Women's event puts focus on information, fun and fund-raising
Sunday, November 7, 2004
By JENNIFER RIGG
of the Journal Star
PEORIA - Malinda Duncan described Saturday's Women's Lifestyle Show at the Peoria Civic Center as a "one stop shop" for women's needs.
With information available on topics from eyesight to facials and cancer to jewelry, Duncan, 61, of Peoria was exactly right.
The trade show had it all, even inside information on what the fictional Jennifer Horton of NBC's "Days of Our Lives" soap opera is going to name her new baby.
"We needed to get here when it opened," said Raelea Weaver, 33, of Cuba, who was having a "girls' day out"
with her sister-in-law, Mindy Dowell, and mother-in-law, Martha Weaver, who at the moment was enjoying a back massage at one of the event's booths.
Arriving at noon just didn't cut it, she said.
"There's just so much to see. I'm definitely coming back next year."
Event co-sponsor Joy Miller, of Joy Miller and Associates Counseling Center, said that type of reaction was exactly what she and the other numerous sponsors and producers were hoping for.
"This year is probably our highest attendance in 14 shows," she said as she eyed the crowd.
"It's just amazing. They just keep coming and coming."
Every year the show strives to expand to attract different groups of women, Miller said. This year, she thought the Most Talented Woman contest brought in the younger crowd.
The proud winner of the talent show, 25-year-old Lisa Perry of Peoria, sang "Me and Bobby McGee," made famous by Janis Joplin, to claim the top prize among the five contestants.
"This is all just wonderful," Perry said."It's great to be able to see all these women come together for the good, the bad and the ugly."
Jennie Odegaard, 37, of Peoria got to experience the "ugly" firsthand by wearing a pregnancy suit at one of the booths.
"I felt really fat," she said. "They make you bend down and tie your shoes and other things like that."
As someone who has been pregnant before, she said the actual experience wasn't quite as tragic. "When you're pregnant, you get to ease into it. It's not all at once."
At the other end of the spectrum, Duncan couldn't take her hands off her freshly exfoliated face. "It's so soft, silky and smooth!"
As the second largest women's event in Peoria, behind only the Race for the Cure, Miller said each year the show hits a different segment of Illinois women.
"It's a wonderful opportunity for women to focus on themselves, whether it be from their finances to health care to mental health care," she said. "There's also booths just for fun.
"This is not just a trade show," she said. "This allows them to give back to the community. This is more of a community event."
This year, women were able to donate to the Cancer Center for Healthy Living, merely by getting their picture taken. The cost for the picture went to the cancer center, and the pictures will be molded together, shrunk and used as the cover of the flier to advertise next year's Women's Lifestyle Show, Miller said.
Many women showed up Saturday just to see one woman, Melissa Reeves, who plays "Days" character Jennifer Horton. Some stood in line for hours waiting for an autograph and to get their picture taken with the actress.
She then used the main stage to answer questions about the show from an admiring audience.
"What an incredible place to be!" Reeves said of the event.
She claimed she was so impressed with the care and compassion she received upon arriving at Greater Peoria Regional Airport that she said she immediately turned to her husband and said, "We're moving to Peoria tomorrow."
Then she revealed her character's secret, to gasps from fans who know the story behind it: The new baby's name will be Jack Patrick.
http://www.pjstar.com/stories/110704/TRI_B4LJ7U4H.032.shtml 
