Pearls of Empowerment will host their annual meeting, “Thanks for Giving”, on Thursday, Nov. 12 from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church Family Life Center in Mocksville.

Women in the community are invited to join in the celebration as Pearls of Empowerment presents 2015 grant awards.

Pearls will award $38,158 in grants to Davie County agencies for projects that improve the lives of women and children in the county. This year’s awards bring the total of grant making to more than $170,000.

“Pearls are impacting the lives of women and children in Davie County – something they believe deserves a yearly celebration,” said Debbie Koontz.

In addition to the awarding of grants, guests will enjoy guest speaker Ann Ross, author of Miss Julia books.

Ross is the mother of three and grandmother of six. When her children were in college, she decided to complete her own education at the University of North Carolina at Asheville where she earned a bachelor’s degree in literature.

Reluctant to return to an empty nest, she continued her education in the English Department of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she earned the master’s and doctor of philosophy degrees. Afterwards, she taught literature and the humanities at the University of North Carolina at Asheville.

Her first Miss Julia book, Miss Julia Speaks Her Mind in 1999, set her on a full-time writing career. Inspiration for the escapades of Ann’s much-loved character, Miss Julia, comes in all manner of ways – a chance remark by a friend or family member, an incident she happens to see, in a dream, or by being reminded of something in her past experiences.

Miss Julia books will be available for sale following the meeting.

Tickets are $15. Reservations are required and must be made by Nov. 6 by contacting the Davie Community Foundation, 753-6903 or dkoontz@daviefoundation.org.   

Pearls of Empowerment is a women’s giving circle organized under the Dfoundation. Pearls seeks to improve the lives of women and children by building a community of female givers who provide grants to local programs and initiatives that address the root causes of social issues impacting women and children in Davie County.