Third Annual Heart and Soul Red Dress Dinner & Seminar

April 30, 2008, 5:00 - 9:00 pm
InPlay Forte’ Banquet and Conference Center, 1502 Cuming Street, Omaha, NE
Pre-registration: due by April 10.
To register, please call: Valda at 402-291-9256
or email: RedDress@theheartandsoul.com

Red Dress Dinner and Seminar 2007 Recap & Videos

Video 2 | Video 3 | Video 4 | Video 5

2007 Program (PDF - right click to download)

Why Have the Heart and Soul Red Dress Dinner and Seminar?

In September 2005 Valda Boyd Ford was invited to give a keynote address in Norfolk, Nebraska for the Heart association’s ladies’ night out. Valda had spoken at many women’s events but did not know what to expect at the event in Norfolk. What she found was a meeting hall filled with hundreds of women dressed in red. Not only were they there to find out about ways to live more healthy lives - they were there to enjoy themselves as well.

Valda started to think about who was and who was not at the event. What she saw was women who could afford the $40 dinner and who could afford to buy raffle tickets and participate in the live and silent auctions. What she did not see was, generally, women living in poverty, women of color, or women newly arrived from other countries.

Heart and Soul Red Dress Volunteers

if you know Valda then you know that she never accepts barriers. as Valda thought about it a little more she thought that it would be great to make sure that the women who are least likely to be “at the table” would be invited to their own ladies night out and make every attempt to eliminate the barriers that typically get in the way. as a result the “Heart and Soul” red dress event was created and last year 400 women came together. they came from all over the region with a desire to learn to live well, to meet and make new connections and friends, and demonstrate that women of all
circumstances have a place at the table.

On her return to Omaha Valda met with a wonderful group of collaborators and a flurry of activity began. The outcome was the first ever Heart and Soul Red Dress Event at the Scott Conference Center in Omaha.

The event was well received locally and nationally. Valda met with representatives of the national Heart, lung, and Blood institute at the national institutes of Health and gave them an overview of the methods and outcomes of the event. Valda’s work and that of the fabulous volunteers was applauded as a model worthy of replication. the event took the standard and safe model, added its own style and “soul” and the new tradition was born.

Not only was it different in its approach and different in its philosophy, it was different in its ap proach to sponsors and collaborators. as a result corporations and agencies big and small, local and national, profit and non-profit came together. Women representing at least twenty-countries came for a night of laughter and learning. it is our commitment to make this an annual event and to continue the fight to eliminate barriers at every level so that every person might live happy, healthy, and free!

2007 Seminar

The Heart and Soul Red Dress Dinner and Seminar was a huge success - even with the day beginning with SNOW and ending as one of the coldest days in April. More than 600 women attended and the comments continue about the educational and fun time for women. Terri Kalinowski was indeed the favorite model and role model - bringing together many nations and starting an amazing collaboration to decrease heart disease and improve lives in general.

Comment by Valda Boyd Ford — April 22, 2007

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