“Once again, thank you for making South Dundas an even better place to be because you are here,” said Janeen Wagemans, who, with Tracey Veinotte, Christyn Veinotte, and a team of volunteers, organized a highly successful 100 Women Who Care About South Dundas event, Thursday, May 12, 2016.
This was the second annual gathering of the 100 Women Who Care, a group of 100 (plus) women in the community who care deeply about their community and are passionate about contributing to its health and vitality. At the Thursday evening event, 157 registered women, with the $3,000 support of Scotiabank, committed a total of $17,700 toward community not-for-profit groups and projects.
Ten South Dundas groups put forward presentations at Upper Canada Playhouse where the event was held. “We were pleased that we had a fine list of contenders this year,” Wagemans said.
Camp Erin, a grief support camp for children, was awarded $8,000. The Dundas Food Bank received $5,800 and Iroquois-Morrisburg Waterfront Committees were presented with $3,900 following the evening’s on site balloting.
Donnie Bowes, artistic director of Upper Canada Playhouse, provided the venue for the event. Guests enjoyed fingers foods, and also had the opportunity to win a number of beautiful donated door prizes.
Isabelle Delage added an entertainment element to the evening, as Scotiabank volunteers tabulated votes, performing her song “Small Things” which reminded people musically that “the small things add up to the big things.”
As part of the evening, recipients of last year’s funding were on hand to explain to the audience how those donations had been used over the year.
Rosemary Laurin reported that the South Dundas Playground Committee’s $4,000 ensured that the Splashpad was completed on time and opened to area children by the second week of July. “It was a completion piece for our playground,” Laurin said.
Janet Levere, on behalf of the J.W. McIntosh Senior Support Centre, which received $6,000 in 2015, reported that the Centre served 676 individuals in the community through its programs like respite service, adult day care, Meals on Wheels, home care and assistance for those with physical disabilities.
Bob Petruniak of the Dundas Hospice, which was presented with $10,000 in 2015, said that his organization was able to install a heating and cooling system in their ‘rural visiting hospice’ house in Williamsburg. “Our goal is to try and make every day count for people facing life limiting illnesses,” Petuniak said. “Because of the support of 100 Women, our clients were very comfortable and grateful, and love their new home.”
This year’s winners explained to the audience how they planned to use the generous gifts given to them through the Women Who Care.
Jim Wilson and Brian Veinotte said the Waterfront Committees plan to purchase landscaping materials, trees and benches with their $3,900. “We are trying to re-establish the connection between our communities and the river, to create the waterfront we envision. We intend to put up signage to indicate the works funded by this group.”
Celeste Guse and Ian McKelvie, who represented the Dundas Food Bank, explained that the Food Bank, which serves 1,000 people in South Dundas, would use its award of $5,800 to help pay off the five year loan the board assumed when it took over the old Morrisburg Library and undertook mandatory renovations to the site. “Our hope is not to dip into the funds we use to pay for our clients’ needs as we pay off our loan.”
Eric Duncan spoke on behalf of Camp Erin, a grief support camp for children of Eastern Ontario, which was given $8,000 by 100 Women Who Care. With time purchased from Rideau Hill Camp, supplies and a professional staff at hand, Camp Erin provides a place for children who have “experienced the loss of a parent, sibling or loved one. We deal with fragile children. Along with the camping experience, we give kids (and their families) the chance of grief counselling, building lasting bonds, and sharing their common struggles,” said Duncan.
While no campers are charged a fee at Camp Erin, its organizers will use the $8,000 to set up a reserve fund exclusively to cover South Dundas families who need to use the camp.
At the conclusion of the evening, Janeen Wagemans, on behalf of 100 Women Who Care About South Dundas, told the various groups who had applied for funding, “We appreciate what you do for the community, all of you. And after Fort McMurray, I think we all hold our communities a little closer.”
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