Our July Virtual Meeting Was a Great Success!

100 Women Who Care Guelph may not have been able to meet in person this quarter, but we weren’t deterred from finding a way to give to a deserving local charity.  As part of our “virtual” nomination and selection process, three charities selected in our nomination draw have made written presentations and members have reviewed them and voted. The process was remarkably smooth and feedback from members has been positive.  It’s great to know that in these difficult times, 100WWCG can still “go the distance” to make positive change within our community. 

The three charities nominated were:

• Children’s Foundation of Guelph-Wellington (Nominated by Karyn Kirkwood)
• Guelph Community Foundation’s Youth Hub Flow Through Fund (Nominated by Cyndy Forsyth)
• Lakeside Hope House (Nominated by Lorna Ronald.)

Children’s Foundation of Guelph-Wellington is the Recipient of our July 2020 Donation!

The contribution from 100WWCG will be used to support their Free to Grow at Home initiative, providing kits that will get kids’ hands and feet moving, spark their imagination, and support their learning and healthy childhood development, while also providing some respite for parents who have been parenting and teaching 24/7 during the COVID shut-downs.

Our donation will be put to work immediately through the purchase of supplies from local retail partners, to bring nutritious food, fun, creativity and learning to kids this summer.  For more information, follow this link to our most recent press release.

Food4Kids Guelph Says “Thank You!” For Our January Donation

As is the tradition at our quarterly meetings, the winning charity which is the recipient of the previous quarter’s donation, addresses the meeting and updates the group and provides an update on how the funds received have been used.  Terrie Jarvis, the Program Co-ordinator of Food4Kids, has provided a written transcript of her expression of thanks.  

Follow this link to see the text of her presentation.

What’s Next?

Like everyone else, the steering committee of 100 Women Who Care Guelph is working hard to plan for how the group proceeds in the future, given the changing situation related to COVID-19.  We are in discussions with the Delta Hotel, to firm up our meeting dates for 2020-21.  As soon as we have information about “in person” meetings, we will notify everyone by email and post information on the Upcoming Meetings page on our website.

Meanwhile, we would like to thank all of our members for their patience and support during this incredibly challenging time. The Guelph community is the major beneficiary of your commitment to give generously, even when life is complicated.

Thanks for all you do,

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

Our Three Nominated Charities Make Their Pitch!  

Due to ongoing COVID 19 concerns, 100 Women Who Care Guelph decided to replace our “in person” July meeting with a “virtual” nomination and selection process. To that end, we invited nominations for local charities to make presentations to our group. New nominations were vetted and previously qualified charities were also considered.   Sharon and Tannis drew names from a hat and created a video announcement which was circulated to members. 

Just in case you missed the opportunity to see the nomination draw, you can follow this link. 

We may not have a meeting room or a microphone for this meeting, but as part of our “virtual” nomination and selection process, the three charities selected in our nomination draw have been invited to make a brief written presentation to describe the work they do and how they would make use of a donation from 100 Women Who Care. 

*****

Karyn Kirkwood presents on behalf of 

Children’s Foundation of Guelph-Wellington

Follow this link to see Karyn’s written presentation.

*****

Cyndy Forsyth presents on. behalf of

Guelph Community Foundation’s Youth Hub Flow Through Fund

 Follow this link to Cyndy’s written presentation.

*****

Lorna Ronald presents on behalf of 

Lakeside Hope House

Follow this link to Lorna’s written presentation.

A New Year Brings a New Successful Charity!

Here is everything you need to know about the meeting on January 9th 2020…
AND
If you still have to submit your cheque, payment instructions are at the bottom

OR
 You can follow this link to make your payment online!

100 Women Who Care Guelph began 2020 with great excitement, new members and worthwhile new charities to support.  Sharon opened the meeting with thanks to Sandra Lastovic of Skip the Bank. a valued 100WWCG member and the generous sponsor of our meetings at the Delta Hotel.

Great News!
In the past five years, we have raised  $265,150  in support of local charities!

Sharon took the opportunity to thank the dedicated volunteers who work so hard to make our organization a success – our cheque collectors, Carol Dilworth and Peggy Brightwell and our volunteer co-ordinator, Erin Moore.

She also stressed that we still need people to step up and help 100WWCG.  After a year of laudible service Erin has stepped back from her position and we will need to find a replacement volunteer co-ordinator.  We are also still hoping to find someone who is interested in taking photographs at our monthly meetings.

If you or someone you know might be willing to step into one of these roles, please call us for details as soon as possible. Our next meeting is  April 7th, 2020 and we  would really like to fill these essential positions as soon as possible.

Contact Sharon (519-820-6822, [email protected] ) or Tannis ( 519-763-1172, [email protected]) for the specifics.

 

After opening remarks we drew names of charity nominees from the 100WWCG hat.

After Sharon’s opening remarks, Sheila Markle, the Executive Director of Family & Children’s Services of Guelph and Wellington County, drew the names of this quarter’s nominees from a hat and members listened intently to the selected charities’  presentations:

1. Cyndy Forsyth presented on behalf of Guelph Community Foundation’s Integrated Youth Services Initiative, a grassroots community initiative, led by the Rotary Club of Guelph, which would bring an integrated youth services centre to Wellington County and the City of Guelph.  Youth age 12-26 would be at the centre of, and have equal access to, a continuum of programs, from employment to mental health and addiction services.  Funds dedicated would be used to engage in outreach with local youth through workshops and activities, with the aim of establishing an effective service model for the organization’s target audience.
2. Wendy Clayson presented on behalf of Michael House, a pregnancy and parenting support service which provides programming and residential support to women coping with a crisis pregnancy.  This organization gives shelter to pregnant women and new mothers as well as affordable housing, after-care programming  and a drop-in program for existing clients.  Money donated would be earmarked for specialized staff training to deal with the challenges faced by pregnant women in crisis.
3. Terrie Jarvis presented on behalf of Food4Kids Guelph.  This organization bridges the weekend food gap for severely food-insecure children in our community.  Most Guelph children can get some food at school, Monday to Friday, but some go home to empty cupboards and fridges and struggle through weekends with little or no food. Food4Kids provides healthy food bags for those kids to take home from school for the weekend.  Money donated would be used to reduce numbers of children still on the waiting list for service in local schools.

After each presentation, members spent some time asking presenters for more information about the programs supported and the funding models of each organization. Following these astute and thoughtful questions, members took a few moments to make their choice and cast a vote.

 

Sheila Markle of Family & Children’s Services of Guelph and Wellington County, says, “Thank you.”

While members were voting, Sheila Markle, Executive Director of Family & Children’s Services of Guelph and Wellington County took the opportunity to thank members for our Meeting Twenty One donation.  To read the full transcript of her comments, follow this link.

Our donation will be used to increase the numbers of hungry children which Food4Kids Guelph can serve.

Follow this link to read our press release which provides even more information about this quarter’s chosen charity.

If you missed the meeting,  you can make your payment online by following this link!

Please arrange to make your donation as soon as possible.

 

Our First Meeting of Year Six
Congratulations to Our Successful Charity! 

Here’s your recap from the meeting of Thursday, October 17th
AND
If you still have to submit your cheque, payment instructions are at the bottom or
 You can follow this link to make your payment online!

100 Women Who Care Guelph began its sixth year with a return to the Delta Hotel, sponsored by our valued 100WWCG member, Sandra Lastovic of  Skip the Bank.

Sharon opened the meeting with thanks to our sponsors, acknowledged Sandra and her organization’s generosity and encouraged members to check them out at skipthebank.ca or on Instagram and Facebook.

Our recent move back to the Delta means that the sponsorship dollars formerly allocated to refreshments at the meetings have had to be re-allocated to room setup fees.  We need your help!

We are beyond grateful that Sandra Lastovic of Skip the Bank has continued her generous support for those room charges at The Delta Hotel for this year. But if we still want refreshments for these meetings we’ve got to find another sponsor.  If you or someone you know might be willing to take this on, please call us for details as soon as possible. Our next meeting is coming up fast on January 9th 2020 and we really need your help!

Contact Sharon (519-820-6822, [email protected] ) or Tannis ( 519-763-1172, [email protected]) for the specifics.

1. Jennifer Harrison presented on behalf of Community of Hearts.  This not-for-profit supports adults with developmental exceptionalities, to achieve success in curriculum-based quality programming, build self confidence and become more engaged in our community as they grow and learn. Program content teaches the three pillars of Self-Awareness, Self-Management & Self-Advocacy/Expression to ensure participants achieve the level of independence they desire.
2. Laurie Graham presented on behalf of  the  Canadian Improv Games.  This organization is dedicated to enriching the lives of youth with improvisational theatre programs that promote invaluable skills including positivity, communication, leadership, commitment and teamwork. This goal is achieved through a variety of annually programmed workshops, training sessions and performance opportunities.
3. Trish Schreiber presented on behalf of Family and Children’s Services of Guelph and Wellington’s Children First Fund.  This organization provides support to 16 to 18 year olds who are no longer eligible for foster care, and thus struggling to make it on their own. Children in that situation have no parental or family support, and find themselves adrift, living on their own with extremely limited financial resources.   .Members took the opportunity after each presentation to “drill down” into the details with each presenter.  Members asked for more information about the programs supported and the funding models of each organization. With presentations complete and questions answered, members took a moment to make a decision and cast a vote.

   John Gilbert, Events Co-ordinator of Hospice Wellington, says, “Thank you.”

   John Gilbert, Events Co-ordinator of Hospice Wellington took the opportunity to thank members for our Meeting Twenty donation.  To read the full transcript of his comments, follow this link.

   

   100 Women Who Care Guelph has chosen

   Family & Children’s Services
   of Guelph and Wellington County
   (The Children First Fund)
   as the recipient of our Meeting 21 donation!

   Our donation will be used to support kids in two different streams. If the child is going on to college or university, they will be provided with a $400 set-up kit consisting of a backpack and other necessary supplies. In the second stream, where kids have found work, $1000 worth of kitchen supplies, bedding, towels, and furniture will help them transition to living on their own.

   By following this link, you can read our press release which provides even more information about this quarter’s chosen charity.  

   If you missed the meeting,  you can make your payment online by following this link! Please arrange to make your donation as soon as possible.

    

   Congratulations to our new Three and Five Year Pin Recipients!

   Congratulations to our newest 3 Year Pin recipients!Congratulations to our newest 5 Year Pin recipients!

Our Fourth Meeting of Year Five
Three Enthusiastic Presentations – One Successful Charity!

Here’s your recap for last night’s meeting.
AND
If you still have to submit your cheque, payment instructions are at the bottom or
 You can follow this link to make your payment online!

In spite of Wednesday’s oppressive heat and the siren call of vacation time up at the lake, many members took the opportunity to attend our twentieth meeting and listen to new ways to support valuable community organizations.  With 153 committed donations, we knew that we had a chance to make a huge difference to a local not for profit.  We kicked off the evening with our networking session, including an option to have a glass of wine, sponsored by our valued 100WWCG member, Sandra Lastovic of  The Mortgage Centre.
Sharon began the meeting with some brief remarks.   She expressed the group’s sincere gratitude for Sandra Lastovic and her organization’s generosity and encouraged members to check them out skipthebank.ca or on Instagram and Facebook.   She also encouraged people who have missed donations, to catch up with our Canada Helps option for payment, by using the Donate Now button on our website – 100womenwhocareguelph.com. 

Members of the organizing team were thanked for their efforts to keep the group running smoothly and once again, Sharon sent out a request for a member who would act as our meeting photographer.  If anyone is willing to help us out, please contact Sharon Lewis (519) 780-0468 or Tannis Sprott (519) 763-1172 as soon as possible.

Sharon made a major announcement about next year’s meeting details…

First up, we will once again be holding our meetings at the Delta Hotel (corner of Stone Road and Gordon Street). The Delta has graciously agreed to reduce its rates to accommodate our group and  Sandra Lastovic and  skipthebank.ca will generously be sponsoring the setup costs for our meetings.

Our meeting dates for 2019/2020 are:

Thursday, October 17

Thursday, January 9 

Our Third Meeting of Year Five

Three Inspiring Presentations Yield One Successful Charity!

Here’s your recap for last night’s meeting.
AND
If you still have to submit your cheque, payment instructions are at the bottom or
 You can follow this link to make your payment online!

Spirits were high among members at our meeting on Wednesday night – perhaps it was the appearance of the sun on a day where Spring seems to be slow to bloom.  Perhaps it was just our enthusiasm to listen to new ways to support valuable community not-for-profits.  With 153 committed donations, we held our nineteenth meeting of 100 Women Who Care Guelph at Cutten Fields.

At 6:00  pm, we kicked off the evening with our networking session, sponsored by our valued 100WWCG member, Sandra Lastovic of The Mortgage Centre.   Sharon expressed the group’s sincere gratitude for Sandra and her organization’s generosity and encouraged members to check them out skipthebank.ca or on Instagram and Facebook.

Sharon also let those assembled know that several members had stepped forward to take on volunteer positions in charge of specific tasks which will help the organization.  At this point,  Erin Moore  has assumed the role of volunteer co-ordinator and Carol Dillworth and  Peggy Brightwell will be our cheque chasers. Sharon thanked our new volunteer “work crew”  for offering up their time to the organization and invited them to the front for a photo op. (missing from tonight’s admin team introduction was our charity nomination vetter, Lisa Hood).  We are still hoping a member will step forward to become our meeting photographer.  Interested members should contact Sharon Lewis (519) 780-0468 or Tannis Sprott (519) 763-1172 as soon as possible.

1. Lillian Wilson presented on behalf of Hospice Wellington.  This organization provides a variety of services to support those individuals of Wellington County living with a life-limiting illness, as well as to their families and caregivers.  Hospice Wellington offers group support programming, art therapy, one-to-one volunteer visiting, hospice palliative care in a 10-bed residence and Day Away respite for caregivers.  Money requested would be dedicated towards refurbishing the residence’s sun room, a comforting space where patients share memories, reflect and make final plans.
2. Lorna Ronald presented on behalf of Hope House,  a poverty relief organization which provides compassionate assistance, with the emphasis on providing clients with “a hand-up, rather than a handout”.  This organization’s initiatives include backpack and hamper drives and a free choice food market, as well as dental and haircut programs.  Money requested would be dedicated towards the Hope House community backpack program which provides children with a backpack filled with school supplies for the first day of a new year of school.
3. Margaret Middleton presented on behalf of  Society of St. Vincent de Paul, a lay catholic organization with branches found around the world, which has been active in our community for decades.   This organization has the goal of serving those in poverty among us with love, respect, justice and joy, regardless of religious affiliation, and with a heavy emphasis on the personal touch.  As part of that mandate, the organization supports local thrift stores within impoverished communities.  The Guelph thrift store is committed to providing emergency food, clothing, furniture and household items to its clients.  Money requested would be dedicated to a bed program which would furnish brand new clean beds to clients in need.After each presentation, we took the opportunity to dig a bit deeper into the charities with a few questions to clarify any issues which had not been addressed.  Members enthusiastically asked for more information about the programs supported by our targeted donations and funding models of each organization.  Once all presentations had been made and all questions were answered, members voted for this quarter’s successful charity.As members’ votes were being tallied, Jennifer Harrison, the administrator of last quarter’s successful charity, took the opportunity to  express her sincere thanks to members.  At a time when Rainbow Day Camp is facing cuts to grant money and when families with children who have special needs are seeing reductions in funding, the support we are providing through our January donation will  pay for 3 inclusion counselors for the entire summer – an incredible benefit to the organization and the children it serves. Members were thrilled to watch a short video which demonstrated the substantial impact their donations will make to this valuable Guelph community organization.To read the full transcript of her comments, follow this link.

And the successful charity is…

The second chosen charity of 2019 is Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Our donation is slated to be used to assist with their bed acquisition program.
By following this link, you can read our press release which provides even more information about this quarter’s chosen charity.  
If you missed the meeting, you’ll find instructions about how to send in your cheque below.
You can also make your payment online by following this link!

Please arrange to make your donation as soon as possible.

Congratulations to our newest 3 Year Pin recipients!

Our Second Meeting of Year Five

Three Great Presentations and One Successful Charity!

Here’s your recap for last night’s meeting.
AND
If you still have to submit your cheque, payment instructions are at the bottom or
 You can follow this link to make your payment online!

What a great way to start 2019!  It may have beencold outside, but we had warm hearts and plenty of enthusiasm as we focussed on great new initiatives for the New Year.  With 150 committed donations, we held our eighteenth meeting of 100 Women Who Care Guelph at Cutten Fields.

Our networking session, sponsored by our valued 100WWCG members Sandra Lastovic of The Mortgage Centre and Irene Szabo of  Home Group Realty, began at 6:00 pm.    It was great to hear from Sharon ‘s introductory remarks, that once donations for this evening’s successful charity have been collected, 100WWCG will have raised more than $220,000 for local charities!

Sharon also highlighted the importance of recruiting some members to assist the administration team in performing some of the tasks which are required to keep 100WWCG running like a well-oiled machine.  Many hands really do make light work!  The team is currently looking for people to fill these volunteer positions:

• Meeting photographer
• Press release writer
• Social media (Facebook, Twitter) representative
• Cheque chaser
• Occasional meeting MC
• Volunteer Co-ordinator

What volunteers would be committing to:

• a few hours a month or a quarter (varies depending on the task)
• one or two admin meetings a year (comes with wine and snacks!)

We are looking for people who:

• are energetic, fun, playful
• have a positive approach
• are organized and timely
• love to brain storm
• can regularly attend meetings

Interested members should contact Sharon Lewis (519) 780-0468 or Tannis Sprott (519) 763-1172 as soon as possible.

After Sharon’s short presentation, Gail Hoekstra, Executive Director of The Drop In Centre, drew the names of this quarter’s nominees from a hat, and our charity presentations began in earnest.

1. Jennifer Harrison presented on behalf of Rainbow Day Camp.  This program offers Guelph and the surrounding area a summer recreational day camp experience for children and youth, providing quality programs in a caring, open and inclusive environment which embraces diversity and encourages personal growth, according to each individual’s  strengths, needs and abilities.. Using a “real life” story,  Jennifer stressed the important impact that the Rainbow Day Camp experience has on the empathy that kids and their families have for others.
2.  Wendy Clayson presented on behalf of Michael House, .a pregnancy and parenting support service which provides programming and residential support to women coping with crisis pregnancy.  Wendy read an inspiring note from a previous client who attested to the positive impact she had experienced at Michael House and how it had changed her life.
3. Greta Najcler presented on behalf of  Community of Hearts. This not-for-profit supports adults with developmental exceptionalities, to achieve success in curriculum-based quality programming, build self confidence and become more engaged in our community as they grow and learn. Program content teaches the three pillars of Self-Awareness, Self-Management & Self-Advocacy/Expression to ensure participants achieve the level of independence they desire.

There was an opportunity after each presentation for members to ask a few questions and clarify any .issues that might not have been addressed by presenters.   Members enthusiastically asked for more information about the programs offered and funding models employed by each of the nominees.  Once all presentations had been made and all questions were answered, members voted for this quarter’s successful charity.

Our First Meeting Of Year Five

A great new location, three fantastic presentations and one successful charity!

Here’s your recap for last night’s meeting. AND If you still have to submit your cheque, payment instructions are at the bottom or  You can follow this link to make your payment online

We kicked off our seventeenth meeting of 100 Women Who Care Guelph in a great new venue at Cutten Fields, with 153 committed donations.  What a great way to start our fifth year! Our networking began at 6:00 pm, graciously sponsored by our valued 100WWCG members Irene Szabo of  Home Group Realty and Sandra Lastovic of The Mortgage Centre.  Sharon Lewis delivered introductory remarks to the group and told members that once donations for this evening’s successful charity had been collected, 100 Women Who Care Guelph will have raised more than $200,000 for local charities!  She also noted that charities nominated in the first two years of our operation can now qualify for re-nomination. Sharon also announced the retirement of Diane Nelson, one of our friends and founding members.  She provided a bit of the history behind Diane’s role in the creation of 100WWCG and expressed our sincere thanks for her considerable contribution of time, attention and inspiration to our group.  Tannis and Sharon presented Diane with a beautiful bouquet and she spent a few moments at the podium thanking the group and saying a final “Farewell!”

1. Rosemary Fernandes-Walker presented on behalf of Guelph Y, in support of programming for women and girls.  Monies donated would be used to sponsor financially disadvantaged women who have been invited to attend the Women of Distinction Gala and to provide support to The Power of Being YOU, a conference which brings together fem-identified youth from grades 7 and 8, to discuss matters affecting girls and young women.
2.  Peggy Brightwell presented on behalf of Hospice Wellington, a community organization which provides a multitude of services to support individuals of Wellington County (including their families and caregivers), living with a life-limiting illness. Their kitchen program emphasizes the importance of “breaking bread” to the emotional well-being of their clients, and Hospice Wellington is interested in purchasing specialized tables and chairs in support of that initiative.
3. Barb MacKay presented on behalf of The Drop In Centre, a community space in downtown Guelph which offers a multitude of services, especially for those living on a limited income. It provides a place to meet with friends and have a meal, access shelter if needed, and connect with support services to improve quality of life, regardless of gender, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, or any other factor.  The centre would like to use funds donated to provide an emergency medical fund for clients in need.

Each presentation was followed by a short question and answer session where nominators provided any additional information members might need to make an informed decision.

While members’ votes were being counted, we listened to a heartfelt and truly inspiring “Thank you!” from Michelle Henderson, the Executive Director of Shelldale Family Gateway. Michelle described the powerful impact the 100WWCG donation has made to the Onward Willow Community –  If you help children, you help families, and if you help families you help children. Michelle told members that our donation had been used to target programs and services which have been underfunded, including purchases of food, socks, and running shoes, inclusion support needs, and the provision of extra staffing.  Her enthusiasm and passion for the organization she represents was inspiring.  To read the full transcript of her comments, follow this link.

Drumroll Please… Our first chosen charity of Year Five is The Drop In Centre.  Funds will be earmarked for a medical crisis fund which will provide support to clients in need of such things as hearing, vision and dental care, as well as some prescription products and personal care items which are essential for day to day existence.  By following this link, you can read our press release which provides even more information about this quarter’s chosen charity.   Once again, we had a ceremony and photo session to celebrate members who qualify for 3 year pins.  It is such a positive experience to see  that our membership continues to grow and be sustained by women who are committed to  making a difference within our local community.

Our sixteenth meeting of 100 Women Who Care Guelph demonstrated that even during the hazy hot days of Summer, our members are committed to supporting local community organizations!  In spite of a torrential rainstorm which deluged Guelph an hour before our quarterly meeting, members braved the elements and joined us for a chance to listen to eloquent speakers making inspiring presentations for their chosen charities.

We started off the evening with refreshments and a networking event sponsored by Irene Szabo of Home Group Realty and Sandra Lastovic of The Mortgage Centre, valued members of 100WWCG.

Sharon Lewis delivered introductory remarks to the group, noting that at this last meeting of year four, 100 Women Who Care Guelph has 150 committed donations (individual donors and teams) and that the thermometer total at this time stands at $182,450.  She also noted that at the conclusion of the meeting, we would have the opportunity to award 3 year pins to another 23 members.

Sharon informed members that we have encountered a challenge related to the venue we use at our quarterly meetings.  Due to a corporate ownership change, the Guelph Delta Hotel has re-evaluated our arrangement with them and will no longer be able to provide free accommodations for those meetings.Sharon outlined three options which face the group moving forward:

1. 100WWCG could continue to hold meetings at the the Delta and every member would pay a nominal fee (approximately $10 per year) to cover the cost of room rental.
2. We could continue to hold meetings at the the Delta, but seek sponsorship from area businesses to cover the cost.
3. We could search for another location which would be available to 100WWCG, at no cost.

Members present were given an index card and asked to vote on these three options.

We are asking any member who was unable to attend last evening’s meeting to take a moment, follow this link and fill out a brief survey which will let us know your opinion on this critical issue.  Deadline for completion of the online poll is
July 31st, 2018. 
Once all votes have been tallied, we will notify all members by email.

After  a thorough discussion of this issue, members listened to presentations from three very inspiring nominators:

**************************************

1. Amber Wood presented on behalf of Habitat for Humanity, an organization which mobilizes volunteers and community partners in building affordable housing and promoting home ownership as a means to breaking the cycle of poverty. Habitat for Humanity offers a zero down payment, interest-free mortgage, with payments which are geared to income.

 

2.   Suzanne Longpre presented on behalf of  Shelldale Family Gateway, a community hub located in the Shelldale Centre.  Their multicultural approach strives to meet the needs of the Onward Willow community, offering programs and client support in more than 29 languages.  With a focus on children, they offer residents of this underprivileged neighbourhood a variety of programs including preschool and early literacy programs, a breakfast club, an after school program for teens, adult ESL, a women’s circle and a summer camp program.

3.   Karen McElroy presented on behalf of Pet Protect Guelph, a pet fostering program to help people who are precariously housed, women fleeing domestic violence, individuals recovering from a medical procedure and those who are seeking addictions treatment. Through their affilliation with  Guelph Neighbourhood Support Coalition, it is the organization’s mission to provide a temporary, safe home for pets with selected foster families, while using science-based practices to optimize animal welfare.

 

Following each presentation, members asked a variety of questions about each organization, the clients they serve and their funding models.  This is a very important aspect of our meetings, because the more we know about the charities who present, the better we will understand their mission and value to the community.  Your engagement with our presenters is essential to our mission.  Most important, our members’ continued generosity is key to 100WWCG’s success and the success of the charities we sponsor.

While member votes were being counted,  Teresa Waldner, the manager of Community Services for the VON Waterloo Wellington Dufferin (Victorian Order of Nurses), delivered an enthusiastic “Thank you!” to the group, She told members that VON rarely sees single donations of this size and that the funds donated will be used to provide increased service levels in our area, particularly related to program accessibility and mobility.  To read the full transcript of her comments, follow this link.

 

 

Following this heartfelt presentation, we learned that our July selected charity is Shelldale Family Gateway. When pledges come in from all members, our contributions will be directed towards providing  support to valuable ongoing services for families in the Onward Willow Community.   You can read more about these exciting plans in Tannis’s press release online.   We look forward to hearing about the impact of that donation at our next meeting, in the Fall of 2018.

As the last order of business for the evening, Sharon handed out 3 year pins to qualified members and photos were taken of pin recipients in attendance at the meeting.
If you missed the meeting, you’ll find instructions about how to send in your cheque below.  We are also offering the option of making your payment online! 

 

Please arrange to make your donation as soon as possible.

Our Third Meeting of Year Four

Three uplifting presentations and one successful charity!

 If you missed the meeting, we’re happy to provide a recap…
AND
If you still have to submit your cheque, payment instructions are at the bottom.
You are now able to make payments online, as well!

Our fifteenth meeting of 100 Women Who Care Guelph once again demonstrated the commitment of our 165 members, to supporting local community organizations!  In spite of an ice storm which forced the postponement of our quarterly meeting, members rearranged their schedules and came out one week after the original scheduled date, for a chance to listen to enthusiastic speakers making compelling  presentations for their chosen charities.

We started off the evening with our new pre-meeting networking event sponsored by Irene Szabo of Sotheby’s Realty and Sandra Lastovic of The Mortgage Centre, valued members of 100WWCG.

Diane Nelson delivered introductory remarks to the group, thanking everyone for rearranging their schedules and gave special thanks to the Delta Hotel, for making it possible for us to re-book our meeting on short notice.  She also informed members that representatives from Best Version Media (Guelph) were in the audience and would be interested in taking a photograph of our group for publication in one of their local neighbourhood magazines. In light of the fact that there were several new members present, Diane reviewed the charity selection and voting process and took this opportunity to remind members that they have the option of making their donations by cheque or online through our website.

We listened to presentations from three very passionate nominators:

1. Joan Bruder presented on behalf of The Julien Project, a community-based charitable
   

   Joan Bruder presented on behalf of “The Julien Project”

   organization that provides social and therapeutic gardening opportunities for people of diverse backgrounds and abilities, enabling personal growth, community membership, and environmental well-being.  Based at the Ignatius Jesuit Centre, the initiative offers a variety of horticultural programs designed to heal people holistically.  Programs are offered to schools, special needs clients and people served by Hope House.

2. Cathy Bulych presented on behalf of  VON Waterloo Wellington Dufferin (Victorian Order of Nurses), a charitable home and community care organization which offers home care, personal support, and community services designed to help people of all ages to get healthy and stay healthy.  Volunteers provide respite care, Meals on Wheels and transportation to medical and rehab programs for seniors and those dealing with long term illness.
3. Stacy Cooper presented on behalf of  Habitat for Humanity, an organization which mobilizes volunteers and community partners in building affordable housing and promoting home ownership as a means to breaking the cycle of poverty. Habitat for Humanity offers a zero down payment, interest-free mortgage, with payments which are geared to income. All partner families and individuals and individuals are required  to contribute up to 500 hours of “sweat equity” by volunteering in construction, office work and fundraising.

Following each presentation, members asked a variety of very insightful questions.  This is so important, because the more we know about the charities who present, the better we will understand their mission and value to the community.  Your engagement with our presenters is essential to our mission and as always, our members’ continued generosity is key to 100WWCG’s success and the success of the charities we sponsor.

While member votes were being counted, Steve Kraft of Guelph Public Library gave a wholehearted “Thank You!” to members for our January donation, which was used to purchase Early Literacy Stations for branch libraries within the system.  These stations, valued at approximately $4,000 a piece, provide a wide variety of learning experiences including reading, writing, phonics, math, science and social studies to children aged 2 to 8 years.   Most important, the units provide a learning experience which is engaging and entertaining for children, fostering a love of the library experience and incredible enthusiasm for learning.  The library had a goal of installing two of each of these ELS in each branch and our donation has substantially helped to achieve that goal.

Following his very entertaining presentation, Stephanie Birt of Blue Ocean Office Supplies handed out 3 year pins to qualified members and photos were taken of pin recipients and of the members in attendance at the meeting.

Once these activities disbanded, we learned that our April 2018 selected charity is VON Waterloo Wellington Dufferin (Victorian Order of Nurses).  When pledges come in from all members, our contributions will be directed towards providing subsidies for seniors and disabled clients who lack adequate funding to make use of their services. We look forward to hearing about the impact of that donation at our next meeting, on July 16, 2018.  You can read more about these exciting plans in Tannis’s press release online.

If you missed the meeting, you’ll find instructions about how to send in your cheque below.  We are also offering the option of making your payment online!