Karen Baillie, left, Michelle Davey, centre, and Crystal Murray are spearheading a new project that will empower 100 women to give back to the their community. Registration is now open for people who want to be part of 100 Women Who Care Pictou County. Sueann Musick – The News
On Friday, June 19, the organizers of 100 Women Who Care Pictou County intend to hold their first meeting and at the end of the evening they will make their first $10,000 donation to a local non-profit group.
“We are following in the footsteps of other groups that are popping up all over Canada and the United States,” said local co-founder Michelle Davey. “Each one of these chapters proves that a committed group of like-minded women can have tremendous impact.”
Working with Davey to rally the 100 women needed to hold the first meeting are Karen Baillie and Crystal Murray.
“We are in the recruitment stage,” said Baillie, who lives in Truro, but has roots in Pictou. “We will be reaching out through social media, email, print and word of mouth. We want to network through businesses and with any woman living in or from Pictou County. As a member of the Truro group, it has been an amazing and empowering experience to see the impact that our donations can make. I am so pleased to be able to help create this amazing experience in Pictou County as it is still “home to me.”
The principal rules that all chapters follow are simple. All women who register to be part of the group commit to a $100 donation four times a year. Prior to and at each quarterly meeting, all members have the opportunity to nominate a local charity. All the nominations are then put into a random draw. From here, three organizations are selected and invited to present their need for funding. Members then vote for one of the presenters. The vote is counted and organized and the most votes wins. An envelope is then passed among the members who write or add their cash and the money goes out the door that night with the winning group. The non-profit issues the tax receipts to the individual members.
“It is a very efficient method of giving,” said Murray. “I will hear lots of women say they would like to give back to their community, but they just don't have time to volunteer and/or they don’t feel that they have a lot of money to make a difference. This is a great mechanism that takes very little time and not a huge financial commitment.”
The organization also makes room for members who cannot afford the annual $400 tax-deductible commitment. Chapter bylaws also create opportunity for teams of up to four to share the donation at each quarterly meeting. The group is open to women of all ages.
The date and location of the first meeting will be announced in the near future. For more information or to register, visit the group’s Facebook page at 100 Women Who Care Pictou County or its website, www.100wcpc.com
