2020 WOTM Annual Scholarship Dinner

by | Feb 28, 2020 | Events, News

On Thursday, February 27, 2020 WOTM hosted their Annual Scholarship Dinner and Silent Auction. In attendance were several of the areas leading manufacturing owners and employees as well as other community organizations aligned to support career pathways, economic development and scholarship initiatives. This year marked the highest ever attendance rate to the event at 140 individuals. We raised approximately $8,000 to go directly to the scholarship funds managed by the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois. We were fortunate to have several silent auction and raffle items donated from:

  • Circle of Wellness
  • QPS Staffing
  • Furst Staffing
  • 2HB
  • Rockford Park District
  • Members Alliance
  • Rockford Ice Hogs
  • Jaclyn‘s Kozy-Lo-Jay Basket
  • Blooming Souls
  • Starbucks
  • Rockford Art Deli
  • Bridgeway
  • Hilton Garden Inn
  • Beth Thacker
  • Anderson Gardens
  • Mary’s Market
  • Franchesco’s
  • Xena Work Wear
  • Superior Joining
  • Thinker Ventures
The $100 raffle items included a large television, apple watch, blender, Rumba vacuum cleaner, and an I-Pad.

Women of Today’s Manufacturing Event Highlights Pathways for Women in the Industry
Erik Wilson, WTVO

Rockford Group Provides Career Pathways for Women in Manufacturing
Erik Wilson, WTVO

2020 Event Sponsors

  • Blackhawk Bank 
  • Thinker Ventures   
  • Rockford Ball Screw
  • Cimco
  • Aqua Aerobic Systems
  • Wipfli
  • Emerson Greenlee
  • Phelps Pruducts
  • Crandall Stats
  • Superior Felt Infiltration
Erik Wilson, news anchor of (my stateline news ) and avid supporter of local manufacturing provided live news coverage of the event on the Made in the Stateline evening segment. 
Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara attended the event and addressed the audience regarding the state of manufacturing in Rockford, support of scholarships fundraising to help encourage and support young women pursuing STEM and manufacturing-related education and career pathways. 
Emma Cahill – Senior Strategic Marketing Manager at Kerry Applied Health & Nutrition Division was the event keynote speaker. Emma presented an inspiring story entitled, Impossible is Temporary. She shared her personal story of when in 2010, at the age of 22, she had a life-changing accident that left her in hospital for a year and being told she would never walk again. A native of Ireland, Emma’s TEDx talk entitled “Impossible is Temporary” has inspired award-winning short documentaries including “Recycled Equestrian” and “High Heels and Horses”. Her example of goal-setting, drive and resilience give a great insight into the mindset needed to be brave and get things done that don’t seem possible. https://www.linkedin.com/in/cahiem/

Jaclyn Kolodziej
WOTM President
[email protected]