PORTLAND, August 1, 2018 – Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) Oregon, a nationally recognized and multi-state program delivering career-focused education to marketers and business developers in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (A|E|C) industry, held the second annual Boards, Bags and Brews event, with proceeds from the event benefiting Girls Build. This year’s $6,200 donation will be used to give 17 scholarships to under-served girls, allowing them to attend a week-long camp. A formal ceremony for the donation took place at the University of Portland Campus (5000 N Willamette Blvd) from 4:00-6:00 pm on Wednesday, August 1. The ceremony also celebrated and recognized the camp volunteers who have helped grow and expand the Girls Build program since its inception three years ago.

Girls Build is a not-for-profit 501 (c)(3) that is maintained through the generous support of its donors. The SMPS donation will help young girls, who cannot afford to attend the camp, be able to participate in the 2019 session and learn basic building skills including carpentry, plumbing, electricity, concrete, and sheet metal. The scholarships are open to any girls between the ages of 8-14 who would like to participate in the program who are residents of the Portland, Seattle, Vancouver or Astoria.

“The SMPS Oregon donation, and all donations of this type, help send more girls to gain construction education, help expand the program and the locations of the camps and further GirlsBuild mission to expose and inspire underrepresented girls to go out and build and have confidence in themselves to become tomorrow’s leaders,” said Katie Hughes, Founder and Chief Innovator of Girls Build. Ms. Hughes was honored as a Woman of Vision by the Daily Journal of Commerce in 2016 for her work with young learners from communities that are historically underserved or underrepresented in construction and trades.

Angie Cole, Director of Marketing at Lorentz Bruun Construction, Board Member of SMPS and SMPS Special Events Director, said, “I am so proud of my committee — Samantha Jordan, Business Development Director at Emerick Construction; Alexi Meuwissen, Marketing Director at Bremik Construction; Zoey Zemanek, Marketing Coordinator at Cochran, Inc.; Alex Orozco, Marketing Coordinator at Urban Resources, Inc.; and Penny Williams — for working so diligently to ensure the Boards, Bags and Brews event was a success.  We couldn’t be prouder to have raised over $6,200 for such a powerful and important cause and to be able to give scholarships allowing 17 young girls to attend camp and learn the basics of building.”

About Girls Build

Girls Build is a not-for-profit 501 (c)(3) regionally recognized program dedicated to bringing career-focused education to underrepresented girls ages 8 to 14. Youth receive hands-on exposure to a variety of projects and tools that step them outside of their current boundaries. Girls Build programs are now in Portland, Seattle, Astoria and future locations including Southern Oregon. Founder Katie Hughes has been recognized as a Woman of Influence and Woman of Vision for her efforts to expose young girls to the architecture, engineering and construction traits at a young age. The program launched in 2016 and has served more than 1,000 young girls in the West Coast Region. The program is inclusive of all girls, including 20% of participants that come from the foster care system. About 50% of all participants receive scholarships. For more information, visit girlsbuild.org or contact Katie Hughes at 503-708-3496.