September 2021 News Brief
WRWF President’s Opening Message
WRWF President, Terri Bullock
In my two years as president of our 340-member organization rarely has a month gone by without some unexpected twist. This month was no exception as I received two Board resignations: Board Member and Grants Coordinating Committee Co-Chair Patti Zebrowski and Treasurer and Finance Chair, Carol Jensen. Each of these women have contributed greatly to our growth as an organization and we appreciate their service to WRWF.
The good news is the leadership capabilities and talent in our organization runs deep and wide. I am delighted to let you know that Trinka Dyer will step in as interim Treasurer and Finance Chair. Trinka is a Board member, a former CPA, and has conducted our internal financial reviews for the past two years. As a current member of the Finance Committee her willingness to step up promises a seamless transition.
Given the immediate need to understand our Grants cycle and calendar, I have appointed Sandy McCullough to work with the grants team during this leadership transition. As the Board’s lead on Grants, Sandy’s role will be to seek clarity around the Committee’s immediate resource needs, make certain that the team has support moving forward, and transition this important committee to a revamped leadership team. In three of the last six years, Sandy has participated in our grants process and currently serves as Board Secretary on our Executive Committee. During her tenure, Sandy led the team that created the Communications infrastructure we enjoy today.
As we begin our 2021/22 Grant cycle, I have every confidence that the work of the Grants Committee will be fully supported by the many committed volunteers that help deliver this critical piece of our mission. Both Sally Halstead and Dianne Tibbs-Johnson, current Grants Coordinating Committee (GCC) members, remain dedicated to their roles, with Sally now serving as the senior lead on the GCC. To Sally, Dianne, the team co-chairs and the dozens of volunteers who are giving their time and talent to this year’s grants cycle, you have my deepest gratitude for your continuing service.
Our mission remains strong. And like our members, the Board continues to demonstrate resourcefulness, collaboration and commitment to our purpose. As your president, I choose not to be distracted by bumps in the road and instead look at change as an opportunity to make our organization even stronger.
I am always open for a phone call, a coffee chat or a walk and talk, with any member who has a question or a concern.
Warmly,
Terri Bullock
Grantee Spotlight: Wood River Trails Coalition
Trail Boss trainees get hands-on experience out on Alden Gulch
(Photos courtesy of The Wood River Trails Coalition)
If you were fortunate enough to hike the Prairie – Miner Lake loop this summer, you probably experienced the Wood River Trails Coalition newly-minted “Trail Bosses” at work. Putting their 2021 WRWF grant to immediate use, the WRTC trained six new Trail Bosses to lead volunteers as they worked on our trails. So far the volunteer program has completed 600 hours of work and maintained 56 miles of trail. Designed to improve volunteer retention, the new program is off to a great start as one of the new leaders also received their first aid and chainsaw certifications.
The WRTC collaborates with the Blaine County Recreation District, the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service – Ketchum Ranger District to help keep our trails maintained for the rest of us to enjoy. A heartfelt shout out to all of the hard-working volunteers; we are so very thankful for your service!
Grantees In the News
Hunger Coalition staff (L-R back row) Blanca Romero, Jeanne Liston, Tommy Green join Bloom Youth Project interns (L-R front row) Jamie, Lily, Jocelyn and Betzy in front of the Bloom Food Truck & Bookmobile to prepare to lead the Bellevue Labor Day parade!
From Sun Valley to Bellevue, parades brought together the Wood River Valley community to celebrate the end of summer. We are thrilled that multiple-time WRWF grant recipient, The Hunger Coalition, was honored as the Grand Marshal of the 96th annual Bellevue Labor Day Parade. The Hunger Coalition proudly showcased the staff, volunteers, and donors who all support their mission to “build a healthy community through access to good food.”
WRWF 2021 Grantee, Alliance of Idaho, was featured in the Idaho Mountain Express this month for their role in aiding Afghan families who are fleeing their home country in the wake of the Taliban takeover. The Alliance is answering a cry for help from the American Immigration Lawyers Association by assisting Afghan families with humanitarian parole applications. Pivoting from their traditional work of assisting South American asylum seekers, the Alliance is contributing to this urgent effort. To read the full article click here.
The Hailey Public Library is hosting a powerful poster exhibit commemorating the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Developed by the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York City, the exhibit marks the two decades since the attacks, and runs through September 30. To learn more, click here.
Board Takes Next Step in Legacy Giving;
Quasi-Endowment Approved!
At this month’s meeting, the Board took the next step and unanimously approved the establishment of a board-designated, or quasi-endowment, where we will invest and manage a portion of the generous legacy gifts totaling $152,000 received from the estates of Audrey Bashaw, Camille McCray, and Ruthie Lieder.
This is a special moment in WRWF’s evolution, solidly advancing our financial foundation. The action these three women took to name WRWF in their estate planning will have enduring value, both to our Wood River Valley Community, and to the long-range mission of the WRWF. The steps we are taking to establish this new fund honors the legacy of these generous founding members. The Board is also grateful to our current Legacy Donors whose direct input and advice provided critical guidance on this important decision.
Quasi-endowments are commonly employed by nonprofits as a way to enhance financial sustainability. While the board has approved the overall structure, the details of the new fund are continuing to be developed by the WRWF Investment Committee. Stay tuned! If you have already named WRWF in your estate plan and have not shared that information, please let us know so we may add your name to our legacy donors and appropriately thank you.
Welcome New Board Member
The Board unanimously approved Summer Baldwin Bauer as a Board Member at Large, giving voice to our next generation philanthropists. Welcome Summer!
Summer joined WRWF in 2020 and quickly hit the ground running— joining the Membership Committee, embracing a leadership role, and adopting the Future Forward Initiative as her own.
As any Future Forward (FF) member will tell you, Summer’s commitment to our newest volunteers runs deep, as she expertly navigates making our FF members feel welcomed, valued and prepared to volunteer at all levels in our organization.
Summer was born and raised in the Wood River Valley and has been selling real estate for over twenty years. Her hobbies include skiing, hiking, and fly fishing. She is also an aspiring plein air painter. We are thrilled to welcome her to our leadership team!
FG22 Letter of Inquiry Now Open!
The “Closing the Equity Gap in Education” FG22 achieved a major milestone September 1 as applicants were invited to submit their “Letters of Inquiry” to the Focus Grant committee. To increase awareness and ensure that a wide net was cast, the WRWF placed display advertisements (see above) in the Eye on Sun Valley, the Idaho Mountain Express, and the Idaho Statesman. An advertorial in the Wood River Weekly also ran in the September 8th edition. Look for more developments as we continue to make progress on this important initiative.
Getting the Word Out – FG22 Info Sessions!
Nearly 50 members attended the August 25 information session presented by the FG22 Committee at the Hailey Public Library. Co-chair Louisa Moats reviewed the history of how FG22 was developed, criteria for applications, rationale behind the focus of the pilot grant, implications for WRWF, and the timeline.
Louisa and co-chair Laura Midgely responded to member questions regarding how WRWF engaged with local nonprofits prior to arriving at the education gap focus, which potential nonprofits might qualify, how coordination with state and local school funders might work, and more. The robust information session was followed by an outdoor Meet & Mingle where the enthusiastic conversation continued. Many thanks to Cafe Della for providing delicious nibbles and beverages. A warm WRWF thank you to Lyn Drewien and her staff at the library for making space for our 50 members!
Focus Grant co-chairs Louisa and Laura followed up the 8/25 event with an applicants-only session on 9/1, also at the Hailey Library.
‘Women of Strength’ Unite at Jewelry Trunk Show
“Every piece of my jewelry tells a story about positivity and strength. And that is how I want you to feel when wearing them,” shared designer Freida Rothman. Frieda’s creations exemplify resilience among women, and even the trunk show flowed with an air of strength and positivity. Brought together by a unique trifecta formed among Freida, Terri Bullock, WRWF Board President, and Suzanne Hazlett of Hazlett Wealth Management, the show gathered women of the community to admire the beautiful designs, share stories and give back to local causes.
Freida’s work is inspired by her two grandmothers, both Holocaust survivors, who raised her to be strong, independent, and resilient; traits she aims to pass on to the wearers of her jewlery. Freida believes in supporting causes that inspire similar qualities among women. WRWF is honored to receive 10% of the trunk show jewelry sales donated by Freida.
Community Report Mailing
Let us know your VIPs!
During this next month WRWF will mail our first-ever Community Report to our nonprofit partners, industry influencers, and your Very Important People. If you know someone who is, or could be, supportive of WRWF and the Blaine County nonprofits we serve, we want to include them in this important mailing. Please send contact information (name, physical mailing address, email and phone number and any special message) to carol@graybirdfoundation.org by Sept. 30. Your VIP will be sent the report in a custom-designed envelope and a handwritten note card with appreciation from one of our volunteers. Thank you!
Calendar
September 23, Member Coffee Talk, Ketchum Town Square, 10:30AM (MT)
October 7, Stakeholder Research Results – Graybird Foundation, Limelight Hotel, 4PM to 6PM (MT)
October 20, The Alliance of Idaho Education Session, The Hunger Coalition – 121 Honeysuckle Street in Bellevue, 4PM to 6PM (MT)
Member Coffee Talk 9/23
All members and their guests are invited to gather for a Coffee Talk at Ketchum Town Square 10:30am on 9/23. Grab your coffee and engage with our newest members to make them feel welcome as a part of our community. Share your excitement about the causes we support and our upcoming grants process! Since it’s also renewal time, please bring your checkbook! 🙂
Stakeholder Research Results
Limelight Hotel, 10/7 from 4-6pm MT
On October 7 plan to attend an interactive presentation and lively dialogue about the findings of the WRWF Stakeholder Research based on the interviews Graybird Foundation conducted earlier this year. The results discussion begins at 4pm followed by a Q&A session. We’ll Meet & Mingle directly afterwards with wine and tasty bites for those who can attend in person. A Zoom link will be sent for people who need to participate remotely. A sincere thank you to our newest in-kind donor, the Limelight Hotel, Ketchum, for offering to host our upcoming Research Results session! We will ask for RSVPs so please watch your email for the upcoming invitation.
Alliance of Idaho Education Session
@ Hunger Coalition on 10/20 4-6pm MT
The Alliance partners with several entities to offer workshops, hold emergency planning sessions for immigrant families, and share materials regarding immigrant rights under the United States constitution. The 10/20 education session aims to inform members about the organization, legislation, and the issues the Alliance is dealing with here in the valley. The featured presenters will be Attorney Luis Campos, along with Sarah Sentilles and Becky Lopez, past and current executive directors of The Alliance of Idaho, respectively. Wine and refreshments will be served. We are space limited to 40 guests so we need your RSVP. Please watch for your invitation to be emailed soon.
A Warm Welcome to New WRWF Members
We are delighted to extend a warm WRWF welcome all new members who joined this month!
Jan Dempsey
Carol Hoffman
Deborah Lemman
Martha Moseley
Patsy Pinney
Juliet Romano
Kimberly Tenold
Janet Wygle
New WRWF members are invited to provide photos and a bit of information about themselves to share in the News Brief. We have so many interesting members and it is fun to read about everyone’s background. Thanks so much and we look forward to meeting you soon.
Time to Renew! Online Membership Form
New and renewing members of the WRWF may now use our convenient online form to complete the membership process. Simply click on this link and fill out the form. You may submit your payment by credit card or check. If paying by check, make payable to the Wood River Women’s Foundation and mail to: WRWF, P.O. Box 3686, Ketchum, Idaho, 83340.
Wanted: Future Leaders
As several of our Board of Directors near the end of their leadership term, WRWF is reaching out to our membership to identify, train and support future leaders. We’re counting on your talent and your passion to help our collective giving model thrive. We’re hoping your next-generation thinking and creative energy will sustain and propel our mission.
Perhaps you’re not ready to join the board and instead you’d like to try your hand at leading a committee. Perhaps you have only had experience at a “for profit” company and want to understand what the differences are before you take the plunge. Whatever your dream may be, now is the time to consider a leadership position. Please reach out to Peggy Grove, our nominating committee chair, or President Terri Bullock to get the thinking started.
Together, our future is bright; it’s exciting to see what collectively we will become.
Many thanks to members who have designated WRWF as their selected charity on AmazonSmile! To link Wood River Women’s Foundation AmazonSmile to your Amazon account, click here and get signed up. Then, whenever you shop Amazon, use the AmazonSmile website.
Thank you to the Limelight Hotel Ketchum, Little Caesars and Zions Bank for generously supporting WRWF!
Thank you to this month’s News Brief contributors:
Christina Bauer, Terri Bullock, Kathleen Eder, Carol Hoffman, Jill Grossman, Anne Jeffery, Sara Lichtenberg, Sandy McCullough, Louisa Moats, Deb Prost,
Renee Spooner and Franny Wood.
