Employees from Marathon Petroleum’s Catlettsburg, Kentucky, refinery were eager to support the third annual Women, Wine, Jewels & More, a popular community event that supports scholarships for female students at Ashland Community & Technical College.

“Raising funds to help other females succeed is rewarding,” said Sheila Fraley, Adv. ESG and Stakeholder Engagement Representative at the Catlettsburg refinery and one of the event’s two dozen hostesses who each make a donation to the scholarship fund. “Marathon Petroleum looks for community investment opportunities that support thriving communities and workforce development. This event provides a fun way to accomplish that goal.”

The fundraising event started in 2019 to help women in any area of study enrolled full time to pursue an education without worrying about the financial burden that often comes with it. This year, more than 120 women attended the evening event packed with entertainment, including a silent auction featuring a wide variety of jewelry, purses and many other items to bid on. There were also door prizes, good food and several varieties of wine.

 While no men were in attendance, more than 80 men supported this year’s festivities with a $100 “Jewel of a Guy” sponsor donation. Many local businesses made a $250 donation to be named a “Gem of a Business” sponsor.

“As the sponsor of this event, we were so excited for its return after it was canceled last year because of the pandemic,” Fraley said. “At Marathon, we are always looking for new and exciting opportunities to support our communities, and what a better way to do that than working with our neighbors to invest in the education of those who may not otherwise be able to attend higher education.”

The 2022 event helped the scholarship endowment top $50,000.