Women of Demopolis and the surrounding areas who missed the Women’s Expo in Birmingham will have another chance as the newly formed Southern Women’s League of Demopolis hosts the 2005 Women’s Expo at the Demopolis Civic Center.

The league was founded in January by a group of local women who wanted to find a way to help women throughout the area in a variety of ways.

“Basically, we’re women promoting women,” co-founder Patti Thomas said.

Thomas said the idea for the league actually started with the idea of the Expo.

“I went to the Women’s Expo in Birmingham, but I thought, Demopolis is so far away and we have this beautiful Civic Center, why not have an Expo here,” she said. So she gathered a few friends to brainstorm and find a way to bring a Women’s Expo to Demopolis – and from there the five women decided the Expo should be a beginning to something more.

“We wanted something started here in Demopolis for the good of local women and young girls,” co-founder Virginia Norman said. “We want to provide networking for women and help women to be able to excel in different ways, through scholarships or business, or women who stay at home, to help them find ways to excel as well.”

The group has made application for 501-c-3, non-profit status.

The Expo, scheduled for Sunday, May 1, will feature a lot of booths and vendors aimed at the goal of promoting women or services for women, Thomas said.

“We will have women who are in business, we’ll have a fashion show and we’re hoping Curves will be there. The Wellness Center at the hospital has agreed to do some screenings and Frances “Spook” Maverick from the Red Hat Society will be there,’ she said.

Additionally, David Lumpkin of the Birmingham area, will host a hair show and others are invited to participate.

The Southern Women’s League is currently taking applications for the show, with booth reservations costing a non-refundable $35 if registered by April 15. Any booth reserved after that date will be $40.

The day of the event, visitors will be charged a $5 cover charge, the proceeds of which will go to Harriet’s House.

“This event is designed by women, for women,” Thomas said. “If you are a woman in business, no matter what that business is, we invite you to participate. We also desire business and service providers who cater to women’s needs.”

For more information, contact Thomas at (205) 515-6818, Norman at (334) 289-9310, Sharon Hopper at (334) 295-5154. Other founding members include Elizabeth Ogden and Aggie Perry.