This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

Women's Ministry Center founder/director Linda Chetta, fifth from left, of Alton, at a past WMC Lift Me Up Women's Conference, with attendees participating in a motivational activity at the conference.

Women's Ministry Center founder/director Linda Chetta, fifth from left, of Alton, at a past WMC Lift Me Up Women's Conference, 

ALTON — "I Am Woman" is the theme of this year's annual Women’s Ministry Center's Lift Me Up Women's Conference.

The conference will be from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 8, at Julia's Banquet Center, at 101 EastGate Plaza Drive, in East Alton. Doors open at 9 a.m.

Deadline to purchase tickets is Tuesday, Sept. 20. For tickets go to the Women's Ministry Center website at www.wmcenter.org and click the "Donation" tab or call the center at 618-433-8308. Tickets cost $25 and proceeds go back to support the Women's Ministry Center, 2418 Bloomer Drive, in Alton, a nonprofit founded and directed by Linda Chetta, of Alton.

There will be lots of giveaways, fun, encouragement, food, music, shopping with crafters and vendors, and surprises at the Lift Me Up conference. 

Since the Women's Ministry Center's conception in 2011, it has offered a women’s career closet through its professional women’s assistance program.

"Any woman who needs clothing for a job interview, or once they get the job, we provide all clothing for them," Chetta explained.

"Along with the support groups and support phone calls, we are available during open hours to assist women with whatever they might need," she said, "while showing them someone cares and Jesus loves them, and so do we."

Lift Me Up's theme, 'I Am Woman,' focuses on encouraging women and giving them hope with entertainment and a keynote speaker, of whom this year's speaker is Christina McGuiggan.

"Christina will be talking about encouragement and overpowering obstacles," Chetta said. "She is a woman with strong convictions and love of Jesus."

McGuiggan works at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and has a YouTube channel called Face to Face Devotional at

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwbZ-7EaMDVHxd5dX8NIUTQ. Lift Me Up will be her first speaking engagement.

The Women's Ministry Center (WMC) opened its doors initially in Bethalto and relocated to Alton in 2017. The center's clientele has tripled since the pandemic began.

The center is having a WMC Online Auction Fundraiser starting at noon, Thursday, Sept. 15, until 3 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 18, with more than 50 items on which to bid. The items will be posted at the Women's Ministry Center's Facebook page, and can be bid upon at Chetta's Facebook timeline. Items must be picked up at the center on Bloomer Drive the following week. 

The center supplies personal hygiene items, laundry detergent, dish soap, deodorant, etc., along with bedding, such as blankets, sheets and pillows. The organization also supplies women and children with clothes, shoes, socks, underwear, diapers and anything they need with the exception of food items, except at Thanksgiving and Christmas, when the center is able to supply food, along with toys and winter coats for families in need.

Each year the Women's Ministry Center also hosts a back-to-school bash, where families in need reserve a backpack, school supplies, clothes, shoes and undergarments, and then pick up the items the day of the bash. The center also accepts donations of school supplies.

Visit www.wmcenter.org for more information and open hours.

Jill Moon is an award-winning journalist and features editor for Hearst Newspapers. She also is editor-in-chief of Hearst's award-winning On the Edge of the Weekend monthly culture and entertainment magazine.