AVDA’s Second ‘Heart Of A Woman’ Luncheon Welcomes Best-selling Author Gail Sheehy Feb. 12 February 12, 2009

BOCA RATON-DELRAY BEACH – December 19, 2008 – Best-selling author Gail Sheehy knows a little bit about the mission of AVDA, as evidenced by her work. She won the national magazine award, the Penny-Missouri Journalism Award, and the Anisfield-Wolf Book award in Race Relations for her book, Spirit of Survival.
“The spirit of survival” and the constant desire to improve one’s life are at the heart of the mission of AVDA, Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse, Inc. of Palm Beach County. And that spirit will be celebrated again at the second annual “Heart of a Woman” luncheon, to be held February 12, 2009 at the Royal Palm Yacht Club, 2425 Maya Palm Drive West in Boca Raton.
The “Heart of a Woman” luncheon was created to help involve the community in supporting women who are re-building their lives and the lives of their children following domestic abuse. The positive, upbeat event will complement AVDA’s 5K Run/Walk, held in October, which raised $50,000 this year.
Event co-chairwomen Ann Bennett and Barbara Murphy, both of Gulf Stream, are planning on the popularity of Sheehy’s books and columns, along with her message of empowerment, to attract new faces to AVDA’s event.
“Gail is such a wonderfully smart and gifted author, whom many people identify with through her work, Passages,” said Murphy, a personal friend of Sheehy’s, who orchestrated her appearance. A Library of Congress survey named Passages one of the 10 most influential books of its time. Sheehy is a seven-time recipient of the New York Newswomen’s Club Front Page Award for distinguished journalism.
The event will begin with a reception and silent auction at 11 a.m. The luncheon will be served at noon. Tickets are $100; tables of 10 are available. All proceeds raised from this event will go directly to supporting shelter, transitional housing, educational and counseling programs offered to victims and their families.
AVDA is a nonprofit organization that has been providing support to survivors of domestic violence for the past 20 years. Emergency shelter, a 24-hour hotline, transitional housing, legal advocacy, and counseling are some of the services offered to adult and child survivors of domestic violence. For more information, call (561) 265-3797 or visit www.avdaonline.org.