Lunch with TV’s Lisa Ling, a homeless women’s choir, and the most beautiful birds you’ve ever seen

From left, Mary Ellen Brewington, Paige Preston, Lisa Ling and Kay Clayton. Ling was keynote speaker at the Women's Fund lunch. The other three women are on the fund's advisory board and the luncheon committee.

The first annual luncheon celebration for the newly created Women’s Fund of East Tennessee was a sell-out earlier this month — even though no invitations actually went out. In fact, a group of female movers and shakers has quietly been rattling the money trees around town and, by the end of last year, already had raised $1.3 million for the new fund. And then they sold out the luncheon! The fund’s purpose? Providing grants to “transform the lives of low-income women and girls in East Tennessee,” according to its mission statement.

Alice Mercer with Lisa Ling. Mercer is on both the fund's advisory board and luncheon committee.

Tables for the  luncheon at Cherokee Country Club cost $1,500 each — if you could get one. And, with more than 300 in attendance and additional support from 11 generous sponsors, well, you can see what a success it was. Keynote speaker was journalist Lisa Ling, a former host of the ABC show “The View” who now has her own program on the Oprah Winfrey Network. Ling also is known as the sister of journalist Laura Ling, who was released in August 2009 after being detained for five months by the government of North Korea for allegedly crossing into the country from China while reporting on North Korean refugees. Lisa Ling told the audience at Cherokee Country Club that her sister actually was dragged across the border by government forces in an effort to frame her.

Lisa Ling herself has made a career centered largely on covering women’s issues around the world, from bride burning in India to gang rape in the Congo. But some of the most horrific stories she has covered, she said, have occurred in the United States. “Sometimes when covering these stories, I have felt like I was in a foreign country,” she said. “But I was in America.”

Terry Holley of the East Tennessee Foundation with Lisa Ling.

Ling has been very committed to covering the forced prostitution of girls in this country and said she was “surprised to hear that sex trafficking is rampant in East Tennessee.” She said that the girls involved often are as young as 12. “When American girls are involved, it’s called prostitution,” she said. “But if you don’t call this slavery, I don’t know what is.”

Interestingly, Ling got her start at Whittle Communications’ Channel One News, which was headquartered here in Knoxville. “I love Knoxville,” Ling said prior to her speech. “I wouldn’t have the career I have today if not for Chris Whittle and Ed Winter and Channel One.” Winter, a former Whittle executive, introduced Ling at the luncheon.

The Women’s Fund, under the umbrella of the East Tennessee Foundation, provides grants to organizations that improve the lives of women and girls in East Tennessee. “By helping women build assets, our goal is to create self-sufficiency as we try to make a difference in our region,” the program for the luncheon explains.

Kay Clayton was chair of the committee that produced the lunch. I was blown away by the table decorations which consisted of beautiful glass birds created by Marble City Glassworks and individualized tablescapes created by Blooming Earth Flowers. Moxley Carmichael was happy to provide pro bono graphic design services for the program books, which were printed courtesy of Cindi BeBusk. Presenting sponsors were Pilot Flying J and the Charlie and Moll Anderson Family Foundation. Gold sponsors were Ann Bailey, Bobbie Congleton, Clayton Bank and Trust, Clayton Homes, Cornerstone Foundation of Knoxville, Home Federal Bank, Miller 64, Scripps Networks and Tennessee Insurance Services.

Opening music was provided by The Joyful Noise River Choir, a group of homeless women from Johnson City who discovered a love for song while participating in a program called The River. The River, in conjunction with First Presbyterian Church in Johnson City, provides women in transition with a location to meet to “listen, learn, laugh and wash clothes,” according to the program.

Here are some of the folks at the luncheon — and also some pictures of those stunning birds created by Chris Szaton of Marble City Glassworks.

From left, Caitlin Lindstrom, Cindy Games, Moll Anderson, Lisa Ling, Linda Willey and Ashley Cate prior to the luncheon.

Here is one of the beautiful centerpieces. The birds were sold at the end of the luncheon with Marble City Glassworks donating 20 percent of the proceeds to the Women's Fund.

Christine and Ed Winter with Lisa Ling.

Kelly Schultz of Habitat for Humanity with Ling

Luncheon committee members, from left, Susan Brown, Dawn Ford and Donna Dempster were greeting guests as they arrived.

Christine Winter, left, and Mary Ellen Brewington pause for a moment before the start of lunch.

Sheena McCall, left, and Barbara Apking

Cindi DeBusk, right, and her daughter, Marcinda Asburry.

The advisory board chair, Marty Begalla, left, poses with WBIR-TV's Robin Wilhoit, who was the day's emcee.

Sarah Kennedy runs the camera while Robin Wilhoit interviews Lisa Ling for WBIR.

Terry Morrow, the News Sentinel's TV writer, had a sit-down with Ling.

P. Smith grabbed a quick pic with Robin Wilhoit.

Jamie Tarbell, representing Pilot Flying J, and Ling

Here is the bird at the Miller 64 table where I sat. (Thanks again, Mary Ellen!)

Cindy McConkey, center, stopped by our table to speak to Mayor Madeline Rogero. Carol Weller is to the right.

Mike McClamroch, head of the East Tennessee Foundation, escorts Leslie Testerman to her seat.

It was a packed house!

These are members of the Joyful Noise River Choir opening the program.

Another shot of the choir performing "I'll Fly Away."

The choir also performed the song "Blackbird." And here is one!

Debra Smith and Dale Keasling headed up the Home Federal table.

From left, Dr. Martha Buchanan, Madge Cleveland and Katie Kline were at Susan Brown's table.

This bluebird looks as if it is about to take flight.

Nancy and David Keith greeted Lisa Ling after the luncheon.

Danni Varlan, left, and Kay Clayton

Ann Bailey, left, and Carlton Long

Pretty yellow bird

Sisters Ann Goldstein and Kay Clayton

From left, Natalie Haslam, Sarah Stowers and Sis Mitchell

Michelle Park, left, of MillerCoors, with Lisa Ling

The guest of honor with Sarah Stowers

My friend Susan Brown bought this bird.

Here is the bird I bought. Happy at his new home in Cherokee Lofts.

Want to see more? Click here for a link to the WBIR story about the event. Click here to read Terry Morrow’s interview for the News Sentinel and see Amy Smotherman Burgess’ video for the paper. Click here to see the Joyful Noise River Choir’s blog post and their photo with Lisa Ling. Click here to see more photos posted by the East Tennessee Foundation.