A group of young professional businesswomen have “Link”ed together to form a new organization with the hopes of supporting one another and the Sedalia community.
“We are in our early stages,” said Stacy White, manager of the Spa at the Hotel Bothwell and president of Link. “We don’t have many members yet but definitely have a lot of plans to increase that.”
One way the group plans to do that is with its first Holiday Beauty Bazaar and Soiree. The event will be hosted by Link at the Hotel Bothwell from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, featuring several members and their products and lines of work.
“It is a day of beauty and pampering for our guests,” White said. “We’ve searched for unique items that couldn’t be found anywhere else.”
Some of the items include items from the Gourmet European Holiday Market, Tatina’s Handcrafted Woolworks, Sara’s Fashion Design Trunk Show, Vanessa’s Russian Tea Cookies and Lily Pisul’s Designer Cakes and Confections.
“In years past you would have to drive to Kansas City to find an event like this,” Sylvia Hopkins said. “Now, you don’t have to leave home to enjoy a day of pampering.”
Hopkins, along with Jackie Fike, have become mentors to the women who have joined Link.
“It has been so wonderful to have Sylvia and Jackie mentor us and encourage us in our careers,” White said. “Our first goal is to build a confident team of women using a mentoring process and I can’t think of two better women to help us.
“It really is an amazing idea because what we are hoping to do is give back to the community we live and work in with promoting our businesses,” White added. “Women in business are often overlooked and we have to work just as hard if not harder than men in the business world have to.”
A major principal for the group is the concept of working in the Sedalia community and giving back.
“To have a woman’s voice to help us become successful and give back is just incredible,” Tatiana Zalozh, a founding member of Link, said. “We want to get more members involved so we can help them do the same.”
Tonya Morgunenko, another founding member of Link, will be demonstrating holiday hair designs for many of the models who will be modeling evening wear and special events outfits throughout the afternoon.
“We want to give our guests some ideas for fashion and hairstyles for the upcoming holiday season,” Morgunenko said.
The event will also feature a violinist and a harpist and author Martha Dinsdale will read selections from her book” Go Away Winter.”
At the event, Hopkins will be dressed in period costume from “Downton Abbey” to promote a wine and cheese tasting event hosted by Sorosis at the Heard House from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 11.
“For me it is nice to be around a group of such talented and enthusiastic young women,” Hopkins said. “This truly is the beginning of a wonderful experience for them and the community.”
Tickets for the event hosted at the Hotel Bothwell, 103 E. 14th St., are $15 and may be purchased at the door. Appetizers will be provided by the Ivory Grille and the first 100 guests will receive complimentary gift bags.