Kates DAy is May 1

Kates Day is May 1

The Elizabeth Kates Foundation will hold its annual Kates Day event on the grounds of the Historic Virginia Correctional Center for Women—known locally as “the women’s farm”—on Wednesday, May 1.

Sales of crafts, baked goods, and raffle tickets will run from 1-4:30 p.m. Plant sales—offering beautiful, resilient flowers and vegetables grown on site by offenders—will be at the greenhouse from 2 to 4:30 pm.

Flower and vegetable plants ready for your garden for sale at Kates Day.

As Kates Day takes place at a secure location, the following rules must be followed:

·       A picture ID is required at the security sign-in station

·       Plastic zip top bags will be provided for car keys, checkbook, cash, ID

·       Multiple checks may be required for multiple purchases—bring several

·       NO CELL PHONES ALLOWED

·       Lock all personal items in car trunk

·       Include your phone number on raffle tickets

·       Annual dues check for $25 made out to Kates Foundation

Physical address for GPS is 2841 River Road West, Goochland, VA 23063.

The Elizabeth Kates Foundation was named in honor of the first warden of the VCCW, who served from 1934 to 1964. She believed that incarceration could be a time of positive personal growth for offenders to learn job skills to enable them to be productive citizens after having paid their debt to society.

In 1942, Kates and some of her sorority members of Pi Beta Phi broadened the services offered by the Commonwealth. Over the years, The Foundation has provided scholarships for on-site college classes, correspondence classes, educational materials, textbooks, televisions, computers, and graduation gifts for the completion of GED and academic programs.

The Elizabeth Kates Foundation continues today as an all-volunteer organization governed by a 16-member board of directors. The Foundation’s mission is supported by numerous donors and volunteers. Working closely with the Department of Corrections, The Foundation has responded to changing needs for rehabilitative services, the increased numbers of women incarcerated in Virginia and the building of additional correctional facilities for women.