By Pepper Parr
March 27, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
Someone suggested it might be called drive through charity and while that is an apt description – there is nothing passive about the way the 52 members of a group take out their cheque books to aid others – on the spot. No committee meetings – they just up and do it.
Last night the group, 100 Women Who Care, met at Tansley Woods and in under an hour and a half heard Adrienne Gosse explain what the Burlington Humane Society was doing with the $3800 they were given in January, listened to short, short presentations and passed on $5200.
The general flow of the meeting is: introductions; ask for nominations; randomly pick three names, listen to presentations by each of the nominees and then vote for the charity of choice for this meeting.
Out came the cheque books – “what’s the date today” and as fast as that $5200 went to the Halton Women’s Place.
Ballots are handed out – the chosen charity named and out came the cheque books. The Halton Women’s Place representative went home knowing they had $5200 more to work with.
There was no one talking minutes – they don’t have a secretary, there is no treasurer – they don’t handle the money – they are just the channel the cheques run through to get from the donor to the recipient.
They are called the 100 Women Who Care Burlington and it works.
The women who show up four times a year chit-chat the way women do and pay attention to what the speakers are saying.
Adrianne Gosse, shelter manager at the Burlington Humane Society telling the 100 Women Who Care what her organization did with he funds they were given.
Last night there was a presentation from the Burlington Big Brothers and Sisters, the Junior League and the Halton Women’s Shelter. Each presentation was less than ten minutes. Ballots were handed out, filled in, counted, the winner announced and the cheques written. Not every member manages to get to the group meeting. Those that don’t make it to the meeting get an email telling them who is being given funds and cheques are made out to that organization.
The drive by charity comment came from someone who remarked on how simple and direct it all is. Any member can fill in a nomination form on the spot, and assuming there is a person from the group nominated, they can speak and if the members present vote for that group they go home with the cheques in their purse.
Amazing – its just DONE!
Meagan and Pat, two of the 100 Women Who Care, tidy up before going home.
This is the second meeting the group has held – there are now 52 members. Once they reach their objective of 100 members – they will meet four times a year and raise $40,000 that gets put into the community service sector of the city.
No fuss, not a lot of noise. Just ordinary women meeting once a month, doing what they think is right because they are able to.
Do you want to join? Check out their Facebook page, send a message to Laurel Hubber and you’re in. She will tell you when the group meets – bring your cheque book.
Background links:
Support went to the dogs the first time.
