Women empowered by seminar

Greyhound Arena was bustled with vendors and shoppers Saturday at the Just for Women Seminar.

"So many women are excited to get out of the house and have their own thing," said Amanda Carter, a vendor for Pampered Chef. Like some of the other vendors, Carter works a separate full-time job and acts as an independent consultant for a larger company in her spare time.

Pam Atherton kickstarted the event with a keynote speech about how women should empower themselves to do the things they want to do.

Jillian Holbert: Portales News-Tribune

Amanda Carter (right) selling Pampered Chef products to Maribel Ramirez and Kelley Stumpf at the Just for Women Seminar in the Greyhound Arena on Saturday.

"You're avoiding doing what you want to do by saying 'I have to do this.'" said Atherton. " 'I have to bake cookies for my son, for his bake sale for his band.' Really? Paradise Market makes cookies you'd swear were homemade. Buy those puppies, take them over there and spend the time doing what you want to do."

Although a seminar for women, men were not excluded from the event. Charles Broz, a professor of culinary arts, taught a class on how to make canapés and a few men even ran booths.

Connie Flores brought her husband Rene to help run their jewelry booth and found that the seminar was a good way to get exposure for her business.

"The reception has been amazing," said Flores. "There lot's of traffic and you get to meet a lot of amazing people."

According the Sheryl Borden, the Just for Women Seminar organizer, the event is in its ninth year and is at its largest to date with 45 vendors in attendance.

Everything from jewelry to acupuncture to belly dancing attire was on display to the public.

Sharon Cissell attended two classes, one about gardening and the other about acupressure. She was hoping to win one of the door prizes, each of which was donated by a booth at the seminar.

"I think it's really nice," said Cissell. "I've seen a lot of the things that people have made and brought to sell that I've never seen before."

The Just for Women Seminar was aimed at empowering business women in the community but it was also a day for women to take a day for themselves.

"The underlying goal is to help all of us learn to take time for ourselves," said Borden. "You're here, don't feel guilty because you've left your kids somewhere or that the house is dirty. You're here because it's going to be a good experience for you."