Business and Professional Women of Elizabethton… Serving the community and women
Published 3:21 pm Tuesday, June 23, 2020
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Photo Contributed Left to right: Amber Farley, Michelle White, Robin McKamey, and Joy Jarrett.
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BY BRITTNEE NAVE
STAR CORRESPONDENT
Since around 1928, Elizabethton Business and Professional Women’s Organization has been serving the community as a whole and promoting equality for women in it.
The local organization serves as a chapter of Tennessee’s statewide organization, which just celebrated its 100-year anniversary.
Amber Dawn Farley, current president of the Elizabethton chapter, explained the local work that has been done.
“The thing our local chapter is most known for is we actually established the Elizabethton/Carter County Public Library, then built the original library building,” she said.
“So that’s the kind of the work we do – we promote equality for women in the workforce and we provide support where we are needed in the community.”
Farley said that support for the community also comes in the form of providing scholarships to graduating seniors in Carter County and Elizabethton City Schools.
She went on to explain the variety of members in the organization which ranges from college-aged women to their oldest member who is 102 years old.
Those in the group have various professions and come from different walks of life.
“These women have been in all walks of life whether they served in WWII, served in education, or the medical field,” she said.
Farley herself works at ETSU in the Department of Art and Design and is also a photographer who has had her artwork displayed in various galleries.
Despite the name, however, Farley explained that men are just as welcome in the group as women as membership is open to everyone.
Farley has been a member of this organization for five years, recently becoming the president. She was recruited to join by Robin McKamey, who is a former president of the organization and currently a Carter County commissioner.
“She’s just been a mentor to me in my adult life,” she said.
She explained that she has a mentor-type relationship with fellow members, noting she is one of the younger members in the local organization.
The organization’s officers are as follows:
President, Amber Farley
First Vice President, Michelle White
Second Vice President, Robin McKamey
Secretary, Joy Jarrett
Treasurer, Kristi Malone DeMoss
Parliamentarian, Marilyn Boeker
For more information on the organization, you can check out their Facebook group page, or contact Farley at ElizabethtonBPW@bpwtn.org. You can check out the state website at www.bpwtn.org.
The Elizabethton chapter meets during the second Tuesday of each month, usually at Dino’s, however, they are currently having virtual meetings.
“This is a great organization and anyone who is interested in meeting women from all walks of life and have a say in how women in the workforce go forward, then this is a great organization to be a part of,” she said.
