BEND, OR -- The Bend Chamber is taking nominations for the 2018 Women of the Year Awards, to be handed out next month. Robin Rogers, with the Chamber, founded the event four years ago, "Women and young girls, we really want to honor them. Women that have just gone above and beyond in business," she says, "Especially in this day and age – in this man’s world, we want to lift those women up; especially the young girls, coming forward."
Categories include Community Hero, Entrepreneur of the Year and Woman of the Year. There's also a Lifetime Achievement Award and a Young Hero Award, "And, with the Young Hero Award, I’m really thrilled that last year we brought on a scholarship for these young girls. Last year, it was $1,500; this year, the scholarship fund is up to $3,000," says Rogers.
She admits there was some pushback, in the beginning, from people who thought the event was exclusionary. Rogers tells KBND News, "The first year that we brought this forward, we did have a few men who I received emails from asking, ‘what about Man of the Year?” And my response to that is, “I’m open to suggestions.” What that might look like, at this point I don’t know. But, I am willing to absolutely sit down and talk about it."
Nominations are accepted through Wednesday, March 7. Click HERE for more information and to nominate an influential woman. The 2018 Women of the Year Awards ceremony takes place April fifth at the Tower Theatre.
