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.