Augusta Good News and Inspiring: Women of Augusta Magazine honored six women Sept. 24 at its second annual Inspiring: Women Awards luncheon at Flowing Wells Theatre.
Michelle Derrick, the founder of Hope for Hooves rescue in North Augusta, shared pieces of her story about how she’s seen God touch the lives of children and adults through the animals she’s rescued.
Donkeys, she said, are especially sensitive to people’s emotions, and they can sense when someone is sad.
The four-time breast cancer survivor sees she’s still alive for a purpose and sees the rescue and the ministry opportunity it brings as a way to fulfill that purpose.
In an April Augusta Good News article, Derrick said “I’m taking my life back” and that determination to live life to the fullest garnered her the Inspiring: Living award.
Charlee Adams is an Evans High School sophomore. She’s been in Girl Scouts most of her life and last year, she wanted to start a troop at her school. It took several months but she got her troop this year and it has 11 scouts.
Charlee loves the opportunities that Girl Scouts brings; over the summer, she traveled to London, where she met scouts from different countries. She hopes to make scouting her career.
Charlee received the Inspiring: Future award.
The Rev. Cheryl Beard said she was uncomfortable being in the spotlight on Thursday.
For many years, she’s shined the spotlight on others.
Her mother began the Rosa T. Beard Debutante Club in 1963. It provides mentorship and community service opportunities to high school juniors and seniors. Each year culminates in a cotillion.
After decades serving in ministry in the Memphis, Tennessee area, Cheryl Beard moved home in 2014 and stepped up to continue her mother’s legacy.
Cheryl Beard received the Inspiring: Legacy award.
While there were two women with the title of Rev. at the event, the Inspiring: Faith award went to Regan Braddix for her quiet faith.
A registered nurse, Braddix had wanted to pursue her goal of higher education for about 20 years and did so when the time was right.
The right time for her might’ve been seen as the wrong time for others because she dealt with a job loss, several deaths in the family, surgeries for her husband, Anthony, and a difficult time in her autistic teen son’s life, that caused him not to want to leave the home for two years.
She completed not only her bachelor’s degree but her master’s degree, and her husband also finished his master’s degree.
Braddix credits God for getting her through the trials.
The Inspiring: Determination Award went to Amy Dotson, an Air Force veteran who was diagnosed with MS.
At one point, she was homebound and had zero energy.
When she got a call that she could go to an adaptive sports clinic without any cost to her, she took the chance. It changed her life. The PVA helped her get a van and she took control of her life again.
She participates in multiple adaptive sports including swimming, pickleball and wheelchair curling.
The final award is Inspiring: Giving.
At one time, the Rev. Pernell Rutledge was homeless — living in her car with four small children, and she made a vow to God that if he’d get her out of that situation, she’d give back to others.
He did and she did.
Around 2013, she started Pernell’s House of Plenty Enough (HOPE) Ministry to make sure people had plenty enough to eat, and after getting a lot of sandwiches when she was homeless, she wanted to make sure others had full meals.
The Inspiring: Women luncheon was sponsored by GRI and Andrea Johnson of Magnolia Real Estate. Regina Brejda at 4P Studios made the magnolia inspired awards, and Leonard Porkchop Zimmerman created a special Happy button to commemorate the day.
Each of the women’s stories are featured in the Fall issue of Inspiring: Women of Augusta Magazine. Learn where to find magazines here. The stories will be posted at Augusta Good News beginning Monday, Sept. 28.
Augusta Good News is an award-winning member of the Georgia Press Association, receiving a second place General Excellence in 2025 and 2026 Sign up for our free weekly newsletter here
