Meeting Kick Off and Updates

The meeting began with a thank you to the sponsorship and generosity of Delta Hotels and Sandra Lastovic from Skip the Bank for covering the costs of the meeting room. This allows us to come together as a group, which is such an important part of 100WWCG.
 
Joining us for the meeting were 6 new members (WOW!) and some women considering involvement.   We had 24 members receiving their 3 year pin and 26 members receiving their 5 year pin (Congratulations ladies!  We’ve included a picture of some of the recipients in attendance below).  To date we have 179 members and 173 pledged nominations and total funds donated have reached $477,516.  The goal of 100WWCG is $500,000 so we are thisclose!

The Three Nominated Charities

Here is a quick overview of the charities that were nominated for the meeting and the presentations:
 
Guelph Chamber Choir – Nominated by Megan Hodge & Presented by Sya VanGeest
Sya began by reminding us that music and harmony can draw us together. The Guelph Chamber Choir seeks to do this through two main streams – through their programming and performances and through their community outreach program, Sing Out.
 
Sya explained that the donated funds would be used to support a concert within the Sing Out outreach program called “Can Your Hear Me”.  This concert would feature the work of diverse and marginalized composers, and funds would go towards covering the costs of three key components: Clinic workshops between the composers and the performers, purchasing the rights to perform the musical scores already planned (which also benefits the composers), and commissioning two additional original works for the concert.
  
Guelph Wish Fund for Children – Nominated by Margo Conlon & Presented by Jessica Hill
Started in 1984, the mandate of Guelph Wish Fund for Children is to fulfill wishes and provide support to children under the age of 19, residing in Guelph or Wellington County, who are living with a significant illness, life-altering injury or a rare and debilitating syndrome.
 
Jessica outlined that each child accepted into the program receives $10,000 and that the funds are used for a variety of needs (each vetted and approved by the Executive Director): travel, a wish or experience, purchasing medical equipment, and lost income to name a few.  Jessica shared the stories of children currently in the program and her own heartbreaking experience of losing her 14 year old daughter.  The donation funds from 100WWCG would be used to support the children and their families and 100% of the money would be used here.
 
Guelph Community Health Centre- Nominated & Presented by Barb Tremblay (she was joined by Jean Hopkins for Q&A)
Barb began her presentation with the staggering statistics of drug poisoning in our community.  In addition to their grief, she shared the impact of stigma and judgement families and loved ones left behind face.
 
A project to build a memorial called Pathways to Remembering was initiated.  The purpose of this memorial is to provide a peaceful place to remember loved ones that offers dignity and respect.  It is also a reminder to the community that we all know either an individual or their loved ones who have been touched by this tragedy.  The memorial has been designed and will cost $50,000.  A total of $16,000 has been raised to date. It is the hope that the memorial will be completed by August in time for Drug Poisoning Awareness Day.  Donated funds from 100WWCG would go towards funding the rest of the memorial costs.

Our Chosen Charity

Guelph Wish Fund for Children
https://www.guelphwishfund.com/

If you haven’t sent in your $100 donation yet, please do so by April 23rd.  Remember there are two ways to make your donation:

1) Online at our 100WWCG Fundraising Page (please add $4 for processing fee)

OR

2) Send a cheque to Liz Brant (made out to Guelph Wish Fund for Children) at 10 Wood Duck Court Guelph ON N1C 1B1

Thank you from Master Gardeners of Ontario (our January charity)

Danielle Gignac joined us to provide an update on the progress of the Master Gardeners, which was chosen by our members at the January meeting.

Our donation was used to create a program for Grade 3 students which educates them about the opportunities of growing food gardens with their families.  The program encourages kids to learn life skills which will be beneficial in the long term and funds were used to build kits for approximately 20 classrooms, including educational information for starting and maintaining vegetable gardens – along with a raised planter, full spectrum grow lights, soil, trays, seeds, and necessary tools. Danielle shared that this program will now be ready to launch on April 15th!  You can read Danielle’s full comments here.

Thank you for your continued generosity, involvement and passion!
The 100WWCG Team
Sharon, Tannis, Lisa, Peggy, Dianne and Denise

100WWCG Members joined together to begin an exciting New Year and support a local charity!

On Thursday,  January 18th, 2024, 100 Women Who Care Guelph celebrated the New Year with a meeting which was focussed on exciting changes!

Now in our 10th year, in spite of the challenges of a pandemic and an economic downturn, our group has contributed $462,070 to local charities – an amazing success story!

But we couldn’t have done it without the wholehearted commitment of our membership. Working together, we have remained steadfast in our mission to support local charities and make a difference within our community. Our members are awesome.

_{Photo by Austrian National Library on Unsplash}

Our Chosen Charities

On January 9th, Tannis  selected the names of three charities which had been included in our nomination draw. This allowed our nominators an opportunity to prepare presentations in advance of our meeting.

Wondering what happened at the meeting?

Sharon opened the meeting by expressing our sincere thanks to Sandra Lastovic (from SkiptheBank.ca) and the Delta Hotels Conference Centre. The support they provide is critical to the ongoing success of 100WWCG.This quarter, 20 members qualified to receive their 3 year membership pins and  25 received 5 year pins. Sharon expressed thanks to those dedicated members and recognized the new members and guests who were in the audience. To date, our donation total adds up to $462,070 and our current membership stands at 173 members, which when donation teams are factored in, yield 166 committed donations. 

Sharon introduced our new Director of Communications, Denise Kusinski. Denise will be taking over that role effective immediately, as Miriam Vince retires to pursue new directions in her life. She also noted that two of Tannis’ responsibilities will be taken over by new members of the Steering Committee – Melodie Wynne will be responsible for the writing of press releases and Liz Brant will be taking over 100WWCG’s cheque collector and tracker portfolio, with Peggy Brightwell continuing to provide follow-up of late charity payments. Crista Renner is moving forward in her role as the 100WWCG photographer and Lisa Woodcock continues to oversee vetting of nominated charities.

Members of the executive were thanked for their willingness to “pitch in” and help 100WWCG to keep moving forward and stay engaged with our membership.Sharon shared the results of our October questionnaire regarding charity nominations, and informed members that, in response, the executive committee will be instituting the following:

Charity List 

A partial list of Guelph charities has been created and has been posted to the website, under the Membership tab. For more information, follow this link! Members are encouraged to nominate charities they may know of, which are not found on this list.

Presenters

We are opening up our presentation process to allow a representative of the nominated charity to make the 5 minute presentation at the quarterly meeting.  However, the nominating member is welcome to make the presentation, if they choose to. ALL nominated charities are now automatically going in the hat for each draw, so either the nominating member or the charity representative must be ready to present at each meeting. As usual, each member may have only one nomination in the hat at any given time.These new changes will be in place for our next meeting on April 9th, 2024. 
 
Following opening remarks, chosen charities were announced. Members listened to enthusiastic presentations from our nominators and followed up by voting.

While ballots were counted, we listened to Helen Fishburn, Executive Director of Canadian Mental Health Association Waterloo Wellington who thanked 100 Women Who Care Guelph for our October donation.

Our three chosen charities were:

:

Master Gardeners of Ontario (Guelph Wellington)
(Nominated by Rosemary Fernandes-Walker)

 Rosemary Fernandes-Walker presented on behalf of Master Gardeners of Ontario (Guelph Wellington). Master Gardeners of Ontario Inc. is an organization dedicated to providing horticultural information to the public. The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) began the Master Gardener Program in 1985, but it is now an independent nonprofit organization.

Funds from a 100WWCG donation would be directed toward creation of a program for Grade 3 students, which will educate them about the opportunities of growing food gardens with their families. Specifically, our donation would be used to build kits for approximately 20 to 25 classrooms, including educational information for starting and maintaining vegetable gardens – along with a raised planter, full spectrum grow lights, soil, trays, seeds, and necessary tools. The aim of the program would be to encourage kids to learn life skills which would be beneficial in the long term.

Guelph Chamber Choir
(Nominated by Megan Hodge) 

 Megan Hodge presented on behalf of Guelph Chamber Choir (GCC).  

The Guelph Chamber Choir’s mission is “To foster community enjoyment and appreciation of choral music by a highly skilled choir, through performances, outreach, artistic collaboration, and community partnerships”.  

Funds from a 100WWCG donation would be directed toward subsidizing a youth workshop which would combine youth singers from local high school choral programs and members of GCC. This workshop, planned for late February 2024 is modelled on a very successful event which was held in 2023.

.

Guelph Wellington Seniors Association
(Nominated by Cyndy and Sharon McLean )

Cyndy and Sharon McLean presented on behalf of Guelph Wellington Seniors Association. The Guelph Wellington Seniors Association is one of the largest seniors organizations of its kind in Canada, providing diverse programs, activities, and services to Guelph and Wellington County. Their mandate is to enable older adults to be active and involved, make friends and age with dignity. 

Funds from 100WWCG would be directed toward creating a brand new adaptive paddle boarding program which would be developed and supervised by an occupational therapist. It would serve the needs of older individuals who face the challenges of impaired balance and mobility due to surgery or physical disability and would provide the physical, emotional and mental benefits that are associated with outdoor water activity. A 100WWCG donation would support the purchase of 2 adaptive paddle boards and a variety of additional pieces of equipment necessary to develop this pilot program.

Great News!

_{Photo by good good good  on Unsplash}

100 Women Who Care Guelph is pleased to announce that:

Master Gardeners of Ontario (Guelph Wellington)
(Nominated by Rosemary Fernandes-Walker)  

Is the Recipient of our January 2024 Donation!

Our donation will be used to create a program for Grade 3 students which will educate them about the opportunities of growing food gardens with their families.

The program will encourage kids to learn life skills which will be beneficial in the long term and funds will be used to build kits for approximately 20 to 25 classrooms, including educational information for starting and maintaining vegetable gardens – along with a raised planter, full spectrum grow lights, soil, trays, seeds, and necessary tools. For more information, follow this link to see Melodie’s most recent press release.

How can you make your donation?

On Wednesday, February 1st, we will be taking the gathered cheques to the charity, so please make every effort to have your cheques and donations arrive before this day.

Need a reminder about using Canada Helps? check out our
Canada Helps Cheatsheet!
and
Follow this link to make your donation. 

If you choose this option, please make a payment of $104.00 to our chosen charity, to cover your donation plus processing fees. Choose the selected charity from those listed on the webpage.A charitable receipt will be issued for online donations, as soon as your payment has been made.

_{Sharon Lewis, Lisa Woodcock and Tannis Sprott make a 100WWCG cheque presentation to Helen Fishburn, Executive Director  of CMHA WW. (Photo Credit: Crista Renner)}

Where do we go from here?

We are very excited to to begin a new year and 100WWCG is pleased to have the opportunity to continue its efforts to provide funding to local charities. Key outcomes?

• We are welcoming new people to our executive committee to spread the current work load and allow for succession planning.

• Changes have been made to our presentation process, which should encourage more members to nominate their favourite charity, without fear of having to make a presentation.  
• Most important, we are providing a resource on our website, which will help members to learn more about the charities within our area which qualify for a 100WWCG nomination.

What has been a constant for 100WWCG is the fact that there is no shortage of enthusiasm in our membership, to support charities in need. Let’s make 2024 our most successful year of giving yet!

We look forward to seeing you at our next meeting, on Tuesday, April 9th, 2024, at 7:00 pm, at the Delta Hotels Conference Centre.

Sharon, Tannis, Lisa, Peggy, Dianne, Liz, Crista, Melodie and Denise
The 100 Women Team

_{Photo: Carolyn Christine on Unsplash}

We seek to recommit to our intention to support
Guelph charities.
Together we can turn dreams into achievements! 

On Wednesday, October 11th, 2023, 100 Women Who Care Guelph celebrated the beginning of its 10th year of providing support to Guelph charities.

Great news! Since our inaugural meeting in 2014, 100WWCG has donated $446,258 to achieve that goal and we currently have 173 donors (165 confirmed donations) who are excited to share our vision. We are starting Year 10 with a re-commitment to attending meetings, supporting local charities and honouring donation fulfillment.

The enthusiasm and dedication of our membership is what makes 100 Women Who Care Guelph successful.

Together, we can turn dreams into achievements.

_{Five women at a meeting of the National Association of Women Lawyers
 Photo credit: Los Angeles Times on Wikimedia Commons}

What happened at the meeting?

Sharon began with thanks to Sandra Lastovic (from SkiptheBank.ca) and the Delta Hotels Conference Centre.  Their continuing support has been essential to the success of 100WWCG!

She reminded members that this meeting is the first in our tenth year of supporting Guelph charities.

To date, our donation total adds up to $446,258 and our current membership stands at 173 members, which yield 165 committed donations. Sharon noted  that our current donation fulfillment rate is 85 percent and expressed the hope that over the next year,  we will commit to improving that rate to our pre-Covid numbers. 

Sharon encouraged members to support 100WWCG by volunteering some time to support our organization. Currently we are looking for:

• An assistant to write quarterly press releases 
• A social media co-ordinator
• A cheque collector and tracker
• A communications assistant to help with communication via email and the website

Members can contact 100WWCG at  [email protected] to volunteer a few hours of their time every quarter.

Sharon also asked members to respond to a request for suggestions which was distributed at the beginning of the meeting. 100WWCG is working hard to find new ways to increase the number of charities nominated on a quarterly basis. We would like to know what can be done to improve the nomination, selection and presentation process and our greatest strength is the candid input of our membership.

Great to know – this quarter, 18 members qualify for their 3-year membership pins, and 24 qualify for their 5-year pins. 

Following opening remarks, chosen charities were announced. Members listened to enthusiastic presentations from our nominators and followed up by voting for their choice to receive our October donation.

While ballots were counted, we listened to Kyle Hare, Development & Outreach Coordinator of Community of Hearts who thanked 100 Women Who Care Guelph for our June donation.

Our Chosen Charities were:

Canadian Mental Health Association Waterloo Wellington
(Nominated by Lisa Hood)

Lisa Hood presented on behalf of Canadian Mental Health Association Waterloo Wellington, advocating for the CMHA WW program known as Brief Service for Children, Youth, and their Families.

Brief Service supports children and youth with mental health difficulties. Those difficulties could be with emotions, socializing, behaviour, or self-regulation. Brief Service also supports parents/caregivers.

Lisa provided a wealth of information to support her request that members address the post-pandemic emotional needs of young people in the area. Funds donated would make it possible to support the work of one clinician who could provide service to between 12 and 14 children for 10 weeks.

Ignatius Jesuit Centre
(Nominated by Maya Wariyar) 

Maya Wariyar presented on behalf of Ignatius Jesuit Centre, to request support of St. Ignatius Farm.

In the last 20 years, Ignatius Farm has evolved to become a model for organic agriculture and a mentor to organic growers. The Farm invites the surrounding community to enjoy and participate in their agricultural initiative and emphasizes the value of sustainable farming through community shared agriculture, farm training and acreage rentals. Their aim is building connection, stress reduction and education, through the farming experience.

Funds from a 100WWCG donation would be directed towards assisting the farm to continue providing its free New Farmer Training program, in the face of rising costs and uncertain revenues from government grants.

Sunrise Therapeutic Riding and Learning Centre
(Nominated by Ann Caine)

Ann Caine, President of the Board, presented on behalf of  Sunrise Therapeutic Riding and Learning Centre.

As an accredited member of the Canadian Therapeutic Riding Association (CanTRA) and The Ontario Camps Association (OCA), Sunrise has a mission to develop the full potential of children and adults with special needs through therapy, education, horse riding, recreation, and life skills programs, farm-related and social activities.

Funds from a 100WWCG donation would subsidize Sunrise’s Hilary Hearts and Hooves therapeutic riding program. These resources could provide a supplement to assist children who have financial need but can’t qualify for the the program. The objective would be to make the program accessible to all…

_{Photo credit: Zack Xavier on Unsplash}

Important Announcement!

Canadian Mental Health Association Waterloo Wellington
 (Nominated by Lisa Hood )

Is the Recipient of our October 2023 Donation!

For more information, follow this link to our most recent press release.

Our donation will be directed towards their 
Brief Service for Children, Youth, and their Families.

Brief Service supports children and youth with mental health difficulties, as well as parents and caregivers.

_{Tannis Sprott and Sharon Lewis present a 100WWCG cheque to Kyle Hare of Community of Hearts
Photo Credit: Crista Renner}

Community of Hearts Expressed Gratitude for June’s Joint Donation from 100WWCG and 100+MWGAD Kyle Hare, Development & Outreach Coordinator for Community of Hearts thanked our membership for our June donation, in conjunction with 100+ Men Who Give a Damn Guelph.

Follow this link to read what the Community of Hearts team had to say.

What’s next?

Well, who would have thought we would be “The Little Engine that Could?”As we head into our tenth year, 100WWCG can look back on a great legacy. We have donated almost 1/2 million dollars to local charities by engaging 100+ women four times a year.

We are working hard to improve all of our processes and to encourage greater engagement from our members. 

It is great to see that there is no shortage of enthusiasm!

Moving forward into our 2023/2024 year, we have renewed excitement that can only mean positive outcomes for Guelph charities in need, as we turn our dreams into achievements…. 

Sharon, Tannis, Miriam, Lisa, Peggy and Dianne

The 100 Women Team

Photo Arthur Chauvineau on Unsplash

Oh What a Night!

100 Women Who Care and 100+ Men Who Give a Damn
Made a Connection To Take Giving to the Max

Great company and worthy causes made for a memorable event at our first ever joint meeting…

On June 6th, 2023, 100 Women Who Care Guelph and 100+ Men Who Give a Damn joined forces to make a big difference within the Guelph charity community, with a combined meeting. The outcome of this meeting will direct a donation from members of both groups to a single charity.

This event also served as an opportunity for both groups to celebrate their achievements, to encourage new membership and to connect with like-minded people who believe that giving back to your community is the most important thing.

What a wonderful night it was.

So, what happened at the meeting?

Sharon Lewis and Mike Brookbank provided opening remarks.  Mike delivered a land acknowledgement and recognized the valuable contributions of sponsors, particularly Cutten Fields, for their generous donation of the meeting space at no cost.  

Sharon gave a whole-hearted shoutout to Sandra Lastovic, of Skip the Bank, who has been a longstanding sponsor of 100 Women Who Care Guelph. She also thanked members for their continued support over the years (70 members have been with our group for at least 5+ years and 37 have been with us for 3+ years). Exciting news – 100WWCG recruited 4 new members at this very meeting!

Mike delivered regrets from Mayor Cam Guthrie, who had hoped to be our keynote speaker. He relayed Mayor Guthrie’s sincere appreciation of the incredible contribution that both 100 Women Who Care Guelph and 100+ Men Who Give a Damn have made to the Guelph charity community.  He stressed that we are always stronger when we all work together and that our joint meeting is a perfect example of that cooperation for the better good.    

We listened to Michelle Peek, Co-founder and Executive Director of Art Not Shame, who thanked 100 Women Who Care Guelph for our April donation.  (To see the heartfelt thank you from Art Not Shame, follow this link.)

Tracey Schlosser, Market & Fund Development Lead and Joan Knox, Kitchen Co-ordinator of  Hospice Wellington  also thanked 100+ Men Who Give a Damn for their most recent donation.

Following opening remarks, chosen charities were announced. Members listened to enthusiastic presentations from the representatives and Executive Directors of our chosen charities, and cast their votes…

Chosen Charities

At the beginning of May 2023, members of the executives of 100 Women Who Care Guelph and 100+ Men Who Give a Damn selected the names of four charities (two for each group) which qualified to make a presentation to our June meeting.

The four chosen charities were:

Michelle Martin presented on behalf of  Alzheimer Society Waterloo Wellington.

The mission of this organization is to alleviate the personal and social consequences of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias and to promote research, to be a sustainable and responsive leader in the field of dementia offering specialized services to all persons along the dementia journey.

Funds from a joint 100WWCG / 100+MWGAD donation would be directed toward Minds in Motion,  a community-based social program that incorporates physical and mental stimulation for people with early to mid-stage Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia and their care partners.

Kristin Beaver presented on behalf of Central Ontario Leadership Seminars (COLS)  requesting a donation to support COLS.

Every year, Central Ontario Leadership Seminars provides a three-day leadership conference to grade 10 students across Central Ontario, at no cost to the students. The aim of this conference is to empower young people to “be the change they want to see,” to foster personal growth by promoting positive thinking, goal setting and community involvement, to develop independent and critical thinking skills and to build lifelong relationships.

Funds from a joint 100WWCG / 100+MWGAD donation would be directed toward subsidizing operating costs for the 2024 conference, including insurance, room and board for approximately 120 students.

Kyle Hare, Development Outreach Co-ordinator presented on behalf of Community of Hearts Lifelong Learning Centre.

Community of Hearts supports youth, adults and seniors with developmental exceptionalities to achieve the level of independence they desire, curriculum-based quality programming and a person centred focus.  This support builds self confidence, self advocacy and independence, reducing social isolation and increasing community engagement. 

Funds from a joint 100WWCG / 100+MWGAD donation would be directed toward construction of the organizations first-ever accessible washroom for their facility. 

Ann Caine, President of the Board, presented on behalf of Sunrise Therapeutic Riding and Learning Centre.

As an accredited member of the Canadian Therapeutic Riding Association (CanTRA) and The Ontario Camps Association (OCA), Sunrise has a mission to develop the full potential of children and adults with special needs through therapy, education, horse riding, recreation, and life skills programs, farm-related and social activities.

Funds from a joint 100WWCG / 100+MWGAD donation would be directed toward subsidizing Sunrise as it provides lifeskills programming to 300 to 400 clients, including camps and a leadership in training program.

Effort and engagement yield results!

So, nothing that’s successful happens without the hard work and participation of the people involved. 

We are so happy to thank the executive and members of 100 Women Who Care Guelph and 100+ Men Who Give a Damn, for their enthusiasm and engagement over the past few months. Without their efforts and co-operation we couldn’t have achieved this success.  

More than 200 people turned out for our joint meeting and our successful charity will have the opportunity to receive a donation which could make an incredible difference in the outcomes it will see in 2023.

It is great to see that there is no shortage of enthusiasm in the membership of either of our groups to support local charities.  Let’s move forward with increased enthusiasm and confidence that we can make a HUGE difference to those who need our support the most.  

We’ll let you know what the date is for our next 100WWCG meeting, as soon as we have firmed up our plans for the next year!

Sharon, Tannis, Miriam, Lisa, Peggy and Dianne

The 100 Women Team

On April 4th, 2023, 100 Women Who Care Guelph connected for our final hybrid meeting.

We are moving forward and excited by new prospects to share our enthusiasm about supporting local charities…

Great news! Now in our 9th year,100WWCG has donated $416,754 to local charities. This is a phenomenal success story.

What has made the difference is the unwavering support of our membership. Working together, we have remained steadfast in our mission to contribute to our community through our support of local charities.

100 Women Who Care Guelph is successful because of our awesome members. Your enthusiasm is the wind beneath our wings.

Thank you.

So, what happened at the meeting?

Our charity presenters were announced.  Members listened to enthusiastic presentations from our nominators and followed up by voting, both in person and remotely.

While ballots were counted, we listened to Terrie Jarvis, Program Director of Food4Kids, who thanked 100 Women Who Care Guelph for our January donation.

Ignatius Jesuit Centre
(Nominated by Maya Wariyar)Maya Wariyar was presented on behalf of Ignatius Jesuit Centre.  In the last 20 years, Ignatius Farm has evolved to become a model for organic agriculture and a mentor to organic growers. The Farm invites the surrounding community to enjoy and participate in their agricultural initiative and emphasizes the value of sustainable farming through community shared agriculture, farm training and acreage rentals. Their aim is building connection, stress reduction and education, through the farming experience.

Funds from a 100WWCG donation would be directed towards assisting the farm to continue its valuable operations in the face of rising costs for supplies and seed.

Art Not Shame
(Nominated by Nancy Mossip)Nancy Mossip was unable to attend the meeting, due to illness, but Robin Smart stepped up and presented on behalf of Art Not Shame

.Art Not Shame is a community-engaged, multidisciplinary arts organization serving youth and adults in Guelph and across Ontario whose vision is a world where belonging is unconditional, creative practice is accessible, and both are recognized as fundamental to well-being, community-building, and possibilities for a just future. This organization is working  towards creating a permanent, fully accessible, community art facility.

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

January 19th, 2023, 100 Women Who Care Guelph ushered in the New Year with our third in person/virtual hybrid meeting.

We should be proud of our efforts…Now in our 9th year, in spite of the challenges of a pandemic and an economic downturn, our group has contributed $

402,679 to local charities – an amazing success story!

But we couldn’t have done it without the wholehearted commitment of our membership. Working together, we have remained steadfast in our mission to support local charities and make a difference within our community.

Our members are awesome. 

Photo by Ben Moreland on Unsplash

Are you wondering what happened at the meeting?

The meeting began with Sharon expressing our sincere thanks to Sandra Lastovic (from SkiptheBank.ca) and the Delta Hotels Conference Centre.   The support they provide is essential to our success, and very much appreciated.

Sharon reminded members that this is our third of four hybrid meetings, and that the April meeting will be our last in the hybrid format. She also acknowledged the considerable help we have received from Audrey Lounder, who has been our virtual meeting moderator and guru.

Moving forward, tentative in person meeting dates are:

• Tuesday, April 4th, 2023
• Monday, June 26th, 2023
• Wednesday, October 11th, 2023  

This quarter, 14 members qualified to receive their 3 year membership pins and 28 received 5 year pins. Sharon expressed thanks to those dedicated members and recognized the new members and guests who were in the audience. She also noted some exiting news – 100WWCG has received 11 new charity nominations to add to our roster of potential giving opportunities!

The final order of business was to tell members that we have been approached by the Guelph chapter of “100 Men Who Give A Damn”, about the prospect of holding a “shared meeting” as a way of re-igniting enthusiasm for our shared goal of supporting Guelph charities. A survey will be sent to members in a separate email, to gauge interest in this initiative.Following opening remarks, chosen charities were announced. Members listened to enthusiastic presentations from our nominators and followed up by voting, both in person and remotely.

While ballots were counted, we listened to Willow Hall, Executive Co-ordinator of G2G Rail Trail Inc. (Goderich to Guelph Rail Trail) who thanked 100 Women Who Care Guelph for our October donation.

Our Chosen Charities

On Sunday, January 8th, Tannis  selected the names of three charities which had been included in our nomination draw. This allowed our nominators an opportunity to prepare presentations in advance of our in person meeting.

Our three chosen charities were:

Food4Kids Guelph
(Nominated by Terrie Jarvis)

Terry Jarvis presented on behalf of Food4Kids Guelph. Food4Kids is a largely volunteer-run organization which tries to bridge the gap for children who face chronic hunger and severe food-insecurity.  

This organization has been working hard to identify children in need, through the elementary school system. Kids in need are provided with nutritious weekend food bags to take home from school on Fridays.

Funds from a 100WWCG donation would be used to keep feeding the kids, guarantee continued operation of the program and to reduce a growing waiting list of new clients.

m

Kiwanis Music Festival of Guelph 
(Nominated by Barb McKay) 

Barb McKay was unable to attend the meeting due to a last minute issue, so Tannis Sprott read Barb’s presentation on behalf of the Kiwanis Music Festival of Guelph. 

The Kiwanis Music Festival of Guelph is one of the largest youth services programs in the arts in our community. 

This program emphasizes the importance of music to emotional well-being along with the need to mentor enthusiastic young talent. Most importantly, the festival provides thousands of young, aspiring musicians with annual performance opportunities second to none.

Funds from a 100WWCG donation would be directed to the scholarship and bursary program, augmentation of school programs and improvements to the festival’s website.

CMHA Waterloo Wellington
(Nominated by Lisa Hood)

Lisa Hood presented on behalf of CMHA Waterloo Wellington’s “Food For Life” program. Designed by a registered dietician and delivered by U of G students, the  program responds to a huge increase in the number of eating disorder referrals to CMHWW, and a definite trend towards clients being younger and younger.

At a time when society is bombarded with conflicted and confusing messages about healthy eating, weight and nutrition, this program educates children, teachers and families about a variety of nutrition-related topics. The initiative is offered through the Upper Grand DSB and Wellington Catholic DSB and targets grades JK to 4. 

Current funding for this valuable program is running out and funds from a 100WWCG donation would be used to cover operating costs for a year.

Photo by Zack Xavier on Unsplash

Important Announcement!

Food4Kids Guelph
 (Nominated by Terrie Jarvis)

Is the Recipient of our January 2023 Donation!

For more information, follow this link to our most recent press release.

Our donation will be used to guarantee continued operation of the program and to reduce a growing waiting list of new clients.

Tannis Sprott makes a 100WWCG cheque presentation to
G2G Executive Director Doug Cerson  and Executive Co-ordinator Willow Hall 

Goderich to Guelph (G2G) Rail Trail Said a Heartfelt “Thank You!”  For Our October DonationWillow Hall, Executive Co-ordinator of Goderich to Guelph (G2G) Rail Trail, expressed thanks to our membership for donations we made as a result of voting at our meeting in October.

Follow this link to read what the team had to say.

Where do we go from here?

It’s very exciting to begin a new year and 100WWCG is pleased to have the opportunity to continue its efforts to provide funding to local charities. We have stayed connected – in person or by Zoom – and we have stayed engaged, in spite of the challenges we have faced. It is great to see that there is no shortage of enthusiasm in our membership, to find new charities to support.

We’re on a mission to make 2023 our most successful year of giving yet!

We look forward to seeing you at our next meeting, on April 4th, 2023, at 7:00 pm, at the Delta Hotels Conference Centre.

Sharon, Tannis, Miriam, Lisa, Peggy and Dianne

The 100 Women Team

Our October meeting marked the beginning of our ninth year of supporting charities within this community. 

How incredible is that?

In 2014, when Sharon Lewis, Tannis Sprott and Diane Nelson came up with the idea of founding a chapter of 100 Women Who Care in Guelph, it seemed like a natural fit. Ours is a city which has its share of need and there is a huge constituency of generous women.

Charities bring together people who care about a cause and want to make a difference – by providing direct help, giving information, or raising awareness of an issue. 100 Women Who Care Guelph has been on a mission to give local charities a financial “hand up” as a way to help them succeed.

In spite of facing obstacles nobody could have ever anticipated, our group has managed to contribute a whopping $388,529 to the Guelph community over the past eight years. This has required the steadfast support of our membership and a willingness to connect in innovative ways.

Let’s be proud of all we have achieved… 

Are you wondering what happened at the meeting?

Sharon opened the meeting with thanks to Sandra Lastovic (from SkiptheBank.ca) and the Delta Hotels Conference Centre.  She acknowledged that their support is essential to 100WWCG’s efforts to meet in person again.

This is also our second of four hybrid meetings, held to accommodate the needs of members not yet ready to meet in person. We acknowledged the contribution of Audrey Lounder, whose assistance in organizing the hybrid component has helped us to move forward through a steep learning process. 

Our October meeting begins our chapter’s 9th year!  

Sharon noted that milestone and presented a list of our meeting dates for 2023:

• Thursday, January 19th, 2023
• Tuesday, April 4th, 2023
• Monday, June 26th, 2023
• Wednesday, October 11th, 2023 (tentative)

Following the opening comments, our chosen charities were announced and nominators had the opportunity to tell members why they were so passionate to support them.

After presentations had been made, members voted in person and remotely. As ballots were being counted, we listened to the Executive Director of Compass Community Services who thanked 100 Women Who Care Guelph for our June donation.

Our Chosen Charities

On October 2nd, Tannis  selected the names of three charities which had been included in our nomination draw. This allowed our nominators an opportunity to prepare presentations in advance of our in person meeting.

Our three chosen charities were:

Kiwanis Music Festival of Guelph 
(Nominated by Barb McKay) 

Barb McKay presented on behalf of the Kiwanis Music Festival of Guelph. She emphasized the importance of music to emotional well-being and the need to mentor enthusiastic young talent and stressed that this organization provides thousands of young, aspiring musicians with annual performance opportunities second to none.

The Kiwanis Music Festival of Guelph is one of the largest youth services programs in the arts in our community. 

Funds from a 100WWCG donation would be directed to the scholarship and bursary program, augmentation of school programs and improvements to the festival’s website.

Guelph Youth Music Centre 
(Nominated by Tannis Sprott)

Tannis Sprott presented on behalf of the Guelph Youth Music Centre (GYMC). The  centre is a unique facility that educates, enriches and fosters the development of youth through music and the arts.

Until it was shuttered by Covid 2020, GYMC sponsored Do Re Mi, as part of their community outreach. This interactive program was designed to enrich the arts curriculum in elementary schools. Presented in a workshop setting, with a study guide provided to teachers and the guidance of professional musicians, students were given the opportunity to acquire fundamental music skills and explore their creativity. 

Funds from a 100WWCG donation would be directed towards restarting the Do Re Mi program in the 2022/23 school year.

Goderich to Guelph Rail Trail Inc.
(Nominated by Sharon and Cyndy McLean)

The Goderich to Guelph (G2G) Rail Trail is on a mission to develop and maintain a continuous, safe, accessible and  fully inclusive rail trail experience that is 132 kilometres of linear, multi-use green space from the 401 corridors in Guelph to the shores of Lake Huron at Goderich. All efforts on the trail are funded by private donations and government grants.

The trail is a natural, historical, culturally significant conservation corridor, supporting community recreation and active transportation, promoting health and well-being, and bringing awareness to rural agriculture, heritage and the environment.

Funds from a 100WWCG donation would be directed towards improvements to trail detours in Guelph and surrounding area. These upgrades would include better signage, information kiosks, map boards, kilometre markers and location identifiers which would improve safety and accessibility for all trail users.

Important Announcement!

Goderich to Guelph (G2G) Rail Trail
 
(Nominated by Sharon and Cyndy McLean)

Is the Recipient of our October 2022 Donation!

For more information, follow this link to our most recent press release.

Funds from a 100WWCG donation will be directed towards improvements to trail detours in Guelph and surrounding area, including better signage, information kiosks, map boards, kilometre markers and location identifiers which will improve safety and accessibility for all trail users. 

We couldn’t do this without you. 

100WWCG is so happy to acknowledge the members who qualified for their 3 and 5 year membership pins at our October 2022 meeting. Thank you so much for supporting the efforts of 100 Women Who Care Guelph!

We are REALLY making a difference within our community…

Compass Community Services Says  “Thank You!”  For Our June Donation

The Executive Director of  Compass Community Services, 
Joanne Young Evans delivered a wholehearted “Thank You!” to our members for our June donation.

Follow this link to read what the team had to say.

Where do we go from here?

October 2022 marks the beginning of 100 Women Who Care Guelph’s ninth year of giving.

In spite of challenges we have experienced over the past 3 years, our membership should be incredibly proud of the fact that we have managed to donate $388,529 to local charities since October 2014. 

We’ve learned to be nimble, using e-blasts and Zoom to replace or augment in person meetings, as we work hard to stay connected with our membership.

It has been wonderful to see our friends again – in person or by Zoom, and to share our commitment to staying engaged with our community and local charities.

Most important, we have learned that no matter how we stay connected, members continue moving forward with their commitment to giving. We really are making a difference and you are the reason for our success…

We look forward to seeing you at our next meeting, on Thursday, January 19th, 2022, at 7:00 pm, at the Delta Hotels Conference Centre.

Sharon, Tannis, Miriam, Lisa, Peggy and Dianne

The 100 Women Team

At 100WWCG’s First In Person/Virtual Hybrid Meeting, We Reconnected and Reaffirmed Our Commitment to Local Charities!

We’ve worn masks, been vaccinated, worked from home and attended virtual 100WWCG meetings for more than 2 years, but now we’re back!  

June has marked the first in person/virtual hybrid meeting that our chapter has ever held and we’ve experienced an excellent outcome.  

Members who wanted to connect face-to-face had the opportunity to attend our in person meeting at the Delta Hotels Conference Centre, and those who were more comfortable attending virtually used our Zoom meeting option. 

Most important, our new format has made it possible for members to stay energized and connected to our mission to give generously to local charities!

So what happened at the meeting?

 Sharon opened the meeting with thanks to our incredibly generous corporate sponsors, Sandra Lastovic and the Delta Hotels Conference Centre. Their support made it possible for our group to meet in person again.

She followed up with an expression of profound gratitude to Audrey Lounder, our “Zoom Angel.”  Audrey is a good friend to founding member Tannis Sprott, who recognized that we have needed help in our quest to hold a hybrid meeting.  Her patience and good humour have helped us to move forward through a steep learning process.

There was also a shout out to our special guest, Suzanne Denomme and her colleagues who are starting a chapter of 100 Realtors Who Care in Waterloo Region.

Sharon reviewed changes which have been made to our charity selection and presentation process and stressed that these changes have been adopted to encourage members to present their heartfelt stories to support the charities they nominate.

That said, any charity nominator who attends on Zoom, is really anxious about public presentations, or who comes down ill at the last minute, can specify another member as a second or (as an absolute last resort) a committee member to present on their behalf. In the event that a nominating member will not be present, that member can invite a charity representative to attend the meeting IN PERSON, to answer questions. (This representative will not be able to make the entire presentation.) This is an effort to level the playing field for small vs. large charities.  

It was noted that there are 66 members who currently qualify for, but have not been able to receive, 3 year and 5 year membership pins. Those members were asked to rise and be acknowledged for their service. A group photo was taken after the meeting. 

Sharon wrapped up her comments by announcing that our next meeting, which will also be in hybrid format, will take place on Wednesday, October 12th, 2022, at the Delta Hotels Conference Centre.  She was proud to note that this October will begin our chapter’s 9th year and that we have raised $374,879.00 since October 2014!  

Following the opening comments, our chosen charities were announced and nominators had the opportunity to tell members why they were so passionate to support them.

Our Chosen Charities Are…

On June 13th, Tannis and Sharon selected the names of three charities which had been included in our nomination draw. This allowed our nominators an opportunity to prepare presentations in advance of our in person meeting.
 Our three chosen charities were:

Kiwanis Music Festival of Guelph 
(Nominated by Barb McKay)  

Barb McKay presented on behalf of the Kiwanis Music Festival of Guelph. She emphasized the importance of music to emotional well-being and the need to mentor enthusiastic young talent and stressed that this organization provides thousands of young, aspiring musicians with annual performance opportunities second to none.

The Kiwanis Music Festival of Guelph is one of the largest youth services programs in the arts in our community. 

Funds from a 100WWCG donation would be directed to the scholarship and bursary program, augmentation of school programs and improvements to the festival’s website. 

Compass Community Services
(Nominated by Karyn Kirkwood)

Karyn Kirkwood made a presentation with support from Colten Ura, Manager of Telephone Support, Compass Community Services.

Compass Community Services (formerly known as Family Counselling and Support Services for Guelph-Wellington),  is an integral part of the community, providing mental health and social services to individuals, families, and children. These services guide people through life’s challenges, whether they are emotional, developmental, or professional. Included in these programs are counselling and therapy services, developmental services, workplace wellness and telephone support services. 

Funds from a 100WWCG donation would be directed to their telephone support lines which provide four dedicated services – providing emotional support, a dedicated LGBTQ+ support line, their community check-in service and their  telephone visiting service for isolated seniors.   

Alzheimer Society Waterloo Wellington
(Nominated by Robin Smart)

Tannis Sprott presented on behalf of Robin Smart, with assistance from Lorri Watamaniuk, Director of Fund Development, Alzheimer Society Waterloo Wellington.The Alzheimer Society is here so that no one has to face Alzheimer’s disease or any other type of dementia alone. It provides support for ANY type of dementia and is the only organization in the  community dedicated to helping people and their families live well with a dementia diagnosis. The society offers dementia-friendly social, recreation, education, counseling, and care partner support groups, all free of charge.

Funds from a 100WWCG donation would be dedicated toward much-needed therapeutic recreation programs which provide both stimulation to the person living with dementia and respite to the care partner.

Great News!

Compass Community Services 
(Nominated by Karyn Kirkwood)
Is the Recipient of our June 2022 Donation!

For more information, follow this link  to our most recent press release.
Funds from a 100WWCG donation will be directed towards sustaining their telephone support lines which comprise four dedicated services – providing emotional support, a dedicated LGBTQ+ support line, their community check-in service and their  telephone visiting service for isolated seniors!

Let’s celebrate our latest 5 year and 3 year pin recipients!

Thank you so much for supporting the efforts of 100 Women Who Care Guelph
We are REALLY making a difference within our community…
We are proud to announce that as of our June 2022 meeting, we have 23 members who qualify to receive their 3 year membership pins and 43 members who qualify to receive their 5 year pins.  

The Nightingale Centre Poses with a “Big Cheque”. From 100WWCG

If you want to read the Nightingale Centre’s “Thank you!” to 100WWCG, follow this link!

Where do we go from here?

We are  so excited to complete this quarter’s meeting and voting process!  We have proven that through hard work, generosity and innovation, we can achieve incredible success.  

It was wonderful to see our friends again – in person or by Zoom, and to share our commitment to staying engaged with our community and local charities. We would like to thank our members for their persistence and loyalty through the challenges of the past couple of years. Thanks so much for your support!

At 100 Women Who Care Guelph’s Eighth Virtual Meeting, Local Charities Take Centre Stage

So its been a crazy couple of years…

We’ve worn masks, been vaccinated, worked from home, had Zoom meetings (and funerals, and weddings). We keep trying to find balance and a “new normal” but we aren’t quite there yet. 

There may still be some challenges in the future, but 100 Women Who Care Guelph has proven it can rise to any challenge.

Great news!  In spite of Covid-19, we have continued to make a huge financial contribution to local charities. We’re proud to report that over the past (almost) eight years, we have raised close to $362,000.  

And here we are, delivering the results of our eighth virtual meeting. That says something about our members’ level of commitment to giving back to our community. It also says a great deal about what we can achieve, moving forward.

Your kindness is making a difference.

Last week, members representing three charities selected in our nomination draw, provided written presentations which were reviewed and voted on by our group.
 Our three chosen charities were:

The Nightingale Centre
(Nominated by Donna Core) 
*

Alzheimer Society Waterloo Wellington
(Nominated by Robin Smart)
*

Art Not Shame 
(Nominated by Rachel Collins )
*

Important Announcement!

The Nightingale Centre
(Nominated by  Donna Core)

Is the Recipient of our April 2022 Donation!
 The donation from 100 Women Who Care will be used to:
– fund and train facilitators
– purchase therapeutic supplies for memory-making activities
– purchase books that can be read to children to encourage conversation
– provide information packages for parents
– offer educational workshops for the community

For more information, follow this link to our most recent press release.

Guelph/Wellington Community Health Van Team Says  “Thank You!”  For Our January Donation

The Guelph/Wellington Community Health Van Team recently expressed its thanks for our January donation!  
 Follow this link to read what the team had to say.

What’s Next?

As we wrap up this nomination and voting cycle, 100 Women Who Care Guelph is looking towards the future. 

We have had some questions from members regarding how and when 100WWCG can return to ‘in person’ meetings. That said, we’d like to transition from virtual to in person meetings in a way that honours all our member’s needs. We recently conducted a brief survey of the membership to try to gauge everyone’s comfort level.

The past two years have taught us that our group is strong, innovative and flexible and will rise to the challenge of finding the best and safest way for our members to “connect” as we move forward. By the end of April, you will be receiving an email which details exciting changes to our meeting format. Stay tuned for more information…

Sharon, Tannis, Miriam, Lisa, Peggy and Dianne. The 100 Women Team

Photo courtesy Unsplash 

Wow!  Over the past year, what we definitely have learned is the power of our members’ determination and commitment. In response to punishing Covid-19 challenges, we have used virtual meetings to continue our important work for Guelph charities – and we have succeeded!
 100WWCG has been determined to prevail, against all odds. We have worked hard, been innovative, and stayed connected to our membership.  Our over-riding desire has been to give back to the Guelph community. 

We are proud to say that we haven’t given up on local charitable organizations.   They are not alone in their struggle to survive and their continued success matters to our membership.

Our commitment to Guelph charities is firm.  We want to support them, no matter how challenging the current situation may be.  100 Women Who Care Guelph is proud to move forward, and wholeheartedly dedicate its efforts to our community.

Members, representing three charities selected in our nomination draw, provided written presentations which were reviewed and voted upon by members.

 Our three chosen charities were:

1.   The Nightingale Centre
      (Nominated by Donna Core) 

2.  The Guelph Community Health Van
      (Nominated by Ruth McMath )

3.  Waterloo Wellington Down Syndrome Society
     (Nominated by Mary Casagrande)

Photo courtesy Unsplash

Important Announcement!

The Guelph Community Health Van
(Nominated by Ruth McMath )

Is the Recipient of our January 2022 Donation!

 Over the past two years, there has been a huge increase in demand for services and supplies offered by the Van, especially as the pandemic has reduced access to health facilities and resources.

Our 100 Women Who Care Guelph donation will be used to fund the purchase of the most urgently needed winter items including sleeping bags, warm clothing, tarps, blankets and hygiene supplies.

Where do we go from here?

The past two years have felt like a gut punch.

Nobody believed that in 2022, we would find ourselves here, but this is our reality and we persist. There have been positive outcomes.

We have learned that we are strong and innovative.  
100WWCG continues to make a huge contribution to the Guelph community, in spite of Covid-19.

Connection used to be easier.  That said, we know that we need to stay engaged, now more than ever.  Whatever the challenge we may have faced, the 100WWCG membership has always been up to the task!  

100WWCG has committed to giving back to the Guelph community over the past 7 years. This commitment has made it possible for 100WWCG to donate more than $10,000 per quarter to eligible local charities. Congratulations to our membership for achieving this incredible success.

Most of us recognize that our path forward isn’t clear yet, but the steering committee is constantly working towards the day when we can have real handshakes and hugs in large venues, without hand sanitizer and masks, and make our decisions without relying on network technology.  We will notify everyone by email and post information on the Upcoming Meetings page on our website, as soon as this is possible.

Meanwhile, we are confident that you will continue to be the engaged membership that we celebrate, as we move forward to achieve incredible successes within the Guelph charity community.

“Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.”

Mohammed Ali

“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”

President Barack Obama

Thanks for your huge contribution to our success!  Together, we really domake a difference.

Sharon, Tannis, Miriam, Lisa, Carol, Peggy and Dianne

The 100 Women Team