As the owner of JK Jewelers and president of the St. George Chapter of the Utah Business Women’s group, Kristy Goodrich networks with charitable organizations like the Dove Center, which is dedicated to helping women recover from rape and domestic violence. In May, Goodrich and other UBW members invited a spokeswoman from the Dove Center to speak to her UBW chapter.

After hearing about the Dove Center’s bleak financial situation, Goodrich felt compelled to help. “The group desperately needed funds,” says Goodrich. “Earlier this year the Center didn’t know if they could put paper in printers, or even pay their electric bill.”

The Dove Center’s address to the UBW St. George chapter group in May kicked off Goodrich’s first jewelry-related sales event to benefit the Dove Center with a butterfly-themed costume jewelry sale. Fifty percent of proceeds from butterfly jewelry sold from Mother’s Day through the end of the May benefitted the Center.

The metamorphosis of a caterpillar to a butterfly has become a symbol for abused women, explains Goodrich. “Women who are victims of rape or domestic abuse often feel isolated and alone after the event,” says Goodrich. “The cocoon phase symbolizes that isolation, and the rebirth to the butterfly is renewed beauty and freedom.”

Inspired by her initial success, Goodrich asked a staff member from her store to help with a summer-long project for the Center. “Reclaiming the Beauty” is a Dove Center fundraising staple where people donate previously owned consumer goods (electronics, furniture, household items) that are refurbished then resold.

Goodrich wanted to bring up both the quality level and the volume of jewelry, create more attractive displays, and actually sell the pieces at public events as part of the Center’s “Reclaiming the Beauty” fundraising program. Goodrich and her staffer take in jewelry at JK Jewelers and assist with the refurbishing work, along with conducting sales at public events such as expos and fairs.

“Selling refurbished jewelry at local events will be part of our ongoing effort to help the Center,” says Goodrich. “So far, we’ve taken 75 pieces out of our old inventory from the store and customers have donated 100 pieces [of jewelry] for our first Center-dedicated sales event in August. We also held a film festival event in September, when we sold about 200 pieces of jewelry in just a few hours. The response was very good.”

Goodrich’s next step: promoting “Reclaiming the Beauty” more on Facebook and other social media outlets.

JCK