Doing Good continued

OCT. 10, 2011—FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Dragonfly Darlings, a women’s auxiliary group of the Russell Life Skills and Reading Foundation, was pleased to hold their first annual Dragonfly Darlings Women’s Conference on Saturday, October 1st, 2011. The event was graciously hosted by BankAtlantic, at their Corporate Support Center located at 2100 W. Cypress Creek Road, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309.

Additional sponsors of this event included: Publix, AutoNation, THINK Magazine, East City Grill, Corporate Coaches, Lifestyle Magazine, Kip Hunter Marketing, Toshiba Business Solutions, The Good News of South Florida, Plantation General Hospital, Hollywood Institute of Beauty Careers, Barry University, CBS4 Miami, and Uddersweets Ice Cream.

By all accounts, the event was a huge success. Meaningful topics were discussed and important resources provided, not only to the women from the community at-large, but also to those that care for the children served by the Russell Reading Room programs throughout South Florida. The day included meals provided by the East City Grill, Uddersweets, and Bouer Catering Group, along with thought-provoking speakers, breakout sessions, a panel discussion with local experts/professionals including Tracy Mourning (wife of NBA star Alonzo Mourning and founder of the Honey Shine Mentoring Program), a keynote address by author and speaker Kim Hamilton Anthony, and a live outdoor concert at the conclusion of the day.

The event was co-chaired by Lysandra Russell, founder of the Dragonlfly Darlings and wife of former Dolphin’s linebacker Twan Russell, and by Dara Levan, President of SpeakWrite Communications and wife of BankAtlantic President & CEO Jarrett Levan, who so generously gave of her time and resources to make the event a raving success.

“The Dragonfly Darlings Women’s Conference was amazing & inspiring!” shared one attendee. “This event is only the beginning!” says Russell. “We want to rekindle a grassroots, village mentality, whereby women can walk alongside one another and provide love, support, and encouragement to each other. We can only hope this will in turn translate into their homes and to their children. Stay tuned for more Dragonfly Darlings programs and events coming in the very near future!”

Over the years that the Russell Life Skills & Reading Foundation has been in operation, Russell, began to develop a real burden not only for the RLSARF children, but also for the mothers and grandmothers who care for them. Over the last few years, Mrs. Russell has been laying the groundwork for a program to reach these mothers, and officially formed the Dragonfly Darlings, as a women’s auxiliary group to the RLSARF, in 2010. This Women’s Conference event was the kickoff of the Dragonfly Darlings outreach program.

About the Russell Life Skills and Reading Foundation

Growing up, former Miami Dolphins linebacker Twan Russell observed the high illiteracy rate of inner-city youth in the local community, personally experienced the challenges illiteracy causes, and witnessed the lack of educational reinforcement resources available to minorities. So Russell, along with his late mother Corliss Ann Russell, decided to go on the offensive against illiteracy, and founded the Russell Life Skills and Reading Foundation (RLSARF) in 1998. The Foundation currently serves more than 1,000 children in Broward and Miami-Dade Counties, primarily through facilitating free after-school reading and homework help programs.

The Russell Life Skills and Reading Foundation (RLSARF) is a non-profit organization committed to fighting illiteracy among high-risk youth through a mission of “Opening Books to Open Doors.” The RLSARF provides certified teachers to assess and to instruct, using proven methods such as phonics, word recognition, comprehension, and other interactive reading material. Their hope is to break the cycle of multi-generational illiteracy, and to cultivate a love for reading and a passion for learning. RLSARF community outreach initiatives include programs designed to instill a deep love of reading and respect for the life-changing possibilities offered through literacy, as well as to enable the Foundation to achieve its vision of "opening young minds to the boundless opportunities available to the educated." RLSARF centers are established in twelve locations across Broward and Miami-Dade Counties, and primarily serve minority, economically disadvantaged children. For more information visit www.russellreadingroom.com or call 954-921-3787.

About BankAtlantic

BankAtlantic, Florida’s Most Convenient Bank, is one of the largest financial institutions headquartered in Florida. Via its broad network of community branches and conveniently located ATMs, BankAtlantic provides a full line of personal, small business and commercial banking products and services. BankAtlantic is open 7 days a week and offers extended weekday hours, Online Banking & Bill Pay, a 7-Day Customer Service Center, Change Exchange coin counters, as well as retail and business checking accounts. Member FDIC. Banking just got a whole lot easier! For further information, please visit us at www.BankAtlantic.com or a BankAtlantic branch nearest you.