“Education – Past, Present and Future”
Theme for 13th Annual Women With Heart Event
Six “Woman With Heart” Nominees for 2025 Announced
Opelousas, La – July 21, 2025 The Women United of St. Landry-Evangeline United Way will host the 13th
Annual Women With Heart Luncheon and Awards event on Monday, July 28th at the Opelousas Civic
Center. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased online at www.uwsle.org/women-heart, or purchased at
the Ville Platte Library or the United Way offices at 5367 I-49 S. Service Rd., Opelousas (337) 942-7815.
This popular event will be from 11:30-1:30, with registration required. The “Power of the Purse” purse
auction, as a highlight each year, will feature over 30 amazing purses, all stuffed with delightful treasures
and surprises.
According to Ginger LeComtpe, Executive Director of St. Landry-Evangeline United Way, “We decided that
this year’s program would focus on women in education because without teachers, there would be no
other profession.”
The program will include a panel discussion moderated by Bambi Polotzola, former Executive Director of
the Louisiana Governor’s Office of Disability Affairs, and owner of Disability Access Solutions, and Executive
Director of Louisiana Statewide Independent Living Council. The three inspirational panelists are June
Inhern, Kelli LaFleur and Katrina Ardoin, all having years of experience in the education field.
The coveted “Woman With Heart” awards will be presented to two outstanding women
representing St. Landry and Evangeline Parishes respectively, who have distinguished themselves as
caring, compassionate community activists, volunteers and educators. The six nominees are Nina David,
Christy Anderson, and Heather Launey from Evangeline Parish, and Alexis Standberry, June Inhern and
Pati Stuart from St. Landry Parish.
Proceeds from this event will support the Dolly Parton Imagination Library (DPIL), providing free,
age-appropriate books to children age 0-5.
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(continued – Women United Press Release
Women with Heart Luncheon
Date: Monday, July 28, 2025
Time: 11:30 am – 1:30 pm
Location: Opelousas Civic Center 1638 Creswell Ln
Tickets: $35 donation – Can be purchased online at https://www.uwsle.org/women-heart , the Ville Platte
Library, or by calling the United Way office at (337) 942-7815. For more information, contact Ginger
LeCompte at glecompte@uwsle.org.
Women United is an affinity group of United Way with over 70,000 members globally. The mission of the St.
Landry-Evangeline United Way Women United is to focus resources and volunteer efforts on issues surrounding
women, families and children through programing, fundraising and advocacy. Recent activities have included
funding the childhood literacy program, Dolly Parton Imagination Library (a free book program targeting children
age 0-5); Little Free Libraries (free-standing book exchange kiosks); and community education related to legislative
work on domestic violence, human trafficking, pay equity, and early child development.
