When Jolene Victor, owner of Victory Energy Wellness Center, found out, from her friend, Marie, a teacher at Las Sendas Elementary School, about how much financial distress our neighborhood schools and their teachers are suffering, she decided she needed to help.
Despite wage freezes for Arizona teachers, Jolene was told many teachers spend their own money to provide classroom supplies used in class work and projects not covered in school budgets.
Jolene called on her associates in Supporting and Empowering the Vision of Entrepreneurial Networking (SEVEN), a networking group of women entrepreneurs and business owners, founded in Chandler three years ago. The group decided to organize a summer fund-raising event to help buy supplies for the cash-strapped schools.
So, the first Summer Sizzle was born. It will run on Saturday, July 14, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Victory Energy Wellness Center, located on the northwest corner of Thomas and Power roads. The center will offer mini energy sessions for a donation, and SEVEN members and other local businesses will set up booths, selling jewelry, essential oils, weight-loss products, natural cosmetics and many other items, to raise money for Red Mountain and Las Sendas elementary schools.
“We also are accepting donations of money or school supplies, and are asking local businesses to join in,” Jolene said. “We have a list of supplies needed on our Web site, victoryenergywellness.com. We definitely want to be a part of our local community, and help in local efforts, especially for our kids.”
The center also is involved in a project with the Clothes Cabin, which collects gently used clothing and shoes for kids in need. It provides a store at 1100 N. Alma School Road, Suites 9 and 10, in Chandler, where kids can go and shop for free items for their school wardrobes every Tuesday and Wednesday, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Donations can be dropped off at the center.
In addition, Jolene will be donating 10 percent of all revenues raised by services offered at the center during the month of July. “Even though we will be closed for the Independence Day holiday, from July 1 through 4, we will take clients by appointment only, if requested.”
For more information, to get involved in the event, or to make a donation, call Victory Energy Wellness Center, at (480) 422-7022. The center Web site is victoryenergywellness.com. For more information about SEVEN, which has more than 14 chapters in Arizona, and is growing in Connecticut and Oregon, call (480) 442-2838, or visit s-e-v-e-n.org or
www.facebook.com/sevenwomeninbiz.