WINNING WOMEN: About 100 women listened to Missouri’s First Lady, Georganne Nixon, thank them for their strength, determination, leadership and deep purses at the Women’s Leadership “Thank You,” lunch on Thursday at Tony’s Restaurant.

The lunch was to show appreciation for those in the United Way’s Women’s Society who make leadership gifts of $1,000 or more to the organization.

The society, which includes more than 2,000 women, pledged to raise $5.1 million for the United Way this year. They’re past the $4 million mark and the campaign runs through Thursday so the women expect to meet their goal.

The overall goal for the 2009 United Way of Greater St. Louis campaign is to raise $66.5 million. More than $60 million is in the coffers now, Carrie Zukoski, PR director for the United Way, said today.

Debra Hollingsworth is the chair this year of the Women’s Society. The group was founded by Ellen Sherberg in 1996 and has raised nearly $45 million since then.

Peggy Lents and Whitney Kenter co-chaired the luncheon.

Among those who were being celebrated: Merry Mosbacher, Suzie Andrews, Dorothy McMurtry, Jan Holloway, Adrian Bracey, Kathy Osborn, Valerie Patton, Cassandra Sanford, Cheryl Andrews and Cheryl Polk.