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Community Corner

50 Cents. Period. Hosts Big Red Ball Annual Fundraiser in March

50 Cents. Period., a non-profit organization providing reproductive healthcare and education to women and girls in marginalized societies in the U.S. and abroad, will host its Second Annual Big Red Ball on Saturday, 15 March, from 7.00 to 11.00 p.m.at the Clarkston Community Center in Clarkston, Georgia. Event guests will be treated to an evening of global cuisine, live music, a silent auction and a raffle. Atlanta news anchor Erin Coleman will serve as emcee for the event, with Clarkston mayor Ted Terry providing opening remarks. All proceeds will benefit the organization’s mission to empower women and girls to stay fully engaged in their community and education without the stigma and barriers surrounding their period, gender, and reproductive choices. Last year’s event raised over $12,000; this year’s goal is $50,000, which will fund 50 Cents. Period.’s operations for a year.

“The Big Red Ball encompasses who we are as an organization,” stated Lorrie Lynn King, founder and executive director of 50 Cents. Period. “Last year, we were looking for a way to rally our members together for the cause, and to spread the word about 50 Cents. Period. This year’s event is all about celebration- of the successes of the past year, of the growth of the organization and of the people who helped us achieve our goals. It will be a rousing evening filled with laughter, music and, most importantly, fundraising to continue and expand our mission.”

Coleman, who anchors Action News at 4 for Atlanta ABC affiliate WSB-TV, will serve as the main emcee, with other guests, including Terry, sharing the stage periodically during the evening. Entertainment will be provided by swing band Big Band Atlanta; Latin dancers Stiletto Dance Company; the extraordinary Burundi Drummers of Atlanta; and a “Jam Band” comprised of refugee girls from the Global Village Project in Decatur.

Atlanta restaurant Sun in My Belly has signed on as a catering sponsor, with beverages supplied by Mother Earth Brewing, Frey Vineyards and Cathead Vodka. Other corporate sponsors include LeahAndMark Photography and Marathon Financial Strategies. Sponsorships are still available; companies and individuals interested in sponsorships should contact Julie Shaffer or Lorrie King at info@50CentsPeriod.org for available packages and prices.

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Various ticket levels are available for purchase:

·         $95 VIP includes pre-event cocktail hour, early auction bidding, VIP gift bag

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·         $50 general admission ($45 Early Bird if purchased before 15 February 2014)

·         $25 educator and non-profit employee (with valid I.D.)

·         $15 students (with valid I.D.)

All ticket prices include cocktails and hors d’oeuvres at 7.00 p.m. and dinner at 7.30 p.m. For ticket purchase and info, visit 50centsperiod.org/bigredball.

About 50 Cents. Period.

50 Cents. Period. was established in 2010 to empower women and girls to stay fully engaged in their communities and education without the stigma and barriers surrounding their period, gender and reproductive choices. The organization takes its name from founder Lorrie Lynn King’s visit to Andhra Pradesh, India, where she discovered that many girls were unable to attend school during their menstruation because of lack of sanitary supplies – a problem that could be addressed with just fifty cents per month per girl.

The organization employs a holistic approach that seeks to empower women and girls through building their social and economic capacities. 50 Cents. Period focuses its programs and advocacy in underserved, traditionally marginalized communities, addressing such issues as chaupadi (the forced, ritualized exclusion of women during menstruation); rape warfare; living with HIV and FGM; and by providing sanitary products, reproductive health education workshops and curricula, clean water, and sanitation facilities. In tandem with these efforts, 50 Cents. Period furnishes linkages to care and connections to peer support and income generating projects.

At present, 50 Cents. Period program sites are located in Andhra Pradesh, India; the Kathmandu, Sindhupalchok and Karnali districts of Nepal; the Masaka, Kanungu, Rukungiri and Kasese regions of Uganda; and in the US in Clarkston, Georgia, the Southeastern epicenter of refugee resettlement. In May 2013, 50 Cents. Period concluded a six-month pilot program in Nicaragua, and is currently exploring Central American partnerships that serve indigenous women.




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