YWCA of NWI Hosts Gala • Northwest Indiana Business Magazine

The Gary-based YWCA of NWI will host its Circle of Friends Gala on October 24 at the Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana.

“The Circle of Friends Gala is a premier occasion that the community always looks forward to,” Caren Jones, executive director of YWCA of NWI, said in a news release. “It’s a chance for us to celebrate the YWCA’s mission and raise funds to ensure programs and initiatives are in place for the communities we serve.”

Gala organizers will honor several individuals who have supported the YWCA of NWI. The award winners include:

• Chareice White, CEO of the ECIER Foundation
• Era Twyman, former executive director of the Gary Literacy Coalition
• Ida Gillis, former director of affirmative action at Indiana University Northwest
• Curtis Whittaker, Whittaker & Company, CEO of PLLC

Organizers will also present the inaugural Earline Rogers Trailblazer Award. Earline Rogers was a state senator and YWCA board member emeritus. The award will be presented to Cynthia Powers, former YWCA board chair.

Funds raised for the Circle of Friends Gala will be used to fund programs and facility improvements. The system is over 25 years old.

“We can’t thank enough the supporters and sponsors who have already stepped up to make a difference,” Jones said. “A donation to the YWCA means sustaining important programs in our community while providing residents of all ages a place to go, grow and thrive.”

The gala features dinner, dancing, raffle, live music and networking. The event begins at 6 p.m. and takes place at the Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana in Gary. ABC 7 Chicago's Samantha Chatman will serve as celebrity anchor. Find out more here.

For more than a century, the YWCA of Northwest Indiana has worked to empower women, eliminate racism and promote equality for all. The YWCA of NWI houses health, educational, social and recreational programs.