28/Sep/2008
Wylie & the Wild West on Oct. 26
Professional Women Concert
Benefits Zachary Women
By Emily Holden
Professional Women of Zachary was founded in 2006 with the sole purpose of raising money for Zachary women pursuing higher education. Two years and $58,000 later, the organization is cooking up yet another fund-raiser for scholarships and educational grants.
The feature fund-raiser this fall will be a two-hour Wylie & the Wild West concert at 4 p.m. on Oct. 26 at Hemingbough in St. Francisville.
Wylie Gustafson is a genuine cowboy- he operates a quarter horse ranch in Washington- who has performed at the Grand Ole Oprey more than 50 times and at the Lincoln Center. Gustafson's latest release, Bucking Horse Moon, was produced by John Carter Cash, son of Johnny and June Carter.
Coordinators will raise money by charging executive sponsors $500 for sets of four tickets. Sponsors will receive front row seating and attend a reception with the band. Regular tickets cost $25. Because PWZ is a non-profit organization, the concert will be tax-deductible.
PWZ President Moonyean Wood heard Wylie & the Wild West perform this past year while on vacation in Whitefish, Montana.
"I just absolutely fell in love with his music," Wood said.
Wood said the trip to Louisiana will be the farthest south Gustafson has ever traveled.
"He's really excited about it so we need to have a full house for him," she said.
Fund Raising
The women organize one major fund-raiser each year. This past year, they raffled $20,000 worth of sporting goods, including boats, 4-wheelers, guns and hunting trips. PWZ also holds an annual skeet shoot and 5 -kilometer run.
ZHS graduating seniors Casee Dyllon and Laura Ann Beier are the most recent recipients of PWZ scholarships.
Wood said PWZ has given the largest amount of scholarship money in Zachary High School history, totaling $34,000 awarded to graduating high school seniors. Individual scholarship amounts for both adults and graduating seniors are usually about $6,000.
"It's hugely rewarding," Wood said. Wood said the group works hard and has a good time.
Wood said PWZ is searching for Zachary women who would like to get involved with the organization. PWZ meets about every two months to organize fund-raisers and assign members to projects.
"Any woman who has succeeded in a profession didn't get there without the help of someone else, and most of the time, it was another woman," said Wood.
It began as an organization of female business owners and executives, but PWZ now welcomes any Zachary woman who would like to help other women in the community.
"Sometimes homemakers are professional homemakers," Wood said.
Inspiration and Encouragement
Wood said she is inspired to help other women in the community because of an aunt who supported her during college.
"I lived with her, she sent me to school, paid my tuition, and she encouraged me," Wood said. "Without her help I would never have been able to go to college."
Wood said PWZ stays in touch with scholarship recipients.
"They know that they can call us if they need something and we're not going away," she said.
ZHS Graduate
Abby Lynn Smith received a PWZ scholarship when she graduated ZHS in 2007. Smith earned a 3.7 GPA in her first year as a theatre major at Northwestern State University.
Wood said Smith loves school and wants to work in the ZHS drama department when she graduates. She said the scholarship has been helpful because it allows Smith to concentrate on school rather than spending most of her time working. But Smith made time to work for the Northwestern drama department this past year.
Wood said the “hardest working freshmen and upperclassmen could take a lesson from her.”
Less Debt
Angela Howland received two scholarships from PWZ. Howland, 29, is pursuing her master's at Our Lady of the Lake College.
"It's allowed me to not have as much debt so that when I get out of school I can pursue a job and not worry about all the debt hanging over my head," Howland said.
Howland hopes to become a physician's assistant. She is currently working on her clinical rotation. Howland said she is the only student in her class who was fortunate enough to receive a scholarship. She said it is difficult to obtain scholarships above the undergraduate level.
"It just so happens that I live in Zachary, and we’ve got a great group of women there," Howland said.
She said she will join the group if she finds a job in the area after completing school.
Wylie & the Wild West tickets are available at all Highlands Banks, the Bank of Zachary, Signature Southern Accents and Zachary Small Animal Clinic. Seating is limited.
Professional Women Concert
Benefits Zachary Women
By Emily Holden
Professional Women of Zachary was founded in 2006 with the sole purpose of raising money for Zachary women pursuing higher education. Two years and $58,000 later, the organization is cooking up yet another fund-raiser for scholarships and educational grants. The feature fund-raiser this fall will be a two-hour Wylie & the Wild West concert at 4 p.m. on Oct. 26 at Hemingbough in St. Francisville.
Wylie Gustafson is a genuine cowboy- he operates a quarter horse ranch in Washington- who has performed at the Grand Ole Oprey more than 50 times and at the Lincoln Center. Gustafson's latest release, Bucking Horse Moon, was produced by John Carter Cash, son of Johnny and June Carter.
Coordinators will raise money by charging executive sponsors $500 for sets of four tickets. Sponsors will receive front row seating and attend a reception with the band. Regular tickets cost $25. Because PWZ is a non-profit organization, the concert will be tax-deductible.
PWZ President Moonyean Wood heard Wylie & the Wild West perform this past year while on vacation in Whitefish, Montana.
"I just absolutely fell in love with his music," Wood said.
Wood said the trip to Louisiana will be the farthest south Gustafson has ever traveled.
"He's really excited about it so we need to have a full house for him," she said.
Fund Raising
The women organize one major fund-raiser each year. This past year, they raffled $20,000 worth of sporting goods, including boats, 4-wheelers, guns and hunting trips. PWZ also holds an annual skeet shoot and 5 -kilometer run.
ZHS graduating seniors Casee Dyllon and Laura Ann Beier are the most recent recipients of PWZ scholarships.
Wood said PWZ has given the largest amount of scholarship money in Zachary High School history, totaling $34,000 awarded to graduating high school seniors. Individual scholarship amounts for both adults and graduating seniors are usually about $6,000.
"It's hugely rewarding," Wood said. Wood said the group works hard and has a good time.
Wood said PWZ is searching for Zachary women who would like to get involved with the organization. PWZ meets about every two months to organize fund-raisers and assign members to projects.
"Any woman who has succeeded in a profession didn't get there without the help of someone else, and most of the time, it was another woman," said Wood.
It began as an organization of female business owners and executives, but PWZ now welcomes any Zachary woman who would like to help other women in the community.
"Sometimes homemakers are professional homemakers," Wood said.
Inspiration and Encouragement
Wood said she is inspired to help other women in the community because of an aunt who supported her during college.
"I lived with her, she sent me to school, paid my tuition, and she encouraged me," Wood said. "Without her help I would never have been able to go to college."
Wood said PWZ stays in touch with scholarship recipients.
"They know that they can call us if they need something and we're not going away," she said.
ZHS Graduate
Abby Lynn Smith received a PWZ scholarship when she graduated ZHS in 2007. Smith earned a 3.7 GPA in her first year as a theatre major at Northwestern State University.
Wood said Smith loves school and wants to work in the ZHS drama department when she graduates. She said the scholarship has been helpful because it allows Smith to concentrate on school rather than spending most of her time working. But Smith made time to work for the Northwestern drama department this past year.
Wood said the “hardest working freshmen and upperclassmen could take a lesson from her.”
Less Debt
Angela Howland received two scholarships from PWZ. Howland, 29, is pursuing her master's at Our Lady of the Lake College.
"It's allowed me to not have as much debt so that when I get out of school I can pursue a job and not worry about all the debt hanging over my head," Howland said.
Howland hopes to become a physician's assistant. She is currently working on her clinical rotation. Howland said she is the only student in her class who was fortunate enough to receive a scholarship. She said it is difficult to obtain scholarships above the undergraduate level.
"It just so happens that I live in Zachary, and we’ve got a great group of women there," Howland said.
She said she will join the group if she finds a job in the area after completing school.
Wylie & the Wild West tickets are available at all Highlands Banks, the Bank of Zachary, Signature Southern Accents and Zachary Small Animal Clinic. Seating is limited.
