As organizers of this weekend's Women's Resource Fair began organizing their event, they realized it grew into more than they expected.
The fair is free of charge and is to occur 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday at the West Ridge Event Center, 219 Murphy Ford Road, Centertown.
The fair was intended to simply be a location where women (13 and older) could receive information about the resources available to them, organizer Meta Baughn said. However, it turned into a seminar in which women can find resources, as well as learn ways to protect themselves and improve their lives, she said.
Baughn, who is earning her certification as a family life educator, said anyone attending the fair will take something from the speakers (and there are 10 scheduled).
"Each speaker offers important and valuable information that every woman (and man) needs," she said. "They are the resources that people need."
The first speaker is to be Deputy Joseph Matherne, the Cole County school resource officer and the Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) program instructor for the Cole County Sheriff's Office. RAD courses offer foundations in education and awareness, according to the Jefferson City website. The course includes lectures, discussion and self-defense techniques that are suitable for women of all ages.
Matherne is to be followed by Kallee Victor of Damsel in Defense. According to her Facebook page, Victor's mission is to equip, empower and educate women to protect themselves and their families. Damsel in Defense sells personal protection products for women and children.
Health and wellness coaches will share tips on eating better and living healthier.
The highlight of the fair will be Neita Collins, who is a board member of the Lake of the Ozarks Coalition to Stop Human Trafficking, Baughn said.
"This is not some big-city issue. It's right in our own back yard," she said.
Vendors at the fair will offer makeup, crafts, home products, health and wellness resources, and two unique coffee vendors.
WOMEN'S RESOURCE FAIR SCHEDULE
Saturday Morning
8:30 Vendor setup
10:00 Welcome
10:30 Deputy Joseph Matherne, Cole County RAD Program
11:00 First drawing
11:15 Kallee Victor, Damsel in Defense
11:30 Drawings
11:45 vendor presentations
Saturday Afternoon
12:00 Adrian Campbell, Motivation Coach
12:15 Drawings
12:30 vendor presentations
12:45 Rebecca Pfanner, Kicking the Sugar Habit
1:00 Drawings
1:15 Donna Ward & Melanie Workman, Grace Living Center
1:30 Sonia McGowan, Chiropractor Holistic treatment
2:15 Drawings
2:30 Neita Collins, Coalition to Stop Human Trafficking
3:00 Allison Sole, Crowned Free
3:30 Vicki Bullock, The Redeem Project
4:00 Close/Vendor tear-down
CORRECTION: The day of the event (Saturday, Nov. 17, 2018) was inadvertently left out of the original version of this article. It has since been added to the text above.