Hats, Hearts, & Handbags
Ready to encourage our girls to be strong, courageous, and self-sufficient?
Reflecting on 2024
Donate, Decorate, Empower!
At Girls Place, we believe that every young girl deserves to be inspired, empowered, and nurtured so that she can grow into a courageous, strong, and independent woman. That’s why we’ve been celebrating and serving girls for over 40 years in Alachua County. Through our essential programs and services, we serve as a bridge for many girls in our community, guiding them from childhood to womanhood—empowering and preparing them to become the leaders of tomorrow.
And we need your support to move our mission forward and continue to grow.
On May 8th our Girls Place community came together to DECORATE, DONATE AND EMPOWER at our 20th Hats, Hearts & Handbags (HHH) fundraising event at beautiful Valley View in Alachua! We celebrated the mission of Girls Place and generated the financial resources needed to continue our essential programs and services.
Every penny from this event goes directly into programs that help our girls thrive. Our programs—ACHIEVE, After School, Athletics, BrainPower, and Summer Day Camp—provide girls ages 5-14 with a safe and nurturing environment; a place where they make lifelong friends, learn about themselves and others, and discover the impact they can make on the world.
We have a variety of ways you can support! If you’re interested in getting involved next year, check out our sponsorship opportunities, Table Captain’s Guide, and Pandora’s Box options for more information and to secure your package. Questions? Call 352-373-4475 or email [email protected].
Thank you to our sponsors and Check Out this year’s event!
Alan and Cathy
Hitchcock
Marilyn and Jim
Islam
Jones Family
Underwriters
Jones Edmunds
Essay Contest
Julie Ann Ariet
Dessert
Kerry Ward
Entertainment
HHH | May 8, 2025!
More details on the event:
- When: Thursday, May 8, 2025 from 2 – 7pm
- Where: Beautiful Valley View in Alachua
- Catering: Buffet dinner provided by Hill’s BBQ followed by dessert
- Social Hour: Prosecco and beer
- Table Decorating: One of the highlights of HHH is the table decorating competition. Each table is a canvas for creativity, where friends and colleagues come together to design and decorate their space. From elegant floral arrangements to whimsical themes, the tables are a feast for the eyes and a testament to the community’s spirit. Awards are given out for the most creative, beautiful, and inspiring tables.
- Pandora’s Box: A special part of the event where guests can bid on unique and valuable items. Each box is a mystery, filled with surprises that range from gift cards to exclusive experiences up to $1,500 in value. This exciting element adds an extra layer of fun and engagement. (We’re always looking for items for these boxes if you’d like to contribute as well!)
- Photo booth, live music, keynote speaker, girls essay contest winner announcements, Pandora’s Box reveals, and more!
Specific Timeframe:
- 2:00-4:00 Table Decorating
- 4:00-5:00 Social Hour
- 5:00 View Tables
- 5:30-7:00 Dinner and Program
Kickoff | February 12, 2025
Timeframe:
- 5:30-6:00 Mingling, hor dourves, and beverages
- 6:00-7:00 Program: Learn about GP, HHH, ask questions, and build connections!
- 7:30 Event concludes
RSVP to [email protected]
Marks Table Captain Luncheon
TBD with committed Table Captains.
Nathan Whitaker
From https://nathanwhitaker.com/about/
I now spend my days writing and speaking. Not at the same time.
It’s been a circuitous path to here. After winning a Super Bowl ring with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and witnessing teamwork and leadership from my time in the scouting departments of the Bucs and Jacksonville Jaguars, I talked Tony Dungy into writing a book. (I may have been unemployed for three years while I wore him down.)
That book, my first, was the #1 New York Times bestseller, Quiet Strength, and I have gone on to write numerous other books (eight of which have become NYT bestsellers, by my count – which may be skewed, since math wasn’t my thing), including The Mentor Leader, Uncommon, Uncommon Marriage, Through My Eyes (with Tim Tebow), Snap Decision, The One Year Impact For Living Men’s Devotional, Role of a Lifetime (with James Brown), and The One Year Uncommon Life Daily Challenge.
When I speak to corporations, teams, churches or non-profits, I draw on lessons learned from coaching friends Tony Dungy, Mike Tomlin, Billy Donovan, Clint Hurdle and Tom Coughlin, as well as my college coach, Steve Spurrier.
2025 Table
Cost:
$1,000 – 10 Seat Table
$800 – 8 Seat Table
2025 Individual Ticket
Cost: $125
We invite you to support our girls by sponsoring our 2025 Hats, Hearts, and Handbags Your sponsorship will provide the funding that makes our mission possible while promoting your business or organization.
Your company can reach 300+ movers and shakers in Gainesville, while supporting a great cause through Hats, Hearts, and Handbags. Check out our sponsorship packet for more information.
Please email [email protected] if you would like to contribute this year.