CHILLICOTHE ― Chillicothe natives are hosting a gala to bring awareness and fundraise for their nonprofit work in Kenya.
Husband and wife duo Brad and Cherie Catron are co-founders of Foothold International, a nonprofit based in Chillicothe that aims to empower women in Kenya.
The couple has worked in East Africa for 20 years focusing on community development through water, sanitation, hygiene and education projects.
Most of their work focuses on helping young women receive an education. Cherie said when a Kenyan girl finishes school, she delays having children into adulthood, is less likely to be exploited or sexually abused, less likely to die in childbirth, her income doubles and she is more likely to be a leader in the community.
Another large undertaking the pair have been working towards is developing land to help families maintain a residence.
“When you buy a piece of land for a family, it stays in the family for generations and generations,” Cherie said. “It far impacts even beyond their lifetime.”
Cherie said most fundraising for the organization is done in Chillicothe, but they have donors across the county.
“It’s hard to have empathy for someone who lives so far away,” Cherie said. “For this small town in Appalachia to be so generous and to have such global vision to be able to support us is something that I’m always humbled by.”
On Oct. 5, the faith-based organization is hosting its second annual gala from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Postmark in Chillicothe at 105 S Paint St.
The gala is “Wanderlust” themed and guests are encouraged to dress in tourist attire. The event will host live music, a virtual auction, prizes and food.
The organization aims to raise $25,000 to continue its work in Kenya. In addition to networking, the couple also hopes to share stories with visitors about the people they’ve helped in Kenya.
“The bigger goal is for us to bring more people to our events, to expose more people, to increase awareness so we can grow our organization,” Cherie said.
This is the second year Foothold is hosting a gala. During the first event, the organization met capacity at the venue.
To buy gala tickets or enter a raffle, visit foothold.ticketspice.com/gala-2023. For more information about the gala, contact Cherie at CherieCatron@FootholdInternational.org. For more information about Foothold International, call 740-649-9596 or log on www.footholdinternational.org.
Megan Becker is a reporter for the Chillicothe Gazette. Call her at 740-349-1106, email her at mbecker@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter @BeckerReporting
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