With a year under its belt, the fledgling 100+ Women Who Care group in Chatham-Kent has increased its membership to 96 and has provided more than $32,000 to four local charitable organizations.
Chapter leaders Quinn O’Hara Lassaline and Rachel Raspbuerg were at the Adult Language and Learning Centre in Chatham recently to give out the final and largest cheque of their first year; $10,550 for the Newcomer Youth Syrian Refugee program.
Raspburg said the organization recruits women to gather four times a year to nominate a charitable organization. Three names are chosen randomly from a hat, and those three people make a presentation on behalf of the charitable group, explaining why that group deserves the funding. All the members vote for one of the three and the winner is the recipient of $100 from each member.
“It’s been one year and we’ve had four meetings so far,” O’Hara Lassaline explained. “We are continuing to grow and encouraging people to join. Being able to see the impact it makes – that’s why we do it. It’s an amazing group to be a part of.”
Raspburg said they are always looking for more members and sponsors like The Retro Suites, who provide the meeting room four times a year for the group.
Tracy Callaghan, executive director at the Centre, and board chair Anne Gooch, said they were so impressed with the Care group, they decided to become members.
“All the money goes directly to the charity,” Callaghan said, who likes the ease of four meetings a year and the generosity of all the women involved.
The next meeting is Aug. 30 and group can be reached at 100womenwhocarechathamkent.com or visit their Facebook page 100+ Women Who Care Chatham-Kent.
