Women shouted with excitement Thursday during the Handbags for Hope Live and Silent Auction at the Knicely West Conference Center as the winners were awarded their prizes of purses, jewelry, clothing and appliances.

This was the third year that United Way of Southern Kentucky has hosted the event that has grown from 30 people in its first year to a sold-out crowd of 350 women wanting to raise money for Kindergarten Readiness Programs in the Barren River Area Development District.

“Tonight our focus is education and specifically kindergarten readiness, but we know that these readiness skills are just the beginning to a happy, healthy and successful life,” United Way Board Member Ann Puckett said.

Co-chairperson Glynda Chu said early childhood education and kindergarten readiness continues to be one of the most critical factors in school systems. According to the 2016 Early Childhood profile, on average one out of every two children enter kindergarten not ready in the BRADD region, she said.

“Because of the numbers, research and information we gathered from the community, United Way has developed a Big Bold Goal to increase BRADD Kindergarten Readiness Scores from 49.4 percent to 75 percent by the year 2020,” Chu said. “So, let’s show these kids how much we care.”

Thursday was the first time Staci Galentine, owner of Southern Threads Co., had been to the auction.

“I do think it’s important because I would guarantee you that every woman in here either has a child or is impacted somehow by a child and you take it for granted that every child has the same opportunities and at the end of the day they don’t,” Galentine said. “I think things like this are important, you have to have things like this and I think it’s important for women to get together too.”

The live auction included several designer purses, wallets and handbags that were modeled by well-known men in Warren County and the surrounding areas. One of the top priced items of the night was a UK designed Dooney & Bourke purse that was won by Puckett for a $500 bid. United Way Regional Campaign Chair Brad Odil modeled the purse and decided to match the winning bid, so the purse brought in $1,000.

Another interesting bid was for a Brahmin purse, which was modeled by Doug Gorman, president and CEO of Booth Fire & Safety Inc. He said he would also match the winning bid price of the purse, but little did he know his wife would have the winning bid of $650, bringing a total of $1,300.

During the auction, women also took the time to sponsor children at $35 each to be a part of United Way’s Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which sends enrolled children one book a month until age 5 at no cost to the family. Since 2011, more than 95,000 books have been mailed to more than 5,000 children across the BRADD region.

— Follow faith/general assignments reporter Simone C. Payne on Twitter @SimonePayne or visit bgdailynews.com.