Emerald Hills Institute Grand Opening Dinner

August 12, 2019 marked the Grand Opening of the new home of Emerald Hills Institute with the 4th annual Encouraging Women in Our Society Awards. The Honorable Cherie Wood, Mayor of South Salt Lake, and  Karen Hale of Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson’s office, were in attendance, along with many other luminaries including Emma Houston and Pamela Atkinson. The two MC’s, (Venezualian and Bosnian), were enthusiastic and kept the energy going all evening.

The annual Encouraging Women in Our Society Awards is a program initiated by Emerald Hills Institute to recognize the truly remarkable women who make the Utah community remarkable. This year’s recipients were Josie Stone, Chair of the Salt Lake Interfaith Roundtable, Dr. Katherine St. John, President of the Utah Chapter of the UN, and Kimberly Ishoy, a triathlon athlete and interfaith advocate in Daybreak.

Each of these women contribute profoundly to the strength of their own communities, as well as Utah as a whole. Tirelessly volunteering in addition to full time careers, they have raised the bar for what it means to contribute to society, and are inspirations to countless young women who will be the leaders of tomorrow.

The remarkable Pamela Atkinson, advocate and friend to our homeless friends of Utah, spoke to the importance of organizations like Emerald Hills Institute and the Awards. “Community is made up of two words, ‘commune’ and ‘unity’. As we seek to understand each other through sincere, heartfelt communication, we build our togetherness as a community.” She pointed to the members of the gathering, a rich tapestry drawn from every segment of Utah’s diverse population. “Differences of color, language, and religion are never a barrier to true friendship” she pointed out, but when these differences come together they give us the opportunity to strengthen our society.

Emerald Hills Institute is built on the premise that service united in a worthwhile cause is the best way to build a better future, and the Encouraging Women in Our Society Awards is one of the very best ways to empower neighbors and young people in making that better future a reality.

It was a wonderful event, a terrific dinner, and a great way to introduce the new Emerald Hills Institute location.