GAMBIER — The fifth annual EmpowHER event on March 13 did not reach its full potential, but the women who gathered at Kenyon’s Lowry Center still uplifted, encouraged, and empowered one another.
A casualty of a windstorm that caused power outages and downed trees and power lines, the event saw reduced attendance and cancellation of the speakers’ panel.
However, attendees had the chance to browse the wares of women-owned businesses and honor remarkable females in Knox County.
Award winners include:
• Vision Builder: Olivia Breckler
• Raising the Bar: Erin Skillman
• Grit to Grace: Amy Hull
• EmpowHER: Carrie Brown
• Heart: Karen Cherup
• Girl Power Scholarship: Madeline Springer and Ruby Bartok
“There’s nothing more powerful than a room full of women who choose to show up for one another,” New Directions Executive Director Lindsey Lamp said. “That kind of strength deserves to be celebrated.”
Lamp said EmpowHER was created with a simple yet meaningful purpose: to celebrate women, elevate voices, and create a space for connection, inspiration, and growth.
“Over the past four years, this event has continued to grow. Each year building upon the last, deepening the message that empowerment is not a moment that simply shimmers but fades. It’s a movement of voices, visibility, and collective strength,” she said.
“A movement that creates culture change.”
Five years of empowerment
Lamp recapped the event’s growth, which began with a focus on inspiring, empowering, and connecting in Year 1.
Year 2 brought encouragement for women to recognize their value in leadership and to support one another’s growth and success.
“As we navigated into Year 3, we focused on redefining expectations and embraced possibility with our fun-spirited peak,” Lamp said.
“The evening encouraged women and girls to celebrate their unique strengths and recognize the power they hold to shape their own paths.”
In 2024, the event honored leadership, resilience, and the power of community connection.
This year’s storm-affected evening built on the previous four with the theme “Vogue Presence: Where Your Voice Leads, Change Follows.”
“Over the past five years, we welcomed 1,252 attendants, and we’re going to add to that total when we reschedule. That’s 1,252 moments of encouragement, of inspiration, of women choosing to show up for one another,” Lamp said.
(Photos by Cheryl Splain)
Knox Community Hospital proudly supports the vibrant pulse of our community by sponsoring the Life & Culture section on Knox Pages, celebrating the stories and experiences that make our region unique.
