Packed House! Thank you to Crista Renner for our great meeting photos!

Meeting Kick Off and Updates

Our first meeting of 2025 brought out several members!  We had a packed room.

Sharon shared quick updates. Our thermometer total is $526,167 with 191 current members.  There were several pin recipients – (5) for 3 years, (4) for 5 years and (10) for 10 years!

The Three Nominated Charities

Here is a quick overview of the charities that were nominated for the meeting and the presentations:

1) Up and Running Guelph – Nominated by Suzanne Conquer, Presented by Suzanne Conquer and Kate Webster
Started in 2016, this is a 2x per week peer led nature walking or running group.  The group supports those struggling with mental health, including depression.  Their focus is to help women stay active and reduce barriers to being active.  There are 400 members registered.  They meet in groups and walk the trail at Royal City Park.  There is a 3-1 ratio between volunteers and participants.  The group runs fundraising events and receives grants. Suzanne and Kate shared many examples of the impact of the program:

• Women facing social isolation found community
• Women deep in grief met others to support and share their experience
• Women have been able to reduce or eliminate medications for depression and diabetes
• Women who have considered suicide were supported and through connection saw a way forward to life

Donation funds would go towards paying for a Part Time Administrator to oversee 40 volunteers, run the program and work to partner with other organizations.

2) Guelph Public Library Rosa Rattray Early Literacy Fund – Nominated by Wendy Fletcher, Presented by Kirsten Bester and Euan Rattray
The fund was established by the Rattray family when Rosa passed away.  They wanted to continue to support what she loved.  The Fund supports members of our community who may not have access to the tools and resources that support children’s literacy.  Needs are identified by the librarians and staff of the City of Guelph Libraries.  Resources provided to date include:

• Early Learning stations
• Launch pads/tablets specifically designed for young children
• Born to Read packages provided to newborns at the Guelph Hospital
• Light table at Westminster Library
• Educational toys

Many of these resources can be borrowed.  The program seeks to create equality of access and inclusivity.  The goal is to ensure that all children can have what they need to learn, despite potential barriers. Donation funds would go towards improving the Born to Read packages, Discovery Walls and more light tables.

3) Ronald McDonald House Charities South Central Ontario –Nominated by Kayleigh Kennedy, Presented by Kayleigh Kennedy and Meaghan Moore
There are 16 houses in Canada.  The focus for the presentation was Hamilton House.  For Guelph residents, McMaster Children’s Hospital is the local option and many families require the support of RMHC.  Last year the cost of the program for Guelph families was $300,000 (1392 nights and 6900 meals).  Only 30% of the operating costs are covered by McDonald’s.  There are 40 bedrooms in the location across from McMaster, as well as two family rooms located at the hospital.  Families receive shelter, meals and support such as laundry services. There are 15 staff and 200 volunteers.  Kayleigh shared her extremely scary journey with their 2-year-old son, Ethan, who spent 25 months in treatment at McMaster.  The family was able to utilize the support of the organization for Ethan, herself and her family.  Kayleigh shared that Ethan finished his treatments on Sept. 1^st and rang the bell on Sept. 9^th of this year!! Several members of the group shared that they also had relied on the organization.  Donation funds would go towards funding Guelph families requiring the support and services.

Our Chosen Charity

Ronald McDonald House Charities South Central Ontario
https://www.rmhcsco.ca/site/home

If you haven’t sent in your $100 donation yet, please do so by Jan 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 RMHC South Central Ontario) at 10 Wood Duck Court Guelph ON N1C 1B1. Please be sure to add “100 Women Who Care Guelph” to the memo line.

Thank you from Immigrant Services Guelph-Wellington (Our October Charity)

Sandra Cocco, ED of Immigrant Services Guelph-Wellington returned to share the impact of the donation they received in October as our chosen charity.  Their original plan for the funds was to secure a farm house for temporary housing of asylum seekers requiring shelter.  While this did not come to fruition, an even better opportunity presented itself! They were able to find two other dwellings.  Sandra shared the impact to two families who were very grateful for the difference these resources made to their lives:

• A family of 8 was able to leave one room at a shelter and move into a 2-bedroom location with 5 beds.  They moved in on December 23^rd and have housing until March 31^st.  In addition, several other areas of support were provided including jobs for the parents, language assessment, food, the children registered in school and a Welcome Package.
• A couple expecting a child moved into a 2-bedroom basement apartment.  The father is now working and arranging with the landlord to take over rent payments.

For Sandra’s full comments, please see here.

You can also read the Press Release here – Press Release.

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

Meeting Kick Off and Updates
Our last meeting of 2024 began with a heartfelt thank you to our fabulous sponsors, Delta Hotels and Sandra Lastovic from Skip the Bank.
 
Ten years ago, when 100WWCG began, the fundraising goal was set at $500,000. This milestone was surpassed at our June meeting with a total reaching $509,667! We now have a new target of $1,000,000!  (The thermometer on the website has been updated accordingly).
 
There were six new members attending, which brings our membership total to 184. We had two recipients of the 3-year pins.  Starting in 2025, the 10-year pins make their debut!  The first pins will be given out at the January meeting.

The Three Nominated Charities

Here is a quick overview of the charities that were nominated for the meeting and the presentations:
 
1) Royal City Mission
Nominated by Sherri McIntyre & Presentation by Kevin Coghill, ED
 
Kevin began by sharing that the Royal City Mission had recently served its 50,000^th meal. He highlighted that the biggest need faced, however, is creating a feeling of belonging and welcome for people, which the Mission strives to provide. In addition to meals, other services include storage facilities to provide safe, dry places to keep belongings, group memorials to remember those who have passed, and outreach programs to offer support. There are many volunteers (400 in total, with a core of 70) and paid staff who deal with more complex needs like overdose.
 
At one point the Mission was open 7 days a week for 12 hours per day. It is currently open 5 days a week for 5 hours per day. While funding is received, it fluctuates. Funds from 100WWCG would be used to increase the number of days and hours the Mission is open.
 
2) North End Harvest Market
Nominated by Peggy Brightwell & Presentation by Barb McPhee, Market Manager
 
The North End Harvest Market was started 10 years ago to serve the North End of the city. They provide fresh produce to low income individuals and families. Every week they serve 284 people on a rotating schedule of 2 weeks (there is a Blue group and a Yellow group).Throughout the pandemic, they expanded their reach to serve other parts of the city. Recently North End Harvest Market has worked with other organizations to transition away from these areas and refocus their efforts on the North End.
 
A series of events have placed the group in a challenging position – fundraising suffered tremendously while Barb was hospitalized for a time, the group was forced to move from Waverly School to Trinity United Church, and demand continues to grow. Government funding has helped in the past, but the group is short on funds now. Money received from 100WWCG would be used to cover food purchases for the remainder of the year. Product is sourced through Seed Warehouse at a reduced cost and nothing is wasted.
 
3. Immigrant Services Guelph-Wellington
Nominated & Presentation by Sandra Cocco, CEO
 
Immigrant Services Guelph-Wellington is the only group that serves newcomers in our area. Started in 1978, they currently serve 4800 clients. While the mandate of Immigrant Services Guelph-Wellington is to serve as a bridge to connect this community with services, they increasingly need to find short term shelter for people, especially asylum seekers.
 
Asylum seekers face a unique challenge when coming to Canada. They cannot work initially which limits their access to government programs and makes it exceedingly difficult to secure housing upon arrival. Currently 61% of asylum seekers are in a shelter. Many of the shelters are at capacity and families in particular find it difficult to find a place to live. Immigrant Services Guelph-Wellington has an emergency fund that is used to house people for a short time in hotels. This fund has been significantly depleted based on increasing demand. A local non-profit has offered a house on its property for rent. The funds from 100WWCG would go towards securing this facility for the winter months.

Our Chosen Charity
Our chosen charity was Immigrant Services Guelph-Wellington!

If you haven’t sent in your $100 donation yet, please do so by October 30th.  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 Immigrant Services Guelph-Wellington) at 10 Wood Duck Court Guelph ON N1C 1B1

Thank you from Hope House Guelph  
(our June charity)

Hope House Guelph was the chosen charity from our June meeting. Jaya James, Executive Director of Hope House Guelph, joined us to provide an update on how the funds were used. You can read her full presentation on our website at this Link.
 
Here are some highlights:

• Eggs and milk were provided to 3042 individuals
• 150 eggs and 360 litres of milk were provided over 13 weeks
• Hope House measured the impact of the program to those they served:
  • 98% accessed healthy food
  • 89% said that their eating habits had improved
  • 79% reported improved mental health

 Jaya reminded us that there are two important aspects to non-profit work: front line support AND working to change the system to move beyond crisis mode.

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

Photo Courtesy of Crista Renner

June 24^th marked the end of the 10^th year of meetings for 100 Women Who Care Guelph!  Once again, we had a full room of attendees.  The meeting kicked off with a thank you to our generous meeting space sponsors – Sandra Lastovic at Skip the Bank and Delta Hotels.

We celebrated our 3 year and 5 year pin recipients (22 members for 3 years and 25 members for 5 years) and one of our recipients was in attendance and recognized.   Currently membership is at 176, with 170 pledging donations.  Our “thermometer” update reflected $496,516 donated to date, and with donations pouring in at the close of the meeting, we crossed the $500,000 threshold.

Our three nominated charities were:

• Hope House Guelph (www.hopehouseguelph.ca)
• Guelph Community Health Centre  – Pathways to Remembering (www.wgdrugstrategy.ca/donate)
• Chalmers Community Service Centre (www.chalmerscentre.ca)

Hope House Guelph: Nominated by Terrie Jarvis, Presentation by Jaya James

Jaya spoke about the impact that lack of affordable housing is having on our community.  Guelph is one of the most expensive cities in Canada in which to live, and many people are having to choose between shelter and food.  Hope House Guelph helps to address this food insecurity through their 9 food markets.  Jaya shared that many of the donations received through other charitable organizations are carbohydrates.  Hope House Guelph augments these donations by providing milk and eggs.  Their supplier is Equality Foods where they receive wholesale pricing and a 22% discount. In the last year alone there has been a 34% increase in demand and over the last 4 years expenses have increased from $50,000 to $300,000. If selected, the donation would go towards supplying these essential foods for 4-5 months (approximately 3000 people).

Guelph Community Health Centre – Pathways to Remembering: Nominated by Dianne Dance, Presentation by Jean Hopkins and Karen Lomax

This was the second time this year that Guelph Community Health Centre – Pathways to Remembering was presented. Jean and Karen reminded us of the terrible toll from drug poisoning death.  Last year 27 people in Guelph lost their lives in the last year, an increase of 17% over the previous year.  Their loved ones deal not only with tremendous loss, but also face the stigma often associated with drug poisoning death.  Karen shared her personal story of how community support can make an incredible difference.  Pathways to Remembering is a memorial meant to give a sanctuary to remember and grieve loved ones, and also provide a signal to the community that we stand together in support.  To date $17,000 of the required $50,000 has been raised to build the memorial.  If selected, the donation would be used towards completing the memorial in time for Overdose Awareness Day in August 2025.

Chalmers Community Service Centre: Nominated by Ali Jukes, Presentation by Janet Wood

Janet shared that Chalmers Community Service Centre began 27 years ago supporting single men in the downtown area.  In 2014 this grew to supporting families, and now 60% of the guests at Chalmers Community Service Centre are children.  Their services include nutritional food, hygiene products, Christmas bags, and clothes mending and tailoring.  Janet spoke to the growing food insecurity in our community and the need for fresh produce. Demand has grown by 30%. If selected, the donation would be used to provide groceries to their guests as they are currently having to turn people away.

Our Chosen Charity

Hope House Guelph
https://www.hopehouseguelph.ca

If you haven’t sent in your $100 donation yet, please do so by July 8th.  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 Hope House Guelph) at 10 Wood Duck Court Guelph ON N1C 1B1

Thank you from Guelph Wish Fund for Children (our April charity)

Jessica Hill from Guelph Wish Fund for Children, our selected charity in April, updated the group. The charity was also featured in the Globe and Mail.  Jessica shared the impact the $15,500 donation made:

• Aria suffers from a rare form of epilepsy.  Her family was able to purchase a monitor that would alert her family and doctor of seizures.  Previously one of her parents had to sleep with her.
• Macy loves camping.  Through the donations, her family was able to purchase a camper trailer.
• Weston, who is a wheelchair, can navigate his home more easily based on changes his family was able to make.
• Owen received a rock-climbing wall and water table in his home.
• Liam fulfilled his dream by taking the movie site tour of his favourite films in Hawaii.

She thanked 100WWCG for the gift of love, hope and joy that comes with precious memories.  For Jessica’s full comments, please click here. 

Photo Courtesy of Crista Renner

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

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

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