By Natasha Clark, Assistant Managing Editor SPRINGFIELD The Women Business Owners Alliance of the Pioneer Valley, Inc. (WBOA) is hoping "An Afternoon of Laughter" with stress management expert Loretta LaRoche will inspire the inner philanthropists in the business owners. In conjunction with celebrating their 25th anniversary, WBOA's luncheon with LaRoche will offer a unique opportunity for attendees to possibly donate $1,000 to the charity of their choice. The organization is still seeking more sponsors for the May 10 event at the MassMutual Center. WBOA President Nina Berman said the idea was founded on a similar one by the Community Foundation of Western Mass. "It was at their annual meeting. They had a skit done with Bill Cosby and he was talking to somebody and he looks under his plate and finds this gold coin, and then at the end someone says 'turn over your plate and see if you have a gold coin.' [If so,] then you have a $1,000 grant and you can identify which charity you want to give it to," Berman explained. The WBOA will randomly select business cards at their event and give away several $1,000 grants. "We will randomly call people by their business cards and those people chosen [will be] given the opportunity to select a non-profit," she added. Sponsors help donate to WBOA's give-a-way and will receive recognition. The following is sponsorships still available: Gold Sponsor $2,000 Recognition for donating $1,000 to WBOA's Charity Giveaway, Table for 10, Half page ad in program, Listed as sponsor in program, Company recognized in WBOA Newsletter, Company listed on www.wboa.org with link to sponsor's site, Company sign on reserved table. Silver Sponsor $1,500 Recognition for Donating $500 to WBOA's Charity Giveaway, Table for 10, Quarter page ad in program, Listed as Sponsor in program, Company recognized in WBOA Newsletter, Company sign on reserved table. Bronze sponsor $500 Table for 10, Business card ad in program, Listed as Sponsor in program, Company recognized in WBOA Newsletter, Company sign on reserved table. Berman said sponsors can also use seats at their tables as promotion or gift items. "Say you buy a table, you can go out as a business owner to clients or prospects and say, 'come and enjoy this afternoon of laughter and philanthropy,'" Berman said. "It gives a lot back to the people that you invite and the community as a whole." Tickets to the event are $35 per person for a table of 10, or $40 per person for individual tickets. For tickets and sponsorship information, contact Shirley Simolari at 860-324-4177. You may also leave a message at 413-827-4182, and a WBOA member will get in touch with you. Deadline for purchasing tickets is March 31. LaRoche is the founder and president of The Humor Potential, Inc. She has had six one-woman television specials air on 80 PBS stations across the country. She has been nominated for local and prime time Emmy Awards, and has appeared on CNN, ABC and NBC affiliates. Corporate clients, which include IBM, The New York Times, Fidelity Investments, Microsoft and NASA, have used her material to defeat stress in the workplace. Her latest book, "Kick Up Your Heels Before You're Too Short to Wear Them," will be out in March 2007. | ||||||
