July 2026 News Brief
Discover opportunities to get involved, welcome new members, and strengthen the impact we’re making together
The 2027 Grants Cycle is on the horizon—and we’d love for you to be part of it!
Each year, WRWF receives incredible applications from local nonprofits doing meaningful work in our community. But we need dedicated members like YOU to help decide where our collective giving makes the greatest impact.
We take our Grants process seriously. Every cycle, we reflect on what worked, refine what didn’t, and look for ways to make the experience smoother and more flexible for our volunteers. The time commitment is just 10-15 hours between January and March. You’ll work in small teams guided by experienced mentors—so you’ll always feel supported—with options to participate in person or remotely.
The volunteers who’ve been part of our Grants process consistently tell us it’s one of the most rewarding things they do as WRWF members. In fact, the vast majority say they can’t wait to do it again. We’d love for you to discover why.
Ready to make a difference? Complete this form to express your interest. We hope you’ll join us!
Have you met a woman who would be a perfect fit for WRWF, but membership dues are simply out of reach for her right now? Thanks to the continued generosity of our members, the WRWF Fellowship Program is going strong—because we believe financial circumstances should not be a barrier to belonging.
The Fellowship Program reflects our commitment to building a WRWF that is truly representative of our community. By welcoming women with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives, we all benefit—and our philanthropic impact grows stronger.
Fellowship candidates are women who:
Fellows receive full WRWF membership for two years, with the possibility of continued support considered annually.
Any WRWF member can recommend a candidate. Reach out to the Membership Committee at info@woodriverwomensfoundation.org to start the conversation. We are so grateful and excited to continue offering the Fellowship Program!
Moving to a new community is exciting—but it can also be surprisingly lonely. Building meaningful friendships as an adult doesn’t happen by accident.
This article, Making Friends When You’re New in Town, offers practical advice for creating connections after a move. One recommendation especially resonated with us:
“Seek out communities that already gather around one of your hobbies, skills, or interest areas.”
That perfectly describes the Wood River Women’s Foundation!
While many women join WRWF because they want to make a difference through collective giving, they often discover something just as valuable: a welcoming community of thoughtful, engaged women who care deeply about this place and one another.
Whether it’s serving on a committee, attending a member event, participating in a Grantee site visit, or simply sharing a conversation over lunch, WRWF creates countless opportunities to build lasting friendships while strengthening our community.
If you know a woman who is new to the Wood River Valley, consider sharing this article—and let her know about the Wood River Women’s Foundation. Or, better yet, invite her to attend one of our many upcoming events, whether a field trip highlighting one of our recent Grantees or to our ever-popular Member ‘Tini party on August 19th. Sometimes one invitation is all it takes to help someone feel at home!
Event Recap
May Meet & Mingle
On May 28th, WRWF gathered at Topnotch Fine Furnishings & Interior for an evening of great conversation, connection, and a standout tasting of Chenin Blanc wines led by Angela Baron of Albertsons. It was a joy to see familiar faces and extend a warm welcome to first-time guests discovering WRWF.
Attendees heard from Mike Hoover, Acting Executive Director of the Sawtooth Society, who brought to life the organization’s mission to preserve, protect, and enhance the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. As a first-time Grantee, Mike shared exactly how WRWF’s support is helping to make the Sawtooth Society’s vision a reality. You can view Mike’s presentation here!
A heartfelt thank you to WRWF member Arianne Heyser and Mimi Ford of Topnotch for hosting us at a beautiful venue, and to Chase Hamilton, Genevieve Waldman, and S&C Wines for helping to make the evening lively and fun!
Field Trip with Wood River Trails Coalition
Twenty WRWF members met up for a wonderful field trip to Fox Creek on Thursday, June 25th to see the site of the new pedestrian bridge that will soon span 70 feet across the creek. The hike and tour of the project site were led by Liz Pedersen and Sarah Grese of the Wood River Trails Coalition, and Justin Blackstead from the Ketchum Ranger District, whose team maintains more than 400 miles of local trails with support from the WRTC.
The much anticipated bridge, made to match the bridge at the Fox Creek trailhead, will be flown into place by helicopter in mid-July in coordination with Sun Valley Company’s Bald Mountain lift replacement project. A 2026 WRWF grant helped support the purchase of the bridge.
Participants enjoyed a one-mile hike to the bridge site, where the old wooden bridge still rests after being displaced during high water. Seeing this important project firsthand was a great reminder of the impact WRWF is making on one of the Wood River Valley’s most beloved trails.
Thank you to member Lucinda Chapman for her work in arranging this fun and active field trip and to the WRTC team for hosting us! You can also check out the Eye on Sun Valley coverage of the Field Trip here.
This year, the Wood River Women’s Foundation is celebrating you! We declared 2026 the “Year of the Member” — an opportunity to strengthen and expand the incredible community of women who make our impact possible. We set an ambitious goal to welcome 50–100 new members this year through informational events, outreach partnerships, community engagement, and member referrals. We are especially focused on reaching Future Forward members and women who may not yet realize there is a place for them within WRWF.
As chair of the new Membership Growth Strategy Task Force, I’m looking for a diverse group of volunteers to help shape and execute creative strategies to grow our membership and broaden our reach across the Valley.
Whether you enjoy event planning, marketing, relationship building, communications, outreach, or simply connecting people, there is a role for you. We also encourage every member to invite friends, neighbors, colleagues, and newcomers to learn more about WRWF during this special year.
If you are interested in joining the task force or helping in any capacity, I would love to hear from you!
Sharon Knight, WRWF Board Member
sharon.knight@gmail.com / 208-481-9003
Upcoming Events
Date: Tuesday July 14th
Time: 11:30am - 12:00pm
Location: Balmoral Apartment Complex Pavilion
851 Shenandoah Dr.
Hailey, ID 83333
Field Trip with our 2026 Grantee Community Library on July 14th - come visit the Community Library's Bookmobile in Hailey
Date: Tuesday, July 14th
Time: 1:15pm - 1:45pm
Location: YMCA Parking Lot
101 Saddle Rd.
Ketchum, ID
Field Trip with our 2026 Grantee Community Library on July 14th - come visit the Community Library's Bookmobile in Ketchum!
Date: Friday, July 31st
Time: 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Location:St. Luke's Wood River Medical Center
Hospital Lobby
100 Hospital Dr.
Ketchum, ID
St. Luke's Presents New Technology for the Detection of Breast Cancer
Date: Wednesday, August 19th
Time: 4:00pm - 6:00pm
Location: 109 Spruce Way
Hailey, ID 83333
Roll out the red carpet and join us for our 2026 Member 'Tini!
Date: Thursday, September 24th
Time: 2:30pm - 4:00pm
Free
Save the Date for a Field Trip with our 2026 Grantee Girls on the Run on September 24th!
We will open registration closer to the date of the event.
Date: Wednesday, September 30th
Time: TBD
Free
Annual WRWF business meeting to announce results of Board member and Officer elections, approve 2025 financial statements, and approve 2025 Annual Meeting Minutes.
More information will be provided closer to the date of the meeting.
Sending a warm welcome to our new members:
Thanks to your energy, generosity, and enthusiasm, we are welcoming a record number of new members to WRWF! Please join us welcoming these women to our community. Let’s keep the momentum going—invite a friend, share our mission, and help us make this our most powerful year yet. 
NEW MEMBER SPOTLIGHTS
Long time listener, first time member! I joined the Wood River Women’s Foundation after several years of watching from afar how this inspired group propelled so much vital work all across our Valley, marveling at the hub of philanthropy and connection that is fostered here. My husband and I moved here in 2019, after two decades in the Hospitality industry together, from coast to coast (San Francisco, New Orleans, Maine, and Michigan). I built a career in the front of house as a bartender and manager, before moving on to retail spaces as a wine and cheese buyer/educator and creator of experiential dining events. As a sommelier I’ve helped curate many local lists here, from The Covey to The Valley Club. But my true joy has always been in gathering folks around a table, hearing their stories, and helping them connect to each other and the world around them. Wine and food are after all just physical manifestations of the story of a place and its people.
Luckily, The Hunger Coalition needed someone who could help them do just that. I joined the fundraising team there about a year ago and have discovered a whole new lens through which to care for our community. One where we are all working together towards being the most abundant and thriving place for all our residents, across generations and cultures. What a wonderful story to be a part of! And to raise my daughter in! Having grown up in Truckee and on the front range of Colorado, I’m so grateful to be able to return to the Mountain West, to give my little girl an adventurous outdoor childhood.
And for the opportunity to join the Wood River Women’s Foundation as part of the non-profit employees initiative. I look forward to helping steward our collective passion and efforts to their most impactful ends as a part of this dedicated cohort. Thank you for having me along!
Instagram: @somm_in_the_wild
Linkdin: www.linkedin.com/in/amiemarvel
Grantee Spotlight
The Spot Young Company Program
The Spot’s tuition-free Young Company Program had a standout year, thanks in part to a 2025 grant from the Wood River Women’s Foundation. The program culminated in a December production of Anything Goes, performed by local middle and high schoolers, and played to sold-out audiences across every performance. Throughout the year, additional workshops, audition preparation, and mentorship opportunities deepened students’ artistic training and confidence off-stage.
Students from Wood River High School, Sun Valley Community School, Sage School, and two online schools came together to create something genuinely special–building friendships, sharpening skills, and finding community in a supportive, creative space. Many students described the program as a “home away from home.” What they took away went well beyond stage experience. Participants pointed to growth in public speaking, responsibility, self-trust, and social connection, the kind of personal development that helps shape a young person’s future.
The sold-out run of Anything Goes is a testament to the heart that these students put into their work, and WRWF is proud to support such an amazing group of talented young performers. You can see the beautiful video The Spot put together about the impact of the Young Company Program here – it is inspiring!
The Spot’s 2026/2027 season was just announced—visit their website to learn more and support this amazing local theater!
Community News & Events
Monday, July 13 | 5:30–7:00 p.m.
Minnie Moore Room, Community Campus, Hailey
On Monday, July 13th, join 100 Men Who Care—one of WRWF’s local philanthropic peer organizations—for a community conversation exploring mental health and wellness in the Wood River Valley.
We’re especially excited that so many of the women participating on the panel are fellow WRWF members, including Jenna Vagias (TogetherWe), Sarah Seppa (St. Luke’s Community Health), Tammy Davis (The Crisis Hotline), Sonya Wilander (Men’s Second Chance Living), and Kim Hayes (Carbonate Recovery Center). They will be joined by Benson Blair of Wood River High School and Herbert Romero of Neighbors Helping Neighbors. Come hear these remarkable community leaders share their expertise, experiences, and the collaborative work they’re doing to build a healthier, more connected community.
You can learn more about 100 Men Who Care on their website. We hope you’ll come be a part of this meaningful conversation.
Know Someone Who Wants to Make a Difference for Local Youth?
The Space, a community hub of academic and social support for teens and a WRWF Grantee, is expanding its Board and Advisory Board. Over six years, the Space has grown into an incredibly impactful organization, welcoming 5,550 student visits this year alone and helping hundreds of Wood River Valley teens learn, connect, and thrive. The Space is seeking Board members who believe in the power of youth, community, and education. No prior board experience or full-time residency required. If this sounds like you or someone you know, check out their Board Recruitment Deck for more information.
TogetherWe Community Hub
TogetherWe, a community-powered effort to strengthen connection and mental well-being for Blaine County residents, recently launched the TogetherWe Community Hub. Join the Community Hub today, follow WRWF and your other favorite local nonprofits, and explore local resources, discover community events, join groups, and find trusted providers.
THANK YOU, Sponsors!
We are grateful for our sponsors and extend a hearty WRWF thank you to Graybird Foundation, Zions Bank, and Panache!
THANK YOU TO OUR contributors