Women of the Year

Dedication, determination and a sense of purpose are qualities we attribute to success. Add an unwavering commitment to faith, hope and charity and you have an extraordinary person that exceeds the boundaries of measurable success. In our choice for “Woman of the Year 2007,” we considered a list of qualities and achievements with an emphasis on the virtue of charity.

As a model in real life, we believe that Brenda Sharman is an extraordinary woman and “role model of charity” for all of us, as a wife, mother, friend, educator and co-worker. This past November, Brenda was honored with the annual award for her work in promoting the value of modesty among young women. As the National Director of Pure Fashion, Brenda leads the country’s fastest-growing character formation program for young women promoting chastity, purity and self respect.  In Brenda’s words, “Changing culture one outfit at a time”.

Her work has been recognized in prominent news media and she recently appeared on the Dr. Phil Show’s “Mild vs. Wild” segment on teenage fashions. At the award luncheon, we heard firsthand from those who have been touched by her loving and tireless spirit. Having a daughter in Pure Fashion and now working as co-chairperson, Rhonda Boyle shared her inspiring story of how she became involved behind the scenes for Pure Fashion with Brenda’s gentle persuasion and her words of encouragement. “I’ve seen her walk into a room of teenage girls and the air suddenly cracks with energy. They hang on her every word as she speaks, and I’ve seen their hearts change and have watched their authentic beauty blossom. She helps them discover their voices in society see that they do have the power to make positive changes in our world,” said Rhonda.  We also heard from a father and daughter who gave heartfelt testimonies of how Brenda and Pure Fashion have impacted their lives.