Power of the Purse event is Saturday, 10am until noon, at CHET

LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF)- This Saturday, March 28, is when all the hard work, donations and cooperation come together for the 2026 Power of the Purse event. Proceeds from Power of the Purse benefit CHET’s Domestic Violence Shelter.

“We have met our goal of 500 twice new purses and 23 new purses for the silent auction,” said Carol Vinsant with Community Health of East Tennessee (CHET).

Vinsant says the 500 purses are priced from $10 up to $40 each. Each purse will contain a domestic violence awareness card like the one below.

This card, the size of a business card, is placed in each purse. The back of the card details a safety plan.

CHET’s main lobby will be cleared to showcase all the hundreds of purses on Saturday, March 28. The fundraiser is from 10am until noon that day with a silent auction in CHET’s Conference Room. The silent auction will feature 23 new purses.

Admission is three dollars. Attendees will also be able to tour the CHET building.

“Our goal is to raise $10,000. This event will go toward helping us get back into our actual shelter that was damaged in the Flood of 2019,” said Vinsant.

CHET has a 24/7 Crisis Helpline in operation at 423-562-8325.

“We even had some folks donate a purse in honor or in memory of someone special in their life,” said Vinsant.

(WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-03/23/2026-6AM)

Related