Girl Power!

PHILANTHROPY IN ACTION

Pictured left to right: Heather Miller ’91, Elaine Herrmann Blais ’91, and Joanna Gillespie ’91

When Elaine Herrmann Blais and Heather Miller joined the Allegheny Class of 1991’s 30th reunion committee last year, they invited close friends Dawnmarie Eckenrode Black, Cynthia Chappell Deal, Joanna Gillespie, Deirdre Kosky-Kaupelis, Laurie Katshir McKiernan, Kelly Lengauer Musmanno, Karen Brown Roux, Maura Keogh Shafer, Jackie Rudolph Smathers and Lauren Flannery Thiele to join them in a giving circle — affectionately dubbed “Girl Power” — to make a special gift to the College. Girl Power inspired them to make larger individual gifts than usual as they sought “to show what a strong and close circle of women can do when united behind a common cause,” said Elaine. They contributed $12,250 for the 2020/21 Annual Fund, which touches every aspect of the College. Elaine said that the women give charitably when inspired and “the friendships we made at Allegheny, and all that those friendships have given us … provided that inspiration.” She added that through a giving circle, “our gift … has more impact together than any of us do alone.”