The Community Place- Media Room

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (December 8, 2005) – Uniquely U, a handmade jewelry business started by young women in the Women of Excellence Program at The Community Place of Greater Rochester, will be holding a holiday jewelry sale to benefit their program from December 8 through December 10. The sale runs from 4:00 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. each day and will take place in the lower level of The Community Place’s facility at 145 Parsells Avenue.

The 30 young women participants, all still in high school, have been learning the in’s and out’s of running a business since the summer, when they started Uniquely U as part of an entrepreneurship facet of their program. The venture was so successful that the participants decided to extend the program, originally just a summer program, into the school year. The group now meets twice a week after school.

The young women design and make each piece of beaded jewelry themselves. Necklaces, bracelets, earrings, anklets, and more will be on sale and will range in price from $5 for a single item to $25 for a matching set of jewelry. More information about the program and pictures of the jewelry can be found on The Community Place’s website, http://www.communityplace.org/womenofexcellence.htm. (note: link no longer active).

The Young Women of Excellence Program exposes young women to career opportunities in fields that are traditionally male-dominated and prepares them for entry and success in these fields. In addition to the entrepreneurship aspect of the program, participants also attend career exploration and job readiness sessions, listen to guest speakers from a wide array of fields, and participate in academic enrichment and leadership development activities.

The Community Place of Greater Rochester, Inc. is a nonprofit human services agency that provides a variety of programs and services to individuals, families, children, seniors, and the developmentally disabled living in Rochester’s Northeast Quadrant. As a self-empowerment agency, CPGR’s ultimate goal is client self-sufficiency. CPGR was formed in 2001 after the merger of the former Lewis Street Center, Genesee Settlement House, and Eastside Community Center. CPGR is headquartered at 57 Central Park, Rochester; its other main locations are 145 Parsells Avenue, Rochester and 500 Carter Street, Rochester.