Hats, Hearts, & Handbags
Ready to encourage our girls to be strong, courageous, and self-sufficient?
Our Hats, Hearts & Handbags (HHH) luncheon celebrates the mission of Girls Place and generates the financial
resources needed to provide girls with critical programming, while bringing the community together for an afternoon of fun and friendship.
Each year, hundreds of women support Girls Place at the Annual Hats, Hearts, and Handbags by reserving a table and decorating it with their friends to compete for awards, wearing their best hat and grabbing their most fashionable handbag to support the girls of Girls Place.
HHH will look a lot different this year because we are at Valley View in Alachua!
To support the efforts this year, please call 352-373-4475 or email [email protected].
Linda McGurn
Linda McGurn is an attorney and an inactive CPA. She received her degrees in accounting and law from the University of Florida. She is married to Ken McGurn, also a Gator alum. She served as chair of the University of Florida Foundation. She and Ken also served as co-chairs of the University of Florida Capital Campaign during its Environment Year. During that campaign they committed to funding for the new Exhibition Hall at the Florida Museum of Natural History due to their love of science. They also established a Fellowship Program to Media Integrity and the Fight Against Disinformation at the Colleges of Journalism and Law and The IDEA Initiative Fund at the Warrington College of Business due to their concerns about democracy.
She and her husband Ken were recognized as University of Florida Distinguished Alumni in 2012 and awarded the UF Foundation Lifetime Volunteer Award in 2016. They were awarded the 2007 Alachua Conservation Trust Conservation Stewards of the Year. In 2000 the Gainesville Sun included them in “50 People Who Made a Difference Over the Last Century” and in 1995 the Gainesville Sun Business Persons of the Year. Florida Trend recognized her and her husband Ken, as members of the “500 Most Influential Business Leaders” in 2021 and 2022. In 2021, the Community Foundation awarded them the Legacy Award for Donors.
They have been instrumental in the redevelopment of downtown Gainesville.
They have received more than 50 local, state and national awards for their projects, including a Sustainable Florida Initiative Award and a National Certificate of Merit.
Ms. McGurn has served on many volunteer boards including the Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce. She was recognized as 2011 Volunteer of the Year along with her co-chair for heading Innovation Gainesville which is dedicated to expanding the high tech industry in Gainesville. She has been involved in Planned Parenthood since attending UF as a student and eventually serving on the board and as chair. Governor Childs recognized her as one of Florida’s Finest for her many efforts to better the community and the state. She is a member of Leadership Florida Class XVII.
Nathan Whitaker
From https://nathanwhitaker.com/about/
I now spend my days writing and speaking. Not at the same time.
It’s been a circuitous path to here. After winning a Super Bowl ring with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and witnessing teamwork and leadership from my time in the scouting departments of the Bucs and Jacksonville Jaguars, I talked Tony Dungy into writing a book. (I may have been unemployed for three years while I wore him down.)
That book, my first, was the #1 New York Times bestseller, Quiet Strength, and I have gone on to write numerous other books (eight of which have become NYT bestsellers, by my count – which may be skewed, since math wasn’t my thing), including The Mentor Leader, Uncommon, Uncommon Marriage, Through My Eyes (with Tim Tebow), Snap Decision, The One Year Impact For Living Men’s Devotional, Role of a Lifetime (with James Brown), and The One Year Uncommon Life Daily Challenge.
When I speak to corporations, teams, churches or non-profits, I draw on lessons learned from coaching friends Tony Dungy, Mike Tomlin, Billy Donovan, Clint Hurdle and Tom Coughlin, as well as my college coach, Steve Spurrier.
2023 Table
Cost: $800 (8-10 seats determined by Table Captain)
2023 Individual Ticket
Cost: $95
We invite you to support our girls by sponsoring our 2023 Hats, Hearts, and Handbags Your sponsorship will provide the funding that makes our mission possible while promoting your business or organization.
Your company can reach 350+ movers and shakers in Gainesville, while supporting a great cause through Hats, Hearts, and Handbags. Check out our sponsorship packet for more information.
Please email [email protected] if you would like to contribute this year.
Hellrung Family
