Thursday, June 26, 2025

11:15 AM – 2:00 PM

Location:

Grandview Ballroom – North End Zone, Kidd Brewer Stadium

Appalachian State University
135 Jack Branch Drive, Boone, NC 28608

Parking:

Complimentary shuttle service will be available from App State’s Parking Deck on River Street. Carpooling is encouraged.

Event Registration:

To register and purchase your ticket for Power of the Purse 2025 click the link below:

WFBR 2025 Power of the Purse

Celebrating Resilience

Join us for an unforgettable afternoon of inspiration, community, and purpose at the Women’s Fund of the Blue Ridge’s signature event—Power of the Purse 2025.

In the wake of Hurricane Helene, we come together to honor the resilience, strength, and perseverance of the remarkable women and girls across our region.

This year’s event will feature:

• An exclusive fireside chat with our Keynote Speaker, Laura Linney, and journalist Molly Grantham
• Silent and live auctions featuring designer handbags, jewelry, exclusive bundle experiences, and artwork.
• Meaningful opportunities to connect with community leaders, changemakers, and inspiring women
• Interactive activities centered around stories of resilience and empowerment

Every ticket, every bid, and every donation directly supports life-changing programs for women and girls in Ashe, Avery, and Watauga Counties.

Event Schedule:

• 11:15 AM – Doors Open
• 12:00 PM – Silent Auction Ends
• 12:10 PM – Lunch is Served
• 12:30 PM – Keynote Speaker
• 12:45 PM – Live Auction
• 1:45 PM – Closing Remarks

Suggested Attire:

Business casual or Tea Party attire recommended

Featured Speakers:

Laura Linney

Laura Linney’s respect and gratitude for creative expression is limitless. Born to a prominent NYC playwright and nurse, Golden Globe, SAG, and Emmy award-winning actress Laura Linney began her experiential education in performance art at an early age.

After graduating from The Juilliard School, Linney went on to appear in leading roles across film, television, and theatre. 

She’s performed in a myriad of productions such as the films Genius and Nocturnal Animals. Other films include Mr. Holmes, Kinsey, You Can Count on Me, Mystic River, Love Actually, and The Truman Show. From 2017 to 2022, Linney starred as Wendy Byrde in the Netlfix original series Ozark, a performance which garnered her multiple Emmy, Golden Globe, and SAG Award nominations.

Linney has also been honored for her work in cancer advocacy. Having lost family to cancer, she understands the unique physical and emotional damage inflicted on victims and families. She aims to help them find ways to cope, grow, and rebuild so that each one can truly win his or her own fight against cancer.

Laura Linney has been nominated three times for the Academy Award, five times for the Tony Award, once for a BAFTA Award, and eight times for the Golden Globe. She has won one SAG Award, one National Board of Review Award, two Golden Globes and four Emmy Awards. She holds two honorary Doctorates from her alma maters, Brown University and The Juilliard School.

Molly Grantham

4x-Emmy winner. 3x-author. National speaker. Charity auctioneer. Proud mom.

Molly Grantham has been named “TV News Reporter of the Year” and juggles life with humor and poise, bringing clever wit to diverse crowds. She delivers hundreds of keynotes and has interviewed over 15,000 people in her 25-years of television news.

She is adept at speaking live to 100,000 people a night, sitting beside Hollywood celebrities, NFL stars, and throughout her career has worked at ABC, NBC, and CBS affiliates. She has appeared on CNN, Today Show, CBS News, the CBS Morning Show, and in Huffington Post and People Magazine. Her social media is its own channel, with more than 200,000 combined followers. In 2024, she founded the “Bet On Yourself Summit,” a soul-filling experience to help women uncover power in themselves. It made history as the first women’s event inside the Carolina Panthers NFL stadium.

Molly is also a trained and active charity auctioneer, bringing non-profits around the country to earn record-breaking amounts.

Her three books are a popular series described as “raw and relatable” about not losing yourself while loving your career and raising children. She and her husband, Wes, have three children under the age of 13.

In her next life, Molly says she wants to be a mermaid.

Want to Amplify Your Impact? Become a Sponsor
Help us empower women and girls in meaningful, lasting ways. 

Sponsors receive:

• Recognition in event materials
• VIP seating
• Opportunities to connect with a mission-driven audience
• Exclusive access to the Keynote Speaker at the top sponsor levels

📞 Interested in becoming a sponsor?
Call us at 828-264-4002 or email [email protected] to learn more.