The Naperville Junior Woman’s Club recognized several finalists for their first annual Woman of the Year awards.
“When we were thinking of an event that we could tie in to raising money for our scholarship program, it really seemed like a natural fit to go out and ask the community to nominate these phenomenal women and, quite frankly, throw a big party to celebrate all of them,” said Karyn Charvat, the 2019 president of the Naperville Junior Woman’s Club.
Naming a Winner
But one finalist stood out.
Emily Erickson Ory was chosen among the impressive group for her work with the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce and various other charitable efforts around town.
For a Good Cause
All proceeds from the Woman of the Year event benefitted the Michelle LaFrey Fregoso scholarship fund. The fund was renamed in January to honor Fregoso, who was the Director of Communications for District 203 and an active member of the club when she died from breast cancer last year.
Her mother, husband, and daughters were at the event to show support for the scholarship.
“So coming to an event that I know is for that purpose and now having her name on that scholarship fund, to me, there’s no better way to honor her memory,” said Michelle’s husband Jose. “And I know she would be very proud of this too. I know it’s a big thing for my daughters also, to see that legacy that my wife left and how they considered her for the naming of that scholarship, even though it’s a scholarship that’s been around for a long time, but they decided to name it after her. To us it’s a huge honor.”
The Naperville Junior Woman’s Club has provided assistance to local women and children for 52 years.
Naperville News 17’s Casey Krajewski reports.
