And that is why places like this club
matter so much because they create something incredibly important. They create space, ladies and gentlemen.
Space. Space for girls to try new things, to fail, and then have the opportunity to try to do it again.
What a gift that is for a young girl. To discover what they're good at, to build relationships, to find
their voice, and maybe most importantly, to begin to see themselves
not just as who they are today, but as who they can become. So programs offered like those here at the
club, they don't just fill time after school, we all know that, they build confidence, they challenge
stereotypes, they open doors, they help girls understand that their ideas matter, that their presence
matters, and that their leadership matters.
And I've seen it again and again over the course of my research and my work and in my own life. When
girls are given that kind of support early on, when they are surrounded by people who believe in them,
when they are encouraged to lead, to speak, to try and to stretch themselves, they carry that with them.
They carry that forward into high school and into college, into their careers, and ultimately into their
communities.
And they don't just participate, they lead. They lead. And that is exactly what tonight is all about.
It's about making sure that more girls have that experience. It's about making sure that cost is not
a barrier and making sure that access is not limited. It's about making sure that every child who walks
through these doors here at this club has the opportunity to become the very best version of themselves.
We learned this a little earlier in the evening from Leslie. The annual membership to be part of this
club is just $20. That is remarkable, just $20. But the actual cost to provide that experience is closer
to $750 per year. That gap, as we know, doesn't just close itself. It closes because of people like
you. People who show up, people who give, and people who believe, most importantly, that this work
matters. And tonight, you, me, we, collectively, we are those people. So as we move through the evening,
as you listen, as you reflect, as you consider how you might like to be part of this work, I would simply
invite you to think about this. Think about a girl in your life. Maybe it's your daughter, your granddaughter,
a student, a neighbor, or maybe it's yourself at a younger age. Think about what made a difference.
Who believed in you? Who created space for you? Who helped you to see what might be possible? That's
what you're doing tonight for girls across this community, for their futures, and for our collective
future. It is an honor
to be here with you in support of a cause that is so very near and dear to my heart. And it is a privilege
to be part of an evening that is so clearly about building something that is bigger than ourselves.
So thank you for being here. Thank you for believing in this work. And thank you for investing in the
next generation of smart girls who will become strong women.
And now, ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to introduce our keynote speaker for this evening.
Jodi Bondi-Norgard is an entrepreneur, author, speaker, and changemaker dedicated to breaking gender
stereotypes and advancing equality through business, media, and policy. She is the author of More Than
a Doll, How Creating a Sports Doll Turned into a Fight to End Gender Stereotypes,
a powerful story of Jodi Bondi-Norgard, purpose-driven entrepreneurship, and challenging the status
quo. Jodi is the founder of Dream Big Toy Company and the creator of the award-winning Go Go Sports
Girls, an innovative line of dolls, books, and apps designed to inspire confidence, encourage active
play, and expand what's possible for girls.
Her work has been featured in major media outlets, including The Today Show, Forbes, Parents, The Washington
Post, and the Chicago Tribune. Very impressive. A recognized thought leader in gender equity, Jodi has
collaborated with the White House Gender Policy Council under the Biden administration, the Gina Davis
Institute on Gender in Media, and co-chaired the Toy Association's first Diversity, Equity, Inclusion,
and Belonging Committee.
A TEDx speaker and regular contributor to Ms. Magazine, she speaks across the country on advancing equality
for women and girls, sharing insights on entrepreneurship, resilience, and the power of using business
to drive meaningful cultural change. Ladies and gentlemen, please put your hands together for Jodi Bondi-Norgard.
Hi, everyone. Wow. I've gotten, I'm so lucky to know Dana. I mean, seriously, she's like my new best
friend. I'm just so happy to have gotten to know her, but I have to tell you, this is my second time
being in Bloomington this week. I am a proud Indiana University grad, and I was down for steering.
Go Hoosiers. I was down for Little Five. I was part of Student Foundation and we had our reunion.
So I was, I'm just thrilled to be back. And like Dana said, oh my gosh, how exciting is it every time
I come back to Bloomington and I get to turn onto College Avenue. My heart just keeps going. So I wouldn't
be here today without my
that I had at Indiana University. Okay, so let's get started here. So again, thank you for having me.
So I want to read a little bit about my book, a few quotes from my book to give you an idea of why I've
stayed with this mission for so long, why I've persisted, why I've persevered after what seems like
100 plus setbacks.
So these are real quotes I heard from toy and publishing professionals. And I'll just read a few to
you. Girls who play sports don't play with dolls. Girls empowerment was a trend a few years ago. It's
not anymore. You need to add more blonde, blue-eyed dolls and make their legs longer. Generally, kids
who are active don't read.
A sports doll will never sell because girls like fashion. Can you create a fashion doll? Black dolls
don't sell well. Boys don't read books about girls. I love your product, but it'll never sell because
it's not mainstream. And it's not a fashion doll. And ultimately, girls like fashion. Do you actually
believe any of these? Of course not. But these were actual industry statements, and they weren't just biases.
in the industry, they echoed things that I had been hearing my entire life. And maybe you have too.
So when I was younger, I was very well aware of my empathy and my compassion and my sensitivity towards
others. And I saw it as my strength. But as I got older, I began to hear that I was too sensitive and
I was too nice. And even my high school guidance counselor,
told me that this was my weakness and that I was too nice to go to college and into business and I was
better suited as a secretary or somebody else's assistant just because I was nice. So I'm glad I didn't
listen to her, but I continued to believe in my strengths and I created a positive image product for
girls. But now I was hearing that I was still too sensitive. Now I was too confident.
and too big of a feminist. And my product wasn't needed because women and girls were already too empowered.
I started to hear comments that undervalued my achievements, such as, how's your little business going?
Or, your little Ted Talk was so cute. I was called a working mom, a super mom, and asked how I did it
all, running a business with three kids. I can guarantee my husband
Nor any man has ever heard those words. But I bet some of you have. So for the first half of my life,
I went along with this BS. I didn't make any waves. I didn't complain. But I kind of felt like I was
living in a dimly lit room and my eyes were just adjusted to the twilight. My eyes were adjusted to
the twilight. And I thought, man, it has to be me.
I have to be changed to fit in. I have to buck up. I have to figure it out. I have to work harder. It
has to be about me. But as time went on, I realized maybe it isn't me at all. Because for far too long,
women have been told to change to fit in, to toughen up, that we need to be fixed. But here's the thing,
we're not broken.
It's our system that's broken and our culture that needs to be fixed because women were born to change
the world. That is something. That is a belief I have always held, but I heard this
term, women were born to change the world. At a conference where I was speaking, it was the Indiana
Conference for Women at Indianapolis with another woman, her name is Dr. Tarari Trent. And if you do
not know Dr. Tarari Trent, she's worth a Google. She started the schools in Zimbabwe for girls with
Oprah. And throughout her presentation, she would say, and women were born to change the world. And
it made me realize, it's not enough.
for women to know they're capable and strong. It's the world to know we're capable and strong. And it's
changing the way the world perceives our strengths. And that starts in childhood. So a lot of times
you hear of aha moments in glamorous places, like somebody in a mountain or walking along a beach during sunset.
Other times you hear of people having moments of clarity when they're meditating or practicing mindfulness.
Me, my moment of clarity, the time I said I see a problem, there must be a better way, and why can't
I be the one to fix it? Was that a toy store? Not so glamorous at all. Okay, so parents out there, you
will be familiar with this scene. You are running into the toy store with your child by hand
because she needs a wrap birthday gift for a party. She's attending in 30 minutes, right? So we've all
had those panicky parenting moments. So that was me and my daughter Grace was with me at the time and
she was nine and she had just gotten done playing soccer. So she is still in her soccer uniform. She
has on her cleats and her shin guards and her hair is in crazy messy pigtails and her face is all rosy
with exertion and I tell you this because she looked like a normal kid.
on a Saturday afternoon, as we're frantically running up and down the aisles when a line of dolls just
stopped me in my tracks. They had on short skirts, crop top, belly button ring, big hair, lots of makeup.
I look at my daughter, I look at this doll, I pick up the doll, and the name on the hang tag is lovely
Lola. That's the little dolly that did it in for me. That changed everything for me, and I literally had
a meltdown. I'm looking at this doll thinking, there's not one parent out there that wants their daughter
to look, act, or be called lovely Lola. So I'm pulling all the other dolls off the shelf and it's Sizzle
and Sue and Cute Candy and Dazzle and Destiny. Right? I mean, you laugh, but I mean, seriously, that
is actually the names. And I thought, this is crazy. I am so sick and tired of it. So I grabbed Lola
and I bought her.
As I'm scolding the salesperson saying, oh my gosh, look at this doll, it's sexy, you should not be
marketing sex to girls. He's like, I'm 16. I'm like, whatever, tell your manager. And I'm running out
the door and my daughter's like, mom, mom, mom, stop, stop. Is that the birthday gift for Maddie?
I'm like, no, no. I'm buying it to show dad. I need to show dad, which confused her even more.
So I did. I brought the doll home to my husband and I said, hey listen, I am so sick and tired of these
negative messages that are marketed at girls and I think I can do something about it. I think I can
create a positive image product for girls that encourages them to be healthy physically, mentally, and
emotionally through sports and physical activity. So it made me realize also that this line of dolls
did not scream strong, smart, and adventurous. And I thought, if this is what girls can see, I certainly
don't want my daughter to be it. And I was positive that the majority of parents were going to agree with me.
As I look back at my entrepreneurial journey, it was that moment in the toy aisle that made me realize
something I've always known, that we as a culture, specifically the toy industry, was doing a lousy
job showing girls strong, smart, and powerful images. And maybe I couldn't change a culture, but there
had to be something I could do, and maybe I could change an industry.
So that moment in the toy aisle led me to create a positive image product for girls, be invited to the
White House as a thought leader, ultimately sell my business, and now act as an activist promoting girl
power, women power, and gender equality. All because of Lola. We're at a first name basis. So I want
to share a quote with you. Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not.
Nothing is more common than unsuccessful men
and women, it's about equality, with talent. Genius will not, unrewarded genius is almost a proverb.
Education will not, the world is full of educated derelicts and I'm sure we all know some of those.
Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. So I will be the first to tell you, I am not a genius.
And I'm not overly talented,
But while I'm educated, one of my biggest goals at IU was to attend as many fraternity parties as possible,
and I was super successful. So for lack of a better word, maybe I'm just average or just normal.
but I am persistent and determined, which has been fueled by passion. So persistence is a very common
word, but I want to share the definition with you. Persistence is a quality that allows someone to do
something that is difficult or opposed by others. And while persistence brings out uniqueness,
it's not easy, it comes with baggage, it comes with risk, it comes with fear, it comes with
incredible fatigue, but it also comes with joy and growth and ultimately reward. So my moment in the
Toya Aya was my moment of clarity, but it was preceded by many situations in my life, big and small,
that shaped who I am and how I feel about gender issues. My own personal experiences of gender inequality
and gender stereotyping
that has led me to know the importance of girls knowing what their minds and bodies can do versus what
their bodies look like. And while those gender issues were on my radar for years, for decades, I didn't
know what I could do to change things. I didn't know what I could do to make a difference. So I just
pushed it aside until I met
Oh, and what really started to open my eyes were my three kids. This is when it started all to come
together for me. So in this picture are Peter, Grace, and Ben. Peter's the older one. And I show you
this picture, and obviously they're a lot older right now, but when my kids were in this age of six,
seven, and eight, I saw them as equals. They were equally smart. They were equally funny. They were
equally difficult.
but I knew they all should have the same opportunity. But in that age range of six, seven, and eight,
I started to see a discrepancy of products marketed to girls and products marketed to boys. I started
to see products marketed to girls associated with appearance and attractiveness, and products marketed
to boys associated with violence and aggression. Now, my sons were never violent or aggressive, and
I didn't want to encourage that.
And my daughter was always super smart, and I didn't want her to feel that she all of a sudden had to
focus on her appearance. And one of my first realizations of this, ironically, was in a toy store. So
it was summer, and I wanted to buy a science kit for the kids. So I go into the toy store by myself,
and I'm immediately annoyed. Why? Because there is a boy science aisle and a girl science aisle. And
I thought to myself, seriously?
When did science become gendered now? And I'm like, whatever. I followed directions. I go down the boys'
science aisle. What do I see? A bunch of cool things. But in particular, the volcano that explodes,
right? The vinegar, the baking soda, the boys have goggles, the thing's exploding. I'm like, great option,
great outdoor option, but great option. Now, I'm curious. What is down the girl science aisle? Sure.
can be a scientist, but you can make your own fingernail polish, your own makeup, your own hair scrunchie,
your own perfume, your own bath bomb. Again, it all revolved around appearance. And again, I didn't
know what I could do to make a difference, so I pushed it aside. Until I met Lola. That's when I knew.
I want her to be fresh in your mind.
That's when I knew how I was going to make a difference. That's when I knew what I could do to create
change. But what I didn't know was the long road ahead of me and the battle I would begin to fight.
So once I decided to move forward on a positive image product for girls, I needed to figure out, well,
what do I do? I know nothing about the toy industry. I know nothing about designing, manufacturing,
shipping, whatever. Nothing. I had to ask a lot of questions, and I did.
I had to do research first. Were there any sports dolls? None. I was very surprised. I found a lot of
baby dolls. I found a lot of drag dolls. Then I found a lined, I found 75 lines of fashion dolls. 75
lines of fashion dolls. And then within the fashion doll, I created my own category. It's called the
sexy doll.
category, sexy fashion dolls. So here's a problem with these dolls. So you see over here, the four dolls,
those are brats, B-R-A-T-Z, we all are familiar with brats, yes. No parent wants their daughter to be
called a brat. Their feet come off, it's creepy. But the problem with this is that little girls see
this in their toys, they see it in their media, they see it in the retail that is marketed to them.
So it's human nature.
to imitate what you see. And if little girls start imitating the Bradstalls and they wear something
like this to school as a young person, what happens? They're shamed. They're told to put their gym uniform
on. They're told to call their parents or their caregivers and have a change of clothing brought. They're
told that they're suspended. That's the worst scenario.
Many of us, all of us have probably heard of those scenarios too. So we're slapping the wrong hands.
We're slapping the hands of these little girls who are receiving these confusing and conflicting messages
when we should be slapping the hands of the manufacturers and the retailers and the advertisers that
are marketing this stuff to our girls. Thank you. So in the center here are the Monster High dolls,
and that's by Mattel.
And the tagline is, be unique, be yourself, be a monster. Again, no parent wants their daughter to be
a monster. But here's the thing with these dolls, be unique. I can come up with about 10 ways in 10
seconds that a little girl can be unique without looking like a sexy, creepy cat. So Barbie here looks
pretty innocent, right?
I had an issue with Barbie in 2015. It just happened that I was in New York at the time, and it was
just announced that Barbie, who had just turned 50, made the cover a Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue.
The media is going crazy. Congratulations, Barbie. Congratulations, SI. And my head is spinning for
two reasons.
Barbie's plastic, it doesn't matter if she's 50 or 150, she's gonna look the same. Secondly, and more
importantly, Barbie is a doll, is a toy that is marketed to little girls that are four, five, six, seven,
eight years old. Yet, she made the cover of one of the sexiest magazines in our country that is marketed
to grown men.
This is so creepy and disturbing. Like I said, I'm in New York. I called ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox. I said,
you have to have me on your show. This is not good for our girls and this is not good for our boys.
And they all said, no. That's okay. They knew I wasn't going away, right? I'm persistent. And they knew
I was on to something. So down here are
LOL dolls. And I have to tell you, they had nothing to do with my research. But are some of you familiar
with the LOL dolls? Yep, yep, yep. So this is designed by, manufactured by MGA, the same company that
owns Bratz. So this doll came out in 2018, won the Toy Association Toy of the Year Award in 2018, 2019,
2020. So you think,
That's pretty good. Well, I wrote an article about this. So what it was is that they come in a ball,
and this guy, Isaac Larian, he made a billion dollars in his first year off of sales, which is incredible.
So it was all about the surprise factor. So all the little kids would get this ball, and then they'd
open it, and it was a surprise. And part of the surprise was a secret color change.
So for instance, if you dip this little dolly in water, her hair maybe comes out pink and the bow comes
out white. Pretty cool. But what they didn't disclose, some of the dolls that you dip in water come
out with a clothing change, and some had on sexy lingerie. Others had a devil tail on its backside.
Others had caution tape over their private parts. And others had shackles on their wrists and ankles.
This is happening. Can you imagine sitting around a boardroom table saying, yeah, that's a good idea.
Let's add shackles. I mean, I can't even. I can't even. That is insane to me. So I just wanted to share
this with you to let you know that the sexy doll stuff is alive and kicking.
So, okay, now you can imagine my room is super bright, and I could really see where I was going, but
what I couldn't unsee were the harmful gender stereotypes that were everywhere. I saw them in the beautiful
girls coloring book versus the brilliant boys coloring book. Let the world hear you war for little boys,
let the world see you bloom, I can't see it over here, for little girls.
And so what really got me were the t-shirts. Training to be Batman and be a hero for boys. Training
to be Batman's wife and I need a hero for little girls. So what this is telling little boys is that
this, little boys, you are in the main character and little girls, you are in the supporting role. So
let me tell you how this plays out in adult life.
A good friend of mine is an attorney, and she became the managing partner of a big law firm in Chicago.
And she asked all the partners in the firm to write a paragraph on their everyday duties. Who are your
clients? What are your in-house projects? And she prefaced to me, she said, they basically have the
same thing, just different clients, different in-house projects. She said,
It was so amazing. Every man started his paragraph, I lead. Every woman started her paragraph, I assist.
It's okay to tell little boys that they lead, but we need to tell little girls that they lead too. So
in my research, I found microaggressions.
So these are just, and Dana talked about this, these are things that I heard as well when I was a young
girl. For instance, you throw like a girl, you run like a girl, don't cry like a girl, boys will be
boys. So these are just small terms that are like paper cuts and they build over time and they're harmful.
So these are just confusing and conflicting messages that
young people receive at a very young age. And I heard these terms when I was younger. But I also heard
them when I was older, too. So my kids and I were visiting my family out in Virginia. And we're in my
uncle's backyard, and it's summer, and a beautiful, hot, super hot DC day. And my nine-year-old son
says to me, ma'am, will you play ball with me?
And I said, yeah, sure, let's play catch. So as I go pick up the ball, I'm getting ready to throw. And
I hear one of my uncles say to my family, there were about 15 of us, and I heard him say, hey, everyone,
let's watch Jody. Let's see if she throws like an athlete or she throws like a girl. And when I threw
the ball, what went through my head, I pray I throw like an athlete.
Shame on me. Shame on me. I wish I would have looked at my uncle and said, yeah, I throw like a girl.
I eat like a girl. I run like a girl. I play tennis like a girl. I sleep like a girl. I dress like a
girl. I brush my teeth like a girl. I read like a girl because I am a girl. And it's nothing to be ashamed
of. And it wouldn't have been just a good lesson for my uncle and family, but my kids too.
So when the words like a girl are used to mean something negative or bad, it's so disempowering. OK,
now I needed some hard facts. And I found that 17 million girls in the US play one sport a year. That's
one in three girls play one sport a year.
And sports and physical activity is associated with improved academic achievement, healthy and positive
body image. It is collaboration. It is teamwork. It is leadership that the girls learn. And those leadership
skills extend into adult life, where 400 female corporate executives were surveyed and 94% played a sport.
when they were younger. Girls play sports, so should their dogs. So now I needed to get designing. Knew
nothing. I'm an okay drawer. Just okay. Very sketchy. I had to figure out what do I do? Well, I measured
my daughter and all her little friends that came through the door. I measured their wingspan, the length
of their legs, the size of their torso, the shape of their head, and I shrunk it down to make sure it
was in correct
proportion to a little girl's body. So it took two years from rough draft to the actual debut of the
first doll, tennis girl Gracie at the US Open in 2008. And that was my first sale, so I was pretty proud
of it. I have no connection to the USTA at all. I just called them one day. I picked up the phone. I
called them. I said, this is what I got. They said, great, we'll take 500.
And those 500 sold out in six days. I cannot tell you how excited I was. I just happened to be there
that year with some friends, and to see these little girls carrying the dolls throughout the park, the
grounds, and there was one little girl that was with her parents, and she was holding the hand, and
the doll is hanging, and I bent down right to her, and I said, oh, little doll, girl, do you just love
your dolly? And her parents are like,
And my friends grab me and they're like, yeah, you cannot do that. They don't know who you are. I was
just so excited. I saw him on Jumbo Toms. So I knew I was onto something. I knew I had a good idea.
And so my next goal was to launch the line of nine dolls at the New York Toy Fair.
Everybody comes from all over the world, and this is in February of 2009, to see what the next best
thing is. I'm like, it's me. It's me. I was cocky. I was really cocky. I was like, this is going, I
am onto something. Well, not so much. I had so many buyers come to my booth and say, oh my gosh, I love
your product. My daughter, she plays soccer. She loves soccer, girl.
And I'd say, great, how many would you like to buy? I'd always get the hand, oh, no, no, no, no, no,
no, no. It'll never sell. And I said, why? He said, ultimately, girls like fashion. Can you create a
fashion doll? I'm like, that's my point. As a mother of a daughter and as a woman, I'm positive girls
like more than fashion. Plus, there are 75 lines of fashion dolls out there. Why would I create a fashion
doll? And I do want to say, I have nothing against fashion.
I love fashion. I love when people express themselves. I love how designers are so talented and creative.
But does that define a person? Man or woman? Boy or girl? Absolutely not. So I hung in there. But I
also knew that mainstream ideas never create change, and I was creating change.
So yeah, I hung in there. Well, you don't want to talk to my husband about that, but I did hang in there
for five years, for five long years. And if you were to open my books, you would say, whoa, this is
a terrible business model because I put everything back into the business.
So what kept me going because I didn't I just I knew girls deserve more and I knew I was right. I don't
think I'm right about a lot of things. I was right about that. So what kept me going was the media and
all the awards I won in the toy.
industry, except for the Toy Association Award. I never won that, but whatever. I won all the other
top ones, maybe because I didn't have a sexy doll. So anyway, and these are just a sprinkling of the
publications that I was in. And the Today Show was the biggest one. And actually, it was such perfect
timing when they called
I just happened to be in Arizona with my husband. He was there for business. I tagged along.
It was February. Who doesn't want to get out of Chicago in February? So I went along with him. And I
was lamenting and complaining, like, I just can't figure this out. I'm missing something. Like, what
is going on? These buyers are my gatekeepers. And he said, maybe our culture isn't ready for this. Maybe
you're ahead of your time.
And as much as I wanted to disagree with him, I knew he was right. I knew he was right. He said,
you know, maybe it's time to throw in the towel. It just broke my heart. And so he went to his meeting.
I went back to bed. And my phone rang. And it said, NBC. And I was like, what? I hit it. And it was
a woman. She said, hi, this is Stephanie. I'm a producer on the Today Show. We'd like to do.
feature on you. I'm like, I'm alive. I can't give up now. I mean, my husband came home thinking that
he would, you know, I'd be sad. I'm like, oh, I'm going to New York. But so anyway, so the media kept
me going. The awards kept me going. So I knew I had a pulse on what our culture wanted. I knew I had
a vibe that parents wanted better for their girls, too. But the buyers were my gatekeepers. So what
kept me going?
was my pack, my squad, the people who gave me their time, their talent, a shoulder to lean on when I
wanted to give it up. And my favorite, we don't have stairs here. See this woman here in the white shirt
in the middle? Yeah? Do you see her? Can you just see her? Okay, yes. Well, she is one of my favorites.
And her daughter is here tonight.
Kendall Tom. Wave, Kendall. I'm proud to have Kendall here. And Kara has been one of my biggest supporters
and editor of my book and author of all the GoGo Sports Girl books. And how I met Kara was a phone call.
She called me. Again, my phone said Chaska, Minnesota.
I'm like, well, that's intriguing. I've never had a call from Chaska, Minnesota. And so I picked it
up. And she said, hi, my name's Kara Tom. I have three little girls. You were six at the time.
And she said, we have all the go-go sports girls. And she said, I'm a children's book author, and I'd
love to write books for you. And I said, I love that idea. I said, but Kara, there's a problem.
And she said, what? And I said, I can't pay you. She's like, that's OK. I just want to be a part of
the project. I'm like, deal.
But let me tell you, I have been able to pay Kara her royalties since then. But Kara has been by my
side, and I couldn't have done it with her. She came to the White House with me. I talked to her on
my way today as I was in traffic on 65. So anyway, after five years and after 500 nos, I thought, I'm
going to give Toy Fair one more shot.
And if it doesn't work out, I'm going to throw in the towel. Well, I get to Toy Fair. I have this crazy
opportunity to pitch to three Walmart buyers. I had five minutes. I gave them my best pitch. And after
five minutes, they said, this is a winner. If you can write six books to go along with six of the dolls,
package them together, we will put them in Walmart stores, or you can
I call Kara, I'm like, she had already written one book for soccer girl. I'm like, you have to write
five more books. Oh my gosh, we're going to Walmart. And I hired an illustrator and an editor, and together
we created the Go Go Sports Girl reading plays that hit Walmart stores in 2015. And that's what got
the ball rolling.
And that's what got the ball rolling. And in 2016, I was invited to the White House to participate in
conferences on breaking down gender stereotypes in media and toys with the Obama administration. And
then in 2016,
I was having capital issues because my Walmart orders were getting bigger and bigger. And so I was telling
this to a friend of mine who worked for a large toy company in Miami called Jazzwares. I said, I don't
know what I'm going to do. I need to figure something out. And she's like, well, maybe our company will
acquire you. And I said, OK, that would be great, which is hard to have a business acquired. And I said,
when are you going to do this? She's like, I'm going to take it to the president right now. I'm like,
OK. She called me back five minutes later. She's like, yeah, they're going to acquire it.
Wait, what? I'm like, I'm eating a sandwich right now. And you're like, OK. OK. So they acquired it.
And I thought my story ended there. Because after all my presentations, I would say, in 2018, Jazzwares
and I will empower girls throughout the world until they got cold feet. I know. It's so sad. But anyway.
So they pulled the plush dolls. So these are plush dolls. We redesigned the dolls to hard body dolls.
OK, so like, you know, plastic. And we were ready to go forward. I had a team of 10, and they hired
two new people, George and Jorge. And they did not think this was a good idea. I was able to convince
George I was not
able to convince Jorge. And so they returned the intellectual property to me, the brand to me, so it
was actually the best breakup possible. And I gotta tell you, this is just a side note, guess where
Jorge is now? I don't know, he's working for CBS. He's not even in the toy industry anymore. I'm like,
oh my God. Anyway, so that's when I knew my journey has been more than a doll.
And I'm sounding the siren that gender inequality doesn't start in our teens or in our 20s. It starts
the moment a child can watch a show, hold a toy, or a book. So after all of this, after the designing
of the dolls, the launching of the dolls, the Walmart story, the wins, the losses, the writing the book,
this is what I've learned.
It's really not about the toys. It's about the messages and the stories our girls hear about who they're
allowed to be and what is possible. Because if she can see strength, possibility, leadership, then she
can be it. And that is the power every single person in this room
has the power to change and influence. So this is what it all comes down to. What kids see shapes what
they believe. Here's how we change it. Show kids things that are different. Show girls as builders.
Show girls as strong leaders. Show boys compassion and empathy. This is how we create change.
And we need to redefine strength. Strength is not toughness. It's not bullying. It's not name calling.
It's not putting others down. Strength is empathy, courage, kindness, compassion, collaboration. That
is true leadership. And use your voice in small moments. So if you hear the words, like a girl, or boys
don't cry,
Call those things out. Call out stereotypes. Ask kids in your life, what do you notice and who is missing?
Money talks. All right, ladies in the room, we control 80% of the consumer purchasing power. It is time
that we recognize our strength and we use it
and we press on together. If you do not like something, don't buy it. If you want to complain, there
are websites for you to complain about consumer products. And they're in the back of my book as well
as on my website. And if you don't like a product, email that company. They listen. So change happens
when we persist.
So my big moment happened under ordinary circumstances. And what I have learned is that you don't need
to be a genius, overly talent, or a big team to create change. What you need is to take your best idea,
step over fear, find your courage, and persist when things get difficult. So I started today with one
of my favorite quotes from Dr. Tarare Trent. And I want to leave you with a quote
that I love from Madeleine Albright. There's a special place in hell for women who don't help each other.
And for those who do, there will always be a special place of honor. Thank you.
Can we get another round of applause for Jodi? You know, I heard a lot of things from both Dana and
Jodi, and I've been just sitting here kind of reflecting on them, but I wrote a couple of things down.
I'm a note-taker for everyone who works with me, you know. Dana said, at the Boys and Girls Club, we
create space. And I heard a lot of that in what Jodi said, too.
Space for girls to try things, to fail and try again, to discover what they're good at and
build relationships, to find their voice, and maybe most importantly, to begin to see themselves not
just as they are today, but as who they can become. That was a powerful quote. Thanks, Dana. Jodi, I
heard you say there's a space for us all. Everybody has a space. I heard you say that whether it's a
boy or a girl,
Whether it's a fashion lover or a sports lover, there is a place for us all. I also heard you say that
there's support, and support matters. That having people in your corner matters. That seeing people
that you want to be like matters. Seeing people that look like you in positions of power and leadership
matters. Belief matters. Telling someone that you believe in them is a very powerful tool. It matters.
And persistence.
Matters, I heard that over and over again. Stick-to-itiveness, that you don't have to be the smartest
one in the room or the strongest one in the room, but if you're still in the room, after you get knocked
over a couple of times or fail maybe 100 times, that's what matters. And so thank you so much for those
powerful words. Thank you for those moments you both shared with us of persistence and of who you are.
And thank you, more importantly, for just sharing yourselves with us tonight. So one more round of applause
for Dana and Jodi. Thank you so much.
It's so important to have examples of strong women in our lives. Just drop something that I need.
All right, here we go. Jody's a great example of strong women, so is Dana. But strength looks different
in us all. It can look loud. It can look quiet. It can look like serving. It can look like leading.
And one thing that I've learned from so many women in my life and what we try to teach at the Boys and
Girls Club is that it should look like you.
It's really important that it looks like you. And there's a couple of women that we want to honor tonight
who did that so very well and taught those lessons to me specifically too. One of those women whose
quiet strength looked like showing up year after year to serve the ones who need us most was Ellie Rink.
Ellie passed away in 2025, leaving a hole in the hearts of many of us who knew her. A hole that can
only be filled with gratitude. Gratitude for the memories we have of her leadership, her kindness, her
passion, her care, her service, all done, of course, with grace and style, if you knew Ellie. Ellie
was connected to the club through the Auxiliary. The Auxiliary has played a powerful role in the Boys
and Girls Club for many years.
They're a group that funds special projects and shows up for kids over and over again. Ellie joined
the auxiliary in 1977 and was the president from 1988 to 1989. On my very first week at the Boys and
Girls Club in 2014, one of the first people I met was Ellie Rink. She walked in with food, surprise,
surprise, and later I learned that this was not uncommon. Ellie regularly came to the club with food.
She came for a Friday meal, a long-standing auxiliary tradition, to give kids a hot meal every single
week. A meal that they could put in a to-go container and take for the weekend to make sure they had
food over the weekend. And she told me so many stories of how she had fed kids since the 70s and that
it was her great joy to make sure kids felt cared for. She also always shared how blessed she felt.
Every time I saw her, she shared gratitude. Gratitude for her blessings in life.
her husband, her family, her friends, and her community, and she understood that she was blessed, and
the gratitude that she felt for those blessings fueled her desire to bless and serve others. Her life
was rooted in care for others. She and her husband Larry built a life centered around family and community,
raising their children here in Bloomington and pouring themselves into the organizations that made this
city stronger. Her greatest pride was her family. Her son Scott, her daughter-in-law Allison, who's
here with us tonight, and her four
grandchildren, a couple of them who worked at the club over the years, and they carry forward that same
sense of kindness and generosity that she showed each and every day. Those of us who knew Ellie would
tell you she led with grace, with warmth, and with strength. She didn't look for recognition. She simply
saw a need, and she met it. So tonight, we're going to start a Smart Girls Strong Woman tradition in
honor of Ellie Rink, and we're going to give the gratitude. So on your table,
You have a little stone, and I'm going to ask you to take it out of your bag. And it says on it, let
gratitude motivate your generosity. I'm going to ask you to hold that stone in your hand, because Ellie's
service and generosity were motivated by gratitude. And tonight, I'm going to ask that we all take a
moment to reflect on Jody's words, and Dana's words, and who Ellie Rank was, to pause and think of the
things and the people that you are grateful for.
And we're just gonna take a minute. You know, they say that thinking about gratitude and the things
we're grateful for reduces your anxiety, helps you to ground yourself in the present, and helps you
to think about a world that's bigger than just yourself. And so we're gonna take 30 seconds and we're
gonna think. And I'm gonna ask that you take a moment and reflect on the things that you're grateful for.
Thank you for taking that time to do that tonight. It's powerful when we stop and pause and spend a
moment thinking about the things that matter most to us. So I have one more ask of you with this stone.
For Ellie, gratitude wasn't just an attitude or a feeling, it was action, motivated action. And I hope
that you will take this stone when you leave today and you'll place it on your dashboard, maybe you'll
put it in your purse, maybe you'll stick it on your desk at work or somewhere that you'll see it.
and it will remind you to let gratitude motivate generosity. Maybe that means taking out your phone
and texting somebody that you're thankful for them. Maybe it looks like that support group that Jody
talked about, reminding people you're in their corner, telling them you believe in them and you care
about them. Maybe it looks like leaving here and signing up to volunteer. We could always use your help.
We need tutors. We need people to bring meals on Fridays. There's lots of things you can do, and there's
tons of organizations in this community who could use your help.
Maybe it looks like giving tonight when it comes time to do that. Whatever that looks like, I would
ask that you would reflect on what you're grateful for and that you would allow that to motivate your
generosity in this great community, for this community that we all love. Thank you for letting me take
some time to honor Ellie tonight. Let's just cheer for Ellie too. We love her.
Another strong woman we're going to honor tonight and one of the most memorable women I ever got to
know was Ann St. John. Excited tonight to be able to tell you a little bit about Ann and then welcome
up somebody who knew her best of all, her sister Jane. When I first met Ann, I was struggling to find
my voice as a new professional. And Ann told me, snap out of it. Be yourself. You don't need to be anybody
else in the way that Ann does, lovingly.
She told me to just be me, to stop worrying about it so much, to stop trying to look like other people
and mimic other people, but to just stand in my own strength. Because she told me that nobody else could
bring to the world what I bring. And that's true of each one of you. Nobody else can bring to the world
what you bring. What you bring has value, and it matters. And Ann reminded me of that very special thing.
So in 2021, the club gave its first
female staff award at this event, the Smart Girl Strong Woman event, and we decided that we would do
this every year, and of course, we would name it after Ann St. John. Tonight, I'm pleased to invite
Ann's sister Jane to the stage to present this award and to tell us a little bit more about the wonderful
woman who Ann was. Please welcome Jane to the stage.
Good evening. Kristen Bateman brings both heart and intention to everything she does. She holds degrees
in history and Spanish from Washington University in St. Louis, and her path to the Boys and Girls Club
reflects a deep commitment to learning and growth. Before joining the Boys and Girls Club, she worked
as a copy editor for academic journals
and spent nearly a decade as a homeschool parent and co-op teacher, focusing on history at the high
school level. Kristen has been part of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Monroe County for nearly four years,
first as a tutor at our Ellitsville Club, and now as Academic Success Director, where she continues
to strengthen and expand academic support for members. But what stands out most about Kristen
isn't just her background. It's the way she shows up for kids. One of her nominators said it best. She
meets kids where they are, speaks to them on their level, and helps them see a path forward. The kids
love her, and it shows. That feeling of being seen, understood, and capable is what changes everything
for a young person.
And that is exactly what Kristen creates every day. She leads the tutoring program, but what she's built
is more than academic support. It's a space where kids feel encouraged, challenged, and confident. A
place where learning feels possible. Kristen creates a climate of high expectations with kindness, patience,
and encouragement. She believes in every child's ability to succeed and works to make sure
They have the support to get there. And her impact doesn't stop with the kids. Kristen is the teammate
who steps in wherever she's needed. She brings positivity, professionalism, and a steady presence. As
one colleague shared, she represents what it means to live the mission. Every decision she makes has
someone else's best interest in mind.
Because of Kristen, young people are not only improving academically, they are growing into confident
individuals who believe in themselves and their futures. And this is what this award is all about. Tonight,
we are proud to recognize somebody who truly embodies what it means to be a strong woman. Please join
me in celebrating this year's Anne St. John Strong Woman Award recipient, Kristen Bateman.
Okay, I have one more job. Okay.
Legacy is an important part of the Boys and Girls Club culture. As the club celebrates its 70th anniversary,
we think of the legacy of many people, Ellie and Anne before us especially. Thank you. When we think
of the club logo, the old one with the torch, we are reminded that we are responsible for keeping that
torch going for the next generation of leaders and change makers. With that legacy work in mind,
I'm grateful to share an announcement tonight about a gift that brings Anne's legacy to you in a lasting
way. The foundation of Anne's is one that I run with Mary Ellen May, Anne's daughter, and Sue Aquila.
It was created from what would have been her retirement. Instead of stepping away, her vision
was to give back in a deeper way to this community that she loved and believed in people, especially
children and families who were working to build a meaningful future for themselves. She believed in
removing barriers so opportunities could take hold. We often hear, as we were reminded earlier, that
it costs $20 per year for a child to attend the club. That, however, is for the school year.
Summer programming and break day camps can be cost prohibitive to families, $20 per day or $100 per
week. Although the club provides scholarships for these programs, the scholarship fund is small and
covers only about 30% of the requests that the club receives. This means that the enriching program
boys and girls receive during the school year either go away or are significantly
are significantly reduced. This is the kind of gap that Anne would have loved to bridge. Through the
Anne St. John Legacy Foundation, I am pleased to announce that the club will be able to take a large
step forward in making that happen as we are donating $265,000 for their summer
Thank you. Anne said thank you. Summer and Break Camp Scholarship Fund. We also required the club to
match the gift, that was Anne's insistence, and they have done so through the generosity of individuals
in this community, many of whom are in this room. That brings the total available for scholarships to
over half a million dollars, or $530,000.
It means parents can go to work or continue their education knowing their children are safe, supported,
and learning from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. all summer long. It means more kids have access to a place where
they belong. And it means more young people have the chance to grow up into who they are meant to be.
This gift will also help us long-term support for scholarships, assuring that this opportunity continues
for years to come.
We are proud to carry Anne's legacy forward. Thank you, Anne, and thank you.
Sorry we didn't put tissues on your tables. It's amazing to see how people believe in kids and want
to invest in the lives of kids. You've heard it all day today. And on behalf of the Boys and Girls Clubs
of Bloomington, thank you very much to the Anne St. John Legacy Foundation and their generosity and
their belief in kids. We're proud to carry Anne's legacy forward, and that legacy lives on in the young
people that we are serving each and every day.
And it's my privilege now to introduce you to one of those young people. One of those leaders who I
have no doubt is going to be standing on one of these stages someday. Jayla is our 2026 Youth of the
Year, and I'm going to tell you a little bit about her before she comes up and speaks to you all. To
be named Youth of the Year at the Boys and Girls Club is the highest honor that our organization gives to a kid.
Open to tween and teen members ages 12 and up, this program teaches interviewing, writing, public speaking,
and most importantly, finding their voice to tell their own story. Just like Ann St. John helped me
to do. Like Jodi does in her work each and every day. And like Dana does, full of all kinds of strong
women in here today. So tonight, we're going to do just that. We're going to give Jayla a platform,
and she's going to share her speech with us.
Jayla is a sophomore at Edgewood High School. She's a dedicated student athlete participating in volleyball,
wrestling, track, and field. Did you hear that? Volleyball, wrestling, track, and field. Proof that
hard work and perseverance, Jodi, are part of her everyday life. Jayla is an exceptional young leader
whose character, resilience, and compassion exemplify the mission of the Boys and Girls Club.
As a Youth of the Year for Monroe County, Jayla represents leadership and action. She's grounded in
service, integrity, and genuine care for others. She's the oldest of three children in a single-parent
household, and Jayla has taken on meaningful responsibility at a young age. Her mother works full-time.
Jayla is consistently modeling maturity, reliability, and empathy while balancing academics, athletics,
family commitments, and community involvement.
This year, Jayla also added another milestone, becoming a new driver. So be careful, Jayla's on the
road now. Just kidding. I've heard she's a very good driver, actually. While navigating the roads and
learning that parking lots can be surprisingly humbling, Jayla approaches this new independence with
the same focus, humility, and good humor that she brings to every challenge. For the past six years,
Jayla has been an active member of the Boys and Girls Club. She is a leader in our Alexville Club, guys.
She's widely known as a trusted and encouraged friend. She's consistently complimentary to others. She's
quick to recognize effort, celebrate accomplishments, and build confidence in her peers. She's a great
supporter. Young members often seek Jayla out, not only for her guidance and support, but because she
makes people feel valued, welcome, and capable, delivering wisdom alongside with a well-timed laugh.
Jayla knows how to have a good time.
Jayla embodies the Boys and Girls Club core values of leadership, inclusion, respect, and service, creating
a positive environment where everyone is encouraged to succeed. Inspired by the impact the club has
had on her growth, Jayla hopes to give back by working as a club staff member in the near future. We
just hired her, so she's going to be working at our Elksville club over the summer. Very excited about that.
She's going to continue to uplift and mentor and guide the next generation, just like she's had so many
do for her at the Boys and Girls Club. Jayla's ability to lead and support others and stay grounded
in gratitude makes her truly deserving of our Youth of the Year. She's a powerful example of kindness
and confidence and how community comes together to shape tomorrow's leader. So please join me in welcoming
our 2026 Youth of the Year, Jayla, to the stage at this time.
Hi, everybody. Hello. Thank you for that lovely introduction. Also, before I start my speech, I would
like to personally thank Texas Roadhouse, not only for their food, but for the rolls, and especially
that butter. But as Leslie said, I did grow up in a single-parent household with my mother and two little
siblings. One of them is here today. Justice right over there. She's so sweet.
It caused me to definitely step up emotionally as 10 year olds typically don't have to. And I had to
fill in a role of being a second parent because as Leslie once again said, my mother works full time
at Boston Scientific. She's over there holding a strawberry phone case. Her table's around here somewhere.
Hi. Apologies. Now, around 10 years old, I did start coming to the Boys and Girls Club. And at first
it was very much
uncomfortable for me, not because the club was in any form or fashion a bad space. It was wonderful.
But it was very much like going to a friend's house very first time. You know, you're a bit younger.
You're very nervous. You've never met parents before and they're awesome. Super warm, super welcoming.
Hi, make yourself at home. You do no such thing. Because why would you do that? You just got there.
You make sure you know you're very tidy. You make sure not to ask for too much because you know it's
Your first time, you're very uncomfortable and you're not used to the space yet. That's what the club
was for me. At first, the club was certainly a bit of an uncomfortable space because I wasn't, I wasn't
used to not having to take care of somebody else and make sure all their stuff was done on top of my
own. And I promise I don't cry as much during these things, but I hate heels.
But the club certainly helped me become more comfortable. And one of those things that helped me become
more comfortable was the program Smart Girls. It was a very, it was an awesome space. It was a way for
me to be able to be vulnerable and share my experience as a girl, first time, kind of nervous, and be
able to ask the older staff questions, be able to ask
other girls' questions, hear everybody else's stories. And I thought it was super empowering. I thought
it was wonderful to get to hear all the wonderful things about, you know, how the world works and how
we have to navigate it as young ladies in our current society. And the staff who got me into Smart Girls
in particular, her name is Miss Layla. She's not dead, I promise. But, um...
She overall really helped make the club a more comfortable space for me. She is very well-rounded both
intellectually and, pardon me, athletically. And an example of athletically, I mean, she could do any
sport with you, which I thought was also super empowering of the Smart Girls message of being able to
be whatever the heck you want, like Barbie was saying, maybe in a different outfit.
I'm being so serious. She could do like basketball with you, wrestling with you. She could do fricking
ballet if you really wanted to. She had pointe shoes. Hello. If there was also a bar, she'd do... Thank
you so much, ma'am. But yes, she could do literally anything you wanted to do with her. She'd make sure
you could do it.
On the flip side, intellectually, she helped me a lot with math, specifically quadratic equations. Please
don't ask about those when I get off this podium. I'm going to be really sad. She also helped me a lot
with Spanish, linguistically more so, because remembering Accent Mars was surprisingly the easy part.
I highly recommend it. It was very fun. And because of Leila and Smart Girls, I was able to
you know, be able to take my shoes off at the door and, you know, maybe ask for a little more food at
that parent's house because I finally was comfortable. And now, apparently I'm so comfortable, I'm now
working there. Thank you, Leslie, for that confirmation. But thank you all for being here today and
being able to hear me in here, Miss Dana and Miss Jody, with all these wonderful stories and all these
wonderful messages. Unfortunately, I didn't make a doll, although that was cool. I'll have to buy one.
Thank you all for being here. Thank you.
I told you jail was a lot of fun.
We got to spend some time last week together. We went to Indy for the Youth of the Year competition.
So because she was our Bloomington Youth of the Year, we got to go to Indianapolis, and she got to compete
statewide for the Youth of the Year. She got to hone her presentation skills. Well, she's getting better
and better at this. The first time she did this, she was extremely nervous. She's still nervous, but
she's doing really well. And it helps them to figure out how to be themselves. And we've been talking
about that a lot tonight, how to empower people to be themselves. And it looks a little bit different
for all of us. And so we're so glad that you're here tonight to celebrate the programs for
kids, but also to celebrate all of these wonderful people that we're introducing you to this evening.
And so thank you again, and we're excited to get into the next part of our program. So the end of our
night, what we always love to do is we're here to raise some money for these awesome programs that we
have been talking about all night. And so we have some fun ways to do this. We're going to do an auction,
and we're also going to just do a fund in need where you can just support the club and sponsor kids
in any way. But I am not an auctioneer, so I am not going to do this by myself. And so I'm going to
introduce our auctioneer, and he can join me
this evening. His name is Paul Wyman, and he's the owner of the Wyman Group. He's a firm in north central
Indiana. He's done this for us for years. He's an actual auctioneer. He's a leader in his region and
a leader in his profession. He's a president of the Indiana Association of Realtors. He's been honored
by his peers all over the state of Indiana. He was a recipient of the NARS Good Neighbor Award for his
work on the opioid crisis. He's an accomplished auctioneer. He's raised
hundreds of thousands of dollars for charities, and he's, again, done this for us for many years. He
donates his time so that all the money that we raise can go to kids and families, which we love. And
Paul is also a United States Air Force veteran, so thank him for his service. Would you thank him for
his service with me?
Very proud of our veterans. He served in Operation Desert Shield in 1990. He was honored as Airman of
the Year and finished his military experience at Grissom Air Force Base in Indiana. He's been awarded
the Key to the City for Kokomo. He's been the Businessperson of the Year for the Chamber of Commerce.
He's won, I can't even read all these awards that he's won. He's won many awards. But let's welcome
up Paul up here to help us get rolling for our evening. I already used your book.
You sure, bro? Yeah, up to you. Yeah, yeah, yeah. All right. Well, let's give it up for Leslie.
How about it? Is she unbelievable? Leslie, you just, you have taken the reins here and it's just off
the charts. So congratulations. And how about we give Jodi a big hand? Jodi, that was absolutely
unbelievable. So I had no connection to Jodi before our event this evening. And during her presentation,
Jodi and I
I found out have an incredible connection. So she put on the screen a quote from Calvin Coolidge, and
in my wallet for the last 35 years of my life, laminated is the Calvin Coolidge quote, some want success,
others must have it. And Jodi, your whole talk was so inspirational. Thank you for being here tonight.
Let's give her another big hand.
So listen, today I had the privilege at lunchtime of presenting a grant to the Boys and Girls Club in
Tipton, Indiana.
And then I get to drive here to God's country and participate in the Boys and Girls Club event tonight.
And just like our ladies that spoke earlier when I turned onto College Avenue, oh my gosh, you just
feel great coming here to Bloomington. And I had this opportunity when you're driving that long to reflect
on things. And if you're hitting two Boys and Girls Clubs in one day, you can't help but reflect
on what's happening inside of the walls of these organizations. There are kids in the morning when they
get up and they're looking in that mirror before they go to school, and some of them are absolutely
dreading it. Some kids are in really difficult situations. Maybe it's a family situation. Maybe it's
they're not accepted at school. Maybe they're bullied. They're in some sort of disadvantaged situation.
and they're nervous about their day. But the one thing I know they have to look forward to is to come
here in the afternoon and to walk through the doors of a boys and girls club and experience what Jayla
did and experience that love and that connection and that empowerment and encouragement. And in this
case today, for smart girls and strong women, look at Jayla as an example.
Look at the other girls that are coming up through the program and have this incredible shot at life
because of people like Leslie, the staff, the board, the volunteers. And so I just always encourage
people when I travel to communities and get to talk, especially when I get to talk about youth, that
we as leaders in our communities, this is our moment now. This is where we step up and say to folks
like Leslie, the volunteers and Jayla,
We're still right here, right along beside you. And this is our moment to contribute and make sure our
program like this here in Bloomington, Indiana continues for years. So let's raise some money, let's
have some fun. And we've got a few great auction items. And maybe before we do those, we wanna do a
little bit of warmup or something. I think we should do a little warmup. Can we get the mic on?
There we go, okay. There we go. I think we should do a little warmup. Everybody get your bid numbers out.
All right, everybody got one. Use them as a fan. Yep, good job. All right, so put your bid number up
if you are a strong woman. Wave at me. Put your bid number up if you are raising a strong woman or raised
a strong woman. Put your bid number up at me. Put your bid number up if you were influenced by a strong
woman. Yeah, put your bid number up if you want to support girls in this community and you want to support
the Boys and Girls Club. Wave at me. All right, okay, I think we're all warmed up. That's all you got
to do. Just keep those numbers up.
Keep throwing those numbers up for us. We'll have plenty of opportunity for you to bid tonight. Some
of these packages you can go in together, and so look around at your friends and say, hey, will you
throw in 100? I'll throw in 100, and we'll go in on this together. But this will be a lot of fun, and
we'll do a couple of items tonight, and then we'll get into our sponsoring of children. So thank you
for what you're about to do. All right, so definitely a couple items that you'll be able to go in with
with people at your table. And again, remember,
Tonight, if you are the winning bidder and you really push the limits and bid high, you do not have
to pay tonight. You can pay throughout the course of the rest of the year, is that correct? So it's
almost kind of like a pledge you're making tonight and you can make payments as you go. But one thing
has changed since the last time I was with you all, a national championship. Oh boy.
I know you all heard me cheering all the way from Kokomo, Indiana. That was a special moment. And so
our first auction package tonight is gonna be all about this wonderful Hoosier moment that
we all experienced. The first package is an IU football experience. So you're gonna get to watch IU
Hoosiers take on the Purdue Boilermakers. By the way, did you know that the toothbrush
was invented at Purdue University. You know why we know that? Because if it would have been invented
anywhere else, it would have been called the teeth brush. All right. I took a few seconds for a few
of you to get there, that's okay. But listen, we're gonna play the Boilermakers on the 28th. Two tickets,
check this out. Two tickets, section 111,
Row 21, seats one and two. Not only are you getting two tickets to the Purdue game, you're gonna get
a pregame access to the stadium where you get to watch the guys warm up, and it's all gonna come along
with a signed football by Coach Signetti. Two tickets, on the field watching warmups, signed football,
Coach Signetti.
This is gonna be a lot of fun, ladies and gentlemen. Here we go. Hey there, say there, what do you get
there now? Somebody give me $1,000. Anybody got a bit of 1,000, one time, little bit of 1,000? Somebody
give me $500. Worth that all day, 500 all across the room. I'm taking first 500 over here. I'm gonna
bid five, now six. Little bit of 600, one time, I'm gonna bid 500, 600. Now $700. Looking for seven,
now eight. Yep, everybody wait one time, little bit of 800. 800, now nine to nine to nine, one time,
little bit of 9,000, now $1,000. I got 1,000, now 11. Little bit of 1,000, one time, little bit of 100.
100, one time, little bit of 11.
one time. Got it. Now $1,200. I'm going for $1,200. Anybody going to $1,200? I'm at $1,100 now. Anybody
else want to come in? $1,200 now. $1,300. A little bit of $1,300 one time. $1,300. I'm at $1,200. You
can go up one more time. Whoever's on the phone wants to do that for $1,300. $1,300.
I'm just going to let the bit, oh, I got 13 on this side of the room. Now 14, you're out. Now 1,400,
come back in a little bit of 14 one time. 1,400, anybody go to the four. I'm at three, now four. Three,
now four, a little bit of four. Anybody go to 400. 14, now $1,500, a little bit of 15. The football's
worth that. $1,500, a little bit of 15 one time. $1,500, I've got that now. 16, a little bit of six
one time. $1,600, anybody go to the six, a little bit of six one time. 1,600, I'm at 15, now 16.
We've got that now, $1,700. We're on a roll, ladies and gentlemen. This is an auction. Anybody got a
17? A little bit of 17 one time. A little bit of 1,700. 17 one time. I'm at 16. There's 17 now, 18.
Yeah, but that would do eight one time. A little bit of 800 now. 1,800. 18 we've got it. 19. We're gonna
get to two. We're gonna get to two. 1,900. A little bit of nine to nine to nine one time. A little bit of 1,900.
One time, there it is, $2,000 now. Anybody going to get a little bit of $2,000 one time? $2,000 now,
one, $2,100, $2,100. Anybody going to get a little bit of one one time? $2,100. I'm at $2,000.
I'm at $2,000. Anybody? Oh, is that a bid? You, okay. I just want to be clear. At a $2,000 bid, that
was the time you chose to wave to your friend across the room. That was the moment.
All right, I'm at $2,000. You sure you don't want $2,100? Anybody else? I'm going once at $2,000. Anybody
else now? $2,000 going twice. Sold for $2,000. Brian, you're not going to believe this, but we can match
another package just like that if you're interested.
Sold $2,000. 2-2. Bitter $3.56. Ladies and gentlemen, that's $4,000 right there, ladies and gentlemen.
Absolutely wonderful. All right. The generosity is rolling. All right. We have one more IU football
experience. You're going to get two tickets. Row 30.
Section 7, no stairs, straight to the 50-yard line, ladies and gentlemen. This is going to be on September
19th against Western Kentucky. You will also get pregame access to the stadium and be able to watch
the guys warm up. So you're sitting on the 50-yard line, you're going straight there, you're going to
get access to the field before the game, and you're going to get to see
whatever they do in Western Kentucky. All right, here we go, ladies and gentlemen. Somebody give me
$500. Anybody gonna file a little bit of $500? 50-yard line, $500 to sit on the 50-yard line. See your
championship Hoosiers.
500, I'm going to be five now, 600. Anybody go to six, a little bit of six one time, $600. Anybody go
to six, 500 now six. Looking for $600. Anybody going to go 600, 600 now $700. Little bit of seven one
time, little bit of seven one time, 650. How about 650? Come back in at $650. Anybody going to go seven
one time, little bit of 700 one time, anybody go to seven. How about 650? Somebody come in at 650. 50
yard line, pregame.
Can I bid as the auctioneer? Because I would love that. I feel like this is too cheap. I'm going to
take $700. $700 for the auctioneer. I'm coming back to Bloomington, baby. $700. Anybody else? Now, don't
be trying to run me up back there. Now, I know what's about to happen. I know what's about to happen.
All right. I'm at $7. Anybody going to go $50? $7. I'll have it. I'm going to have a little bit. I'll
have one time. Looking for $750. I'm at $700. Look at her. $750.
All right, I know it's going to go 750 now 800 anybody going away. Yeah, but every one time look over
$800 anybody going to wait 800 $800 750 over here going once anybody else come back in at 800 just money
Paul. What's that? Just money you want to do 800 800 850 850 900 950. Boom.
Thousand. Thousand for you? Thousand. This is becoming an expensive trip to Bloomington all of a sudden.
I'm going once at $9.50. I know she wants it. I'm going twice. Anybody else at $1,000? Sold $950. Congratulations.
All right, ladies and gentlemen, this next one is going to be a fun family lake day experience. So we
got warm weather coming up, an exciting day on the lake. Here's what you're going to get for the day
on the lake. A 24-foot pontoon boat rental for you and nine of your closest friends or family. So 10
of you total. Towels, totes, and a
that's like a big-time cooler, all donated by German American Bank. And that's going to help keep your
drinks nice and cold for the day when you're on the pontoon boat. So all that's covered. Raise your
paddles for some summer fun, ladies and gentlemen. It's you and nine others, 10 total on the boat.
For a day, somebody give me 500, anybody give me 500, 500, 600, 700, 700, 800, 800, now $1,000.
$1,000, 10 people, 100 a person at this moment. 10 people, there's 1,000, now 1,100. Anybody got $11,
11 at one time, 11, 1,100, look over 100, 100, 100 more, 100 more, another $1,000, look over 11, anybody
got 11 at one time? We're at 1,000, anybody else you want back here for 10, 50? This is a hair over
100 a person. There's 10, 50 right there, 10, 50, now 1,100. Anybody got $11, 11 at one time,
anybody 11, give me 100,
1,100, anybody gonna go? There's 1,100, now 12. 1,100, now 12, anybody 12? Anybody 12 one time? Looking
for $1,200. 1,200, I'm going once at 1,100. I'm going twice at 1,100. Last chance. I'm sold right here
for $1,100. Great purchase. Bitter number. Bitter number.
312, that's absolutely awesome, thank you. All right, so look, it's summertime, the students are gonna
be gone, and so we're gonna create this little staycation right here in Bloomington, Indiana. We've
put together the best Bloomington overnight experience for you. You get shopping at Lola and Company,
dinner at Janco's for their delicious steak dinner, drinks at the Dunkirk Library,
Bloomington's newest speakeasy, and you're gonna get some cool custom cocktails there. You're also gonna
get an overnight stay at the Posh Hotel. It's a five-star 45-room boutique hotel right here on Kirkwood
Avenue. So grab your favorite friend, let's raise your paddle tonight, and let's make it a great girls'
night out in Bloomington.
or a guy's night or however you want to do it. We don't really care who you take. We just want you to
bid high. So here we go. Somebody give me $1,000 right there. I'm going to bid $1,000, $1,000, now $1,100.
Anybody going to $1,100, I'm going to bid $1,100 one more time. Anybody going to $1,100, I'm going to
$1,000. Look over $11. Anybody going to go $11 one time? $1,000. How about $10.50? Anybody want to go
$10.50? Looks like you're going to be getting yourself a nice staycation here. $1,100. Anybody else
come back in? It's a beautiful night in Bloomington.
I'm going once at $1,000. Anybody else? I'm going twice at $1,000. Great purchase, sold, $1,000. Give
her a hand. Yeah, bitter number, hold up your bitter number one more time. Bitter number 338. All right,
this is one where you're definitely, your table can all go in together. And if you're a foodie, this
is gonna be for you. Tony Mossman, am I saying his name right?
Moseman, Tony Moseman, is an experienced chef in our community, and he's gonna be whipping up six courses.
She, yeah, how about that? She, smart girls, strong women, she chef, she chef, in the community, and
she's gonna be whipping up six courses, complete with drink pairings. This is for up to 10 people,
all right? So check this out, six to 10, you pick.
Sometime in the next four months you're gonna book this with Toni. Here's what she's gonna be doing.
She's gonna have an assortment of deviled eggs and she's gonna pair them with some champagne. There's
gonna be like jalapeno poppers, loaded egg bites, dirty martinis, citrus salad paired with Sauvignon
Blanc, Spanish seafood paella paired with Blanco wine, flan, vanilla or cinnamon for dessert.
This is gonna be at Tony's home. And you guys know Tony, she's a famous chef. She's been a huge supporter
of the Boys and Girls Club. And this is a sample menu. My gut tells me since she's a chef, if your group
really wants something special, oh, she'll come to your house. She'll travel. She will travel to your
home, up to 10 people. So I hope you're talking amongst yourselves for your group of 10.
Here we go, a special night, your own private chef, your own private party.
Who's giving me $1,000 to start out the gate? A little bit of $1,000 on a private party for 10 people.
I got $1,000 right here, $1,100, now $1,200. $1,100, now $1,200. A little bit of $1,200. $1,200.
I got $1,200. Now $1,300. $1,400. A little bit of $1,400. Anybody got a $1,400? I'm at $1,300. Now $1,400.
I'm at $1,400. Anybody got a $1,400? Got $1,400. $1,400. $1,400. $1,400. $1,400. $1,400. $1,400. $1,400.
$1,400. $1,400. $1,400. $1,400. $1,400. $1,400. $1,400. $1,400. $1,
Come back in, man, for 1,700.
There's 17 in the middle of the room. Now, 18. Yeah, but wait one time. 1,800. Now, 19. $2,000 bid.
Now, 21. Now, 22. Looking for 2. Anybody going to go 2? A little bit of 2. One time. Looking for 2,200.
I'm at 21 in the middle of the room. Now, 22. There's 2. Now, 3. 2, now 3. Now, 4. 3, now 4. A little
bit of 4. Anybody going to go 400? I'm at 300 in the middle of the room. 2,400. Anybody going to go
4? A little bit of 4. One time. Looking for 400. There it is. Now, 5. $2,500. Anybody to 5? Now, 6.
How about 600? 2,600. Now, 7.
A little bit of seven one time. A little bit of seven seven is heaven. There it is now. You have a little
bit of eight one time. Look over 800. Look over 2,800. I'm at seven now. 27 now, eight. Anybody got
an eight? A little bit of eight one time. There's 800 now. $2,900. A little bit of nine. Anybody do
900? 29 one time. There it is. Let's get to three. $3,000. Anybody got a three? You'll be a hero.
There's $3,000! Whoo! Hey, when you get the 4,000, they're gonna cheer just as loud for you, so you're okay.
All right, here we go. 3,100, come back in at 3,100. There's one, now two. One, now two, a little bit
of two. Anybody with 200, 3,200, 32, you're out. Come back in, 32. Now 33, 33 one time, little bit of
three. Anybody got a 300? Now four, 3,400, little bit of four. Anybody 400? Sir, you're welcome back
in at any time. 400, $3,400. Now 500, 35, little bit of five. We got five, now 600. Let her have an
opportunity to get a cheer, please. 3,600, get her to four. 3,600.
36, now 37, 37, 3,800, we're almost there, a little bit eight, one time, you have a little bit eight,
$3,800, one time, you almost have it there, sir, do you wanna help her get there? $3,800, 38, anybody
in the way, you have a little bit eight, one time, $3,800, 10 people, we're at 3,700, there's 38, now
nine to nine to nine, one time, just go right to four, you wanna go right to four? Four.
$4,000, ladies and gentlemen. How about a bit, four, now one. Four, now one, little bit of one. Anybody
got a 100, one time? Anybody got a 100? $4,100. Do you want to get the five? That's $4,100. She wants
to cheer at $5,000. $4,200, little bit of $4,200. Anybody have two, one time? $4,200. Now three, $4,300.
There's three, now four. Three, now four, little bit of four. Anybody got a 400? 400, one time. 400,
$4,400. Now five.
Now 500, 45 one time, little bit of 45 hundred, you're in this now, you're invested. 45 hundred,
now six. 45, now six, little bit of six, anybody got a 600 one time? 4,600, 10 people, we're still at
a discount, $4,600. Did I mention deviled eggs? We're at 4,600 for you, special for you, 4,600.
Little bit of six, one time, 600, 46, got it. Now $4,700. Little bit of seven, anybody got a seven?
Little bit of seven, 100, one time, 700. You're out, you're out. Come back in, $4,700. I'm at 46, sir.
You want to come back in, 4,700? All right, 4,600. Okay, pay attention to this part now. Going once at 4,600.
4,700. I'm going to 7 now, hey, you have to wait one time, don't let her have it like that. $4,800.
I'm going to go eat a little bit at one time. 847, 4,848. All right, I want to try this again. Hey,
Paul, I got a deal. If both of you would give $5,000, I'll get you each a dinner with Tony. Oh! Oh!
Alison's in. Don, are you in?
Wow! Whoo! Don't tell Tony what I just did. I gotta ask her still, but she's good for it. That citrus
salad is gonna taste special. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Hey, it's gonna be special. I'll tell
Bill, don't worry. Oh, yeah.
Where are these bitter numbers on that? What's your bitter, fan her off. She is like, yes, 413. What's
your bitter number, ma'am? Allison, bid number. What's your bitter number, Allison? 411, 411.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. Give them one more hand, ladies and gentlemen. All righty, this is
our last auction item here, ladies and gentlemen, and it's for women basketball enthusiasts.
You're gonna get four tickets to go watch powerhouse Caitlin Clark and the Fever. Four Fever tickets.
You get to go see Caitlin at Game Bridge Stadium. If that's not enough, then we're gonna bring you back
to Bloomington to watch IU women's basketball team on their home court. They haven't announced the season
yet, but you're gonna get four incredible tickets to IU women's basketball late December. Two seats
are on the court.
and then two seats are close by. We're talking like the red chairs and two regular seats will be at
center court. So a couple red chairs on the court, couple other seats at center court. All of them will
be in section K row five and you're gonna get parking included in this. So let's go, come on, watch
Coach Terry Morin. She's gonna throw in a signed basketball, a fever swag bag, and a signed fever t-shirt.
Signed shirts. Courtside tickets for IU. Caitlin Clark in Indianapolis. That's a fun night, ladies and
gentlemen. Probably a fun couple weeks time period. Somebody give me a thousand like that to go see
Caitlin. $1,000 and then come back and watch IU women's basketball.
How about 5, there's a thousand right there, I'll take that bid. $1,000, I'm at $1,000, now $1,100.
Anybody go $1,100, $1,100, $1,100. Got it, now $1,200. Little bit of $1,200, anybody go to $1,200.
Now $13, $13, now $14, sir. Little bit of $14, one time, anybody go to $14. $14, now $1,500. Look over
at $15, anybody at $15. $16, now $17. $17, now $18. $1,800, there it is now. $19, little bit of $19,
now $2,000. Now $21.
2,000, now 21, sir. A little bit of one, one time. Anybody got a 100? I got it now, $2,200. A little
bit of two, anybody got a 200? 2,200. You guys can go together. I take your 2,200. Now three, 2,300.
A little bit of three, now four. $2,400. 25, sir. A little bit of five, one time. Anybody got a 500?
Now 600. Got six, now 700. A little bit of seven, anybody got a $700? One time, 800. Yeah, but W-8,
one time. 800, 2,800. The Red Seats, 2,800.
You too would look fantastic in the red seats. You really would, $2,800. There it is, now nine, little
bit of nine, nine to nine to nine. You would look fantastic in the red seat too, sir. I just want you
to know that. 2,900, now $3,000, little bit of three, little bit of 3,000, now one. 31 one time, little
bit of one, little bit of 100, now $200, 3,200. I'm at 31 in the back, now 32. You want to come back
in at 3,200. I'm at 31, now two, one, now two, little bit of two, anybody go to two. Going once at $3,100.
We're going twice at 3,100. Last chance, ma'am. I've sold right back here $3,100 to bidder number 407.
Folks, that was incredible generosity. Give yourselves a big hand one more time, please.
All right, we have one more thing tonight. That was a ton of fun. Thank you all so much for your generosity.
I don't even have to get the total, but I know that was the best auction we have ever had. So give yourselves
a round of applause. Awesome, awesome, awesome.
And so we've talked all night that it's 20 bucks a year to come to the Boys and Girls Club and we got
a really awesome sponsorship for our summer programs, but we need your help for after school programs.
It costs us 750 bucks to run an after school program and we're charging $20. Lots of those parents ante
in a little more if they can, but really we rely on community members like you. So tonight we're just
going to ask you to sponsor kids. So our goal tonight
is sponsoring 80 kids at $750 a kid. And I think we can do it. Last year we sponsored 76, so definitely
we can go over the top of that this year. And I can tell you that we've had record goals at this night
already, and so I feel really good about this evening and how we're gonna do this. So thank you ahead
of time, what we're going to do. And remember, you can pledge. You don't have to pay before you walk
out tonight. This is a pledge. You can make monthly payments for the next 12 months, whatever you'd
like to do. You can wait till the end of the year, but we want you to ante in
kids. And so when you say yes to sponsoring five kids or yes to sponsoring ten kids, you don't have
to walk out of here and pay that tonight. So we want you to be able to do what it is that you would
like to do to support kids and families tonight. So that's how we're going to end the evening. And Paul,
I know you have one question you always want to ask. Yeah, like this room is hot right now. So like
I'm going to ask this question. 80 kids is 60 grand. Who wants to do it? Just takes one of you 60 grand
and we're going for the dessert table right now. 60 grand one time.
All right, time to ask, all right. Here we go. Someday somebody's gonna do that. Someday somebody's
gonna raise their hand. That's gonna be an exciting moment. All right, let's go to the first level we're
gonna start at tonight, ladies and gentlemen. This is a chance to sponsor 15 kids. It's a big ask, but
it's a special ask. It's a special ask based on everything you've been seeing and hearing tonight.
about this incredible program. If there's anybody in here or more than one person that would like to
sponsor 15 kids, that would be $11,250 to take care of 15 kids. Is there anybody that would like to
do that tonight? $11,250. One sponsor gets us well on the way to those 80 kids tonight.
Paul, we actually have an anonymous donor who's going to sponsor 15 kids and start us off at $11,250
tonight. How about that, ladies and gentlemen? Anybody want to match that? All right. Well, we are well
on our way. What a generous, we'll take that and we'll call that a phone in bid from an anonymous sponsor.
Absolutely love it.
Okay, let's go to our next level, which is 10 kids for $7,500. Is there anybody that would like to take
care of 10 kids this year? Raise your paddle, 10 kids, right here. Bidder number 365. Let's get a round
of applause folks, thank you so much. 365, incredible, thank you. Anybody else like to do 10 kids?
Right here, bidder number 376, thank you.
Ma'am, you make sure Allison takes you to that dinner. You know what I'm saying? Like, that was generous.
Thank you. Anybody else is $7,500. Thank you both. Give them one more hand. That's incredible. Okay,
how about five kids for $3,750. You can take care of five kids
with a bid. Right here, bidder number 374. 374. Who else for five kids? Five kids, $3,750. Okay, give
her a hand. Thank you very much.
Okay, we are gonna move on to four kids for $3,000 even. Just need two people to say yes to this to
stay on course for our goal here. $3,000 for kids who'd like to take care of four kids. Right here,
bidder number 303. 303. One more?
303, did you get that? Thank you. Anybody else? Thank you very much, ma'am, appreciate that. Okay, let's
move down to three kids for $2,250. $2,000, here we go, bidder number 317. Thank you, round of applause,
309, thank you. Bidder number 309. Fantastic, thank you. Anybody else?
at the $2,250 level. Three kids. Thank you very much, both of you. Thank you. Next level, two kids,
$1,500. Who would like to take care of $1,500? Here we go. Hold them up high for me. Hold them up. Bidder
number 348. Thank you. Bidder number 325. Thank you.
Bidder number 385, thank you. Bidder number 302, thank you. Bidder number 388, thank you. Bidder number
334, thank you. Anybody else at the 1500 level? Right here, bidder number 362, thank you very much.
Appreciate that, give them all a round of applause.
All right, one kid, one jailer. You sponsor one kid and look, we get a jailer, right? So here we go,
$750. You're taking care of a kid all year long here at the center. Here we go. Bidder number 304,
thank you. Bidder number 359, thank you. Bidder 448, thank you.
Bidder 344, thank you. Thank you, thank you. Bidder 351, thank you. Thank you so much. Bidder 405,
thank you. Thank you. Bidder 326, thank you. Thank you. Bidder 311, thank you. Thank you. Bidder 307,
thank you. Thank you, thank you.
Bitter 329, thank you. Bitter 441, thank you. Bitter 342, thank you. Bitter 445, thank you. Bitter 400,
thank you. Bitter 346, thank you. Bitter 371, thank you.
Bidder 426. Thank you. Thank you. Anybody else? One kid. Bidder 401. Thank you. Anybody else? 418. 418.
Thank you. Thank you. Anybody else? Sneak on in. You're welcome. Come on in. The water is fine. Give
everybody a hand for that round. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. So awesome.
All right, we're gonna give you just a few more opportunities here. If you would like to donate $500,
raise your paddle for a $500 donation. Right here, bidder number 355. Thank you. Thank you so much.
Thank you. Anybody else? $500. All right, let's go to 250. Anybody like to donate 250 to the club tonight?
Here we go. I love this. Bidder three, two, one. Jody, thank you.
Bidder 364, thank you. Bidder 419, thank you. Bidder 433, thank you. Bidder 422, thank you.
Thank you. Bidder 357, thank you. Thank you, thank you. Bidder 459, thank you. Thank you. Bidder 409,
thank you. Thanks, Megan. Bidder 461, thank you. Anybody else at the 250 level? Awesome. Give them all
a big hand, please. Thank you so much. Thank you so much.
All right. Last two chances. If you'd like to make a hundred dollar donation tonight, raise your paddle.
One hundred dollars. Here we go. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Oh, I love this. We're starting over
here. Three, three, six. Thank you. Thank you. Three, nine, one. Thank you. Thank you. Three, three,
zero. Thank you. Thank you. Four, zero, eight. Thank you. Four, two, nine. Thank you.
449 thank you. 392 thank you. 437 thank you. 310 thank you. 331 thank you. 360 thank you. 328 thank
you. 343 thank you.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Thank you. 425, thank you. Thank you. 387, thank you. Thank you. 305, thank you. Awesome, thank you.
306, thank you. Thanks, Gracie. 367, thank you. Thank you. 354, thank you. Thank you. Good job, Justin.
And 381, thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Anybody else at the 100? Give them all a big hand.
Awesome, awesome. Thank you so much.
That's awesome. And our last shot, $50. Raise your paddle if you'd like to donate $50. Here we go. Thank
you so much. Bidder 386. Thank you. Thank you. Bidder 340, thank you. Wonderful, thank you. Bidder 363,
thank you. Thank you. Bidder 380, thank you. Bidder 437, thank you. Thank you, thank you. Bidder 398,
thank you.
Give them all a hand, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you so much. Folks, the generosity in this room tonight
was unbelievable. Thank you for making this auction incredible. God bless you all. Keep doing great things.
Awesome, awesome. Thank you so much. What an exciting night. I know they're frantically totaling so
we can tell you how much that we've raised. But before we end the evening, I just got to do some thank
yous. Darcy, Rebecca, Kate, wave at me. These are awesome staff. We have some amazing staff that run
our clubs and put on these awesome events.
They do a ton of work behind the scenes, and we cannot do it without you. You all know it takes a team.
All of you work with teams, and they're fantastic. The best there is. If you're a Boys and Girls Club
staff, wave at me. Any staff in the audience, wave at me. Let's get a round of applause for our staff.
Got all our great staff here. Huge thank you. Thank you to Miss Latonya for hosting us at the Ferguson
Cresmont Club. We appreciate you, ma'am. Thank you so much.
All right. For those of you that bid tonight, on your tables there are pens and underneath those pens
there are express checkout forms. They're upside down. You can turn them over and pass them around.
But if you do not want to get stuck in line tonight making payments at the checkout tables, you can
fill out those express checkout forms and you can drop them in that table back there by the water bottles
and the sign back by that door. You are welcome to pay this evening. We are ready to take
Take any payments you would like to make at the checkout tables where you checked in, but you do not
need to pay tonight. If you want to make a pledge, we will invoice you. We will talk to you about your
payment options later. Go ahead and fill out those express checkout forms before you leave tonight,
and that'll make it as convenient as we can make it for you. All right. As you're doing that, you can
pull your raffle tickets out, because we are going to draw some raffle winners. And... All right.
Dana, you want to help me draw some raffle winners up here? I think we should get Dana's sparkly jacket
up here to draw the raffle winners up. Come on up here, Dana. All right, everybody has their blue tickets.
Are you ready? We're going to draw out some raffles. So the first one that we are going to draw is a
Citizen Watch, valued at $250, donated by board member Lori Todd. So thank you. This will be an awesome
raffle prize. Dana, come read us our ticket. Seven, five, nine.
0-3-0. We got a winner. Kate's going to run you out your watch. All right. The next one we have is a
lovely gift basket from Oliver Winery. They sponsored our bar tonight and they threw in this basket
for us. So who is the lucky winner, Dana? Very nice. We have 7-5-9-1-5-4. Who is it? 7-5-9-1-5-4.
Love it. Hey, you'll have a nice gift, Natty. All right, the third raffle item is an IU football signed
by Khalil Benson, number 67. Yep, right tackle of the Hoosiers. He's at Chiefs mini camp right now,
so we're sending him all of our prayers and blessings, but we're excited about Khalil, so let's see
who wins this ball. All right, we've got seven, five, nine, two, two, five.
Oh yeah, your boys are gonna love that, Carmen. His boys are club kids, so they're gonna really appreciate
that ball, aren't they? Awesome. All right, we have a signed book from our keynote speaker, Jody Norgaard,
more than a doll. Let's have a round of applause for Jody one more time. And then let's see who gets
this book, Dana. All right, we've got 759153. Who is it? Lucky winner. 759153, that table is lucky.
I love it all right and then our last raffle prize of the night is a signed basketball from our IU basketball
coach DeVries let's see who gets the signed basketball all right we've got seven five nine zero zero
nine all right congrats
All right, thanks Dana. We're doing some quick math on our totals. Okay, are you ready to hear how much
we raised tonight? We can celebrate before I tell you, but we know it's gonna be a good one. Our auction
raised $20,000. Awesome. Our fund to need raised $70,000. Which means we sponsored 92 kids tonight.
The goal for the whole evening with sponsors and everything combined was $110,000 and we raised $125,600.
I am always so in awe at this community and the way you say yes to kids. Thank you so much for being
here. Thank you so much for supporting kids and thank you for a wonderful evening. Have a lovely night
everybody. Good night.