Over lunch at Brave New Restaurant -- I, the pecan-encrusted rainbow trout filet; she, the chef's salad -- Shayla Copas tells me the second Woman of Inspiration will be Johnelle Hunt. Hunt, she says, is a "serious selection deal" who "had to pray on it" because she's so busy with business.
No doubt.
Woman of Inspiration is the new luncheon fundraiser for 500 at the Statehouse Convention Center that raised last fall, including in-kind donations, about $400,000 before expenses, Copas said. The money is for the 14 Children's Advocacy Centers of Arkansas, facilities for children who have been physically or sexually abused. The centers offer shelter and comfort in private rooms, typically within hours after the police are called, as survivors undergo medical examinations, police interviews and adjust to transitioning out of their homes.
Last year, Hunt was in the inaugural induction class of the state Women's Hall of Fame. These things always come in threes, so perhaps a street renaming? ("But there's already J.B. Hunt Corporate Drive!" Fine, then, a statue.)
Copas tells me that Hunt was nominated and screened popularly -- that is, anyone could have made a nomination, and the selection was made by 10 business and community leaders, of which Copas is one.
The inaugural Woman of Inspiration was first lady Susan Hutchinson (whose husband was the Arkansan of the Year last month for Easter Seals) and who surely is being considered for Woman of the Year at the 11th benefit for Women & Children First shelter next winter. (I didn't say is.) Hutchinson practically inspired the whole shebang -- Children's Advocacy Centers are without question her soapbox charity.
"We really want the Woman of Inspiration to be someone the public believes is a woman of inspiration." That, and you have to be involved in children's causes.
"The panel's very diverse and not all of us know each other. We wanted them [the honorees] to know that they truly did win, and we're not putting them up for their money but because they're inspiring, because some honors aren't really honoring.''
Then Copas says something that makes my ears sit up. She says the Woman of Inspiration will not necessarily be famous always. She says sometimes a story can be so affecting, so moving, it can change a life, and that's the definition of inspiration. Sometime soon, an announcement will be made for a woman who is not first lady or first business lady of Arkansas.
I hope to see that like I hope to see a brokered Republican convention. It would truly be something to see the script so "flipped," as the kids say. An entirely new model. But there's a reason famous people are feted. These are fundraisers, after all, and famous people tend not only to be rich, but rich with connections to the rich.
I imagine it's much the same dynamic at work in movies. Low-budget film producers dream of casting their winsome girlfriend/muse for their first big project out of film school, but here's Arianna Grande, and there's a wheelbarrow full of guaranteed distribution contracts.
Meanwhile, Hunt, a product of the sovereign and independent county of Benton, will be a welcomed soul at the Wally Allen ballroom. She's so accomplished, so smart and beautiful.
And so is Copas, who so far has lifted Woman of Inspiration up to its billing.
RUN, MOM, RUN
The Junior League of Little Rock is wrapping up the pre-event planning for Saturday's third Downtown Dash, a 10K/5K to raise money for the league and its food and school supplies giveaways for Little Rock's littlest learners.
The woman heading this up is Ashley Hudson, a Kutak Rock litigator and mother of four (ages 7 years to 9 months) -- and highly functioning fitness freak featured in a November/December 2013 Fitness spread for continuing her exercise regimens through pregnancies, much to the shame of men who can't continue theirs through the college football season.
"It's the only time of day a lot of times when I get to listen to music that didn't come from Disney, and I don't have tiny people crawling on me."
Ever run with a baby aboard?
"I have run with children in a jogging stroller, but I try not to run with them strapped to me. It shakes their poor little brains."
This race is handicapped- and stroller-accessible and now includes a Downtown Dash Jr. (a 1 kilometer for young people up and down Scott Street) that starts at 8 a.m. "That was really important to me because, as much as I joke about not taking my kids, I want my kids to be involved in the things I'm involved in."
The 10K/5K race will start at 8:30 a.m. at the Junior League Building, 401 S. Scott St., and circuit around landmarks such as the River Market District, Clinton Presidential Center and Arkansas Arts Center.
There'll be medals for the kids, awards for the top finishers in both "adult" races, event shirts and fun stuff after.
Registration is completely open, even day-of. Visit JLLR.org/downtowndash up to midnight the day of the race to register online. For more information, call the league at (501) 375-5557.
High Profile on 04/17/2016