A new initiative linking generous women in Oliver, Osoyoos and Okanagan Falls to local charities is gaining steam in the region.
The newest chapter of 100 Women Who Care will hold its first meeting April 4, bringing together women from the three communities to give a local charity a financial boost.
The chapter is part of the 100 Who Care Alliance, a loose organization of groups dedicated to supporting local charities across North America.
The idea behind the group is simple: a large group of women get together and agree on a charity they would like to support. Each member writes a cheque to that charity, and the combined money ends up as a substantial donation.
Lisa Waines is the driving force behind the new initiative. She started it up after learning about the 100 Who Care Alliance from its Kelowna chapter.
She said she likes the idea because it provides an easy way for busy people to give charitably, while knowing their money will stay in their community.
“It just sounded really neat. We’re all busy, and not to say that we don’t want to volunteer, but we’re all busy, and this is just a neat way to give back,” Waines said.
Waines, who along with Ashley Moura and Petra Veintimilla is organizing the first meeting of the group, explained how the selection process will work.
Interested charities can contact her and get put on a master list. Three will be randomly selected, and the night of the meeting they will all give a short presentation outlining what they would use the money for.
That night the group votes on which organization to support (the only requirement is that all the money stays in the community), and everyone writes a cheque for $100. By the end of the night one local charity walks away with a sizeable donation.
No membership is required to attend the April 4 meeting, just an RSVP and a commitment to write a cheque at the end of the night.
Along with the donation, Waines said the event is also a great way for women to network and socialize. Additionally, the charities that aren’t selected still get their message into the ears of everyone in attendance.
“I just thought it was a neat way for charities to bring awareness to their cause [and] a great way for women to network and socialize,” Waines said.
Waines said the 100 Who Care system also has the benefit of having a very low overhead, as all the money goes directly from the participants to the charity on the night its members vote, requiring essentially zero administration.
“I didn’t want to start something where I need to start taking funds in and babysitting money,” she explained.
“No money is exchanging hands” outside of the cheque the women write to the charity, and the small cost of supplies will be paid for out of her and her co-organizers’ pockets.
Waines said she isn’t sure what the future of the group will look like, but that she hopes it grows and ladies keep coming to their biannual meetings.
If the idea catches on, she said, hopefully every charity in the region will eventually get selected.
“I’m really excited,” she said.
By Trevor Nichols
