MORRISBURG – For the past four years, 100 Women Who Care South Dundas has given out over $70,000 in support to projects benefitting residents in South Dundas. Now, a group of men in South Dundas want to do their part as well. One-hundred Men of South Dundas has been founded and will hold its first event November 6th.
“It’s kind of a weird thing how it all happened,” said Mark Lewis, one of the event organizers. “Some of the guys were at the men’s breakfast at St. James Anglican and said they’d like to see us do something as a group.”
He told The Leader that he had been thinking about this for a while.
“I asked, what about this 100 men thing?”
Lewis felt like it would be a great cause and a good way to do something in the community.
The idea got some traction at subsequent breakfasts this spring.
“If we’re going to do this, then let’s just do it,” he said.
Lewis went ahead and booked the legion and started thinking of guys to draft on to a committee to organize the event.
Lewis told them, “let’s meet, and bring as many people along as you can.”
Enter Jack Barkley, Perry Swank, Jim Millard, Chuck Irvine, and Wally Baker. Irvine brought along John Gleed to help with the website.
Originally the group planned to hold their event in September but decided that this might have been a bit “ambitious”. The group opted to move it to Tuesday, November 6th.
“It’s all booked and confirmed, ready to go,” Lewis said.
He said the group is billing the event as “100 men, 100 dollars, 100 minutes”.
The only stipulations so far on groups applying for funds is that they cannot have received money from 100 Women Who Care in South Dundas or North Dundas in the last year.
“There are so many good causes out there, it’s good to spread things around,” Lewis said.
He added that a men’s South Dundas group and a women’s South Dundas group will balance each other well.
“That’s one reason why it’s good we’re doing something in the fall.”
A group, led by North Dundas mayor Eric Duncan, is starting to organize in that area as well.
Groups interested in applying for the 100 men event need to fill out a form on its website: https://www.100mensd.com/.
Each group that applies will be vetted by the committee, mainly to ensure that the applying group can issue charitable tax receipts and that they have a plan for use.
“That is the big thing for people who are putting down $100,” he said. “We want to give to organizations and groups in the area where there is a need, and to something that serves South Dundas.”
Once the applications close, the groups will be pared down to 10, and will have to make a three-minute presentation at the event.
Each person who attends and puts down $100 that night gets a vote, the group receiving the most votes wins.
“It operates the same way that 100 women does,” Lewis said.
If the event has more than 100 men, then more money will be given out to other groups.
“It will all depend on how much groups ask for, and how many men attend,” he said.
“For me, its just about bringing a bunch of guys together, networking, spend an evening and reacquainting with people maybe we haven’t seen in a while, and just spending some guy time.”
Lewis said he hopes the event is appealing to men who want to do something for the community, but may not have the time.
“For people who are really busy, with kids and work, they can give up two hours and feel like they have done some good when they leave.”
Lewis said the 100 Women who Care South Dundas group have been very supportive of the men’s group starting up. That said, the event will look different from the women’s event.
“There won’t be treat bags and door prizes,” he said. “While we’re counting the ballots, go have another beer or talk with some people.”
Lewis is hopeful that a little friendly competition between the upstart men’s group and the veteran women’s group will help make both groups do well.
“We’re really excited about putting this event together,” Lewis said. He joked that the group “certainly didn’t want to let the women out-do us guys in South Dundas.”
100 Men of South Dundas will meet November 6th at the Morrisburg Legion, the group is open to everyone. Meeting starts at 7 p.m.