September 2026 News Brief
New Member Initiative
Volunteer for our New Member Initiative!
We pride ourselves on being a community built on volunteer spirit, connection, and giving back. By now you’ve heard from us about our goal to grow WRWF to 400 members before the 2027 grant cycle—the time to jump in and help is here! Our September prospective member events are just around the corner, and we’re asking every member to help us spread the word and welcome more women into our community.
Supporting this effort not only gives you a chance to collaborate with fellow members and meet new women in the Valley, but also to make a meaningful difference by expanding our collective giving.
We ask every member–whether you have only a few minutes or several hours to give–to help out in some way!
Choose one way to pitch in—or help with all three! Every invitation, conversation, and volunteer hour helps us reach more women and strengthen the power of collective giving across the Wood River Valley.
Let’s grow our community and our impact together!
Help WRWF Strengthen Our Future Forward Membership!
As part of our ongoing efforts to grow and engage our Future Forward (50 and younger) membership, WRWF has an exciting opportunity to participate in a Young Philanthropist Cohort hosted by Philanos. The cohort will bring together women’s giving circles from across the country to share ideas and develop practical strategies for engaging the next generation of philanthropists.
We’re looking for a few WRWF members to support our participation. The commitment is manageable – three virtual one-hour sessions (September 11, 17 and 24 at 10 a.m. MT), plus a small amount of preparation and follow-up. WRWF staff will provide support throughout!
Interested in participating? Please reach out to info@woodriverwomensfoundation.org to learn more!
As our Annual Business Meeting approaches, we are filled with gratitude for the incredible energy and dedication that propel our community forward. We are excited to announce the upcoming slate of Board members and officers up for election in 2026!
These women are making an extraordinary commitment to WRWF, generously sharing their time, talents, and vision to guide our path. We extend our deepest thanks to each of them for stepping up to serve and inspire us.
Your voice is vital to our collective impact. Be on the lookout for your ballot to come by email next week. And if you can, please join us via Zoom to learn the results of the election at our Annual Business Meeting on September 30th. Thank you for being an essential part of shaping our future together!
Nominated Slate of Board Members & Officers:
You can learn more about all of our candidates here!
As we look to welcome our incoming leaders, we also want to take a moment to recognize and celebrate the extraordinary service of our outgoing Board members and officers. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Martina Bradford as she concludes her Board service, and to Trinka Dyer, who is stepping out of her officer role while continuing to serve on the Board. We are so grateful for the time, leadership, and dedication each of these women has given to WRWF!
Interested in other ways you can help shape the future of WRWF?
Consider volunteering on the WRWF Governance Committee! The Governance Committee is responsible for developing and overseeing the policies and practices that guide our organization, as well as supporting our annual election processes. Participating in the Governance Committee is a great way to gain a greater understanding of how we operate, collaborate with other members to increase our effectiveness as an organization, and strengthen WRWF for the future.
The Governance Committee meets three or four times throughout the year and would happily welcome any new members with an interest in supporting the effectiveness of WRWF! If you are interested in learning more, reach out to info@woodriverwomensfoundation.org.
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
Thank you to all of our members who joined us on the red carpet for our 2026 Member ‘Tini! With generous support from the President’s Council, we were thrilled to be joined by so many at this star-studded event to celebrate our members! Over 80 women came out on a warm evening to enjoy the company of fellow members and their guests and toast to the winding down of a beautiful summer.
We were privileged to hear from Aaron Houston, CEO of Family Health Services–a first-time WRWF grantee–about the important work they do providing affordable, high-quality medical, dental, and behavioral health services to people in our community. Our 2026 grant helped fund a bilingual dental assistant at their Bellevue clinic to ensure uninterrupted access to dental services for their patients.
Thank you to Jenni Riley, Kathleen Eder, LeeAnne Linderman, and all of our wonderful event volunteers for planning such a fun event, and to Joy Prudek for hosting at her home. What a special evening – check out all of the pictures below!
On July 14th, WRWF members visited the The Community Library Bookmobile at its Hailey and Ketchum stops. With nearly 2,000 books on board, the Bookmobile offers everything from board books and chapter books to Spanish-language titles and a shelf for adults. And the numbers behind its first year are impressive: nearly 13,000 miles traveled and over 1,000 library cards issued.
We also heard how the Bookmobile builds partnerships beyond books, including stops with other WRWF grantees, such as co-locating with The Hunger Coalition’s Bloom Truck and visiting kids participating in Far and Wise programs.
Thank you to Lilianna Bridge and Carter Hedberg from The Community Library for hosting us, and Annie Garrigan for planning a fun and inspiring field trip!
On July 31, over 20 members gathered at St. Luke’s Wood River hospital to see the new Automated Breast Ultrasound (ABUS) in action. This new mammogram technology means more women can get state-of-the-art screening close to home.
Members heard from Megan Tanous of the St. Luke’s Wood River Foundation and hospital staff about advancements in breast cancer detection and had the chance to ask many questions of our local healthcare experts.
Thank you to the St. Luke’s Wood River Foundation team for hosting, our members who joined us, and Annie Garrigan for coordinating the event!
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: Sep 15, 2026
Time: 04:30 PM - 06:30 PM MT
Location: Fauxilage
Suite D101
630 Sun Valley Road
Ketchum, ID
Join us for a fall Meet and Mingle at Fauxliage.
No registration required!
Date: Sep 17, 2026
Time: 12:00 PM - 01:30 PM MT
Location: Ketchum Town Square
480 4th St. E
Ketchum, ID 83340
Drop by anytime between noon and 1:30 to grab some lunch and learn more about Wood River Women's Foundation from current members. Feel free to bring a friend!
Date: Sep 23, 2026
Time: 12:00 PM - 01:30 PM MT
Location: Meriwether Building Courtyard
111 N 1st Ave
Hailey, ID 83333
Drop by anytime between noon and 1:30 to grab some lunch and learn more about Wood River Women's Foundation from current members. Feel free to bring a friend!/strong>
Date: 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: Sep 29, 2026
Choose a 30-minute session: 12:00 PM | 12:30 PM | 1:00 PM | 1:30 PM MT
Location: Via Zoom: Link in Event Listing
Curious about the Wood River Women’s Foundation? Join us for a brief virtual information session and learn how WRWF brings women together to make a meaningful difference in our community through collective giving.
Choose the 30-minute session that works best for your schedule. Current WRWF members will share more about the Foundation, membership, and ways to get involved. Feel free to invite a friend!
Date: Sep 30, 2026
Time: 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM MT
Location: Zoom
Annual WRWF business meeting to announce results of Board member and Officer elections, approve 2025 financial statements, and approve 2025 Annual Meeting Minutes.
A ballot will be mailed to members the week of September 7th.
Date: Oct 1, 2026
Time: 4:30 PM - 6:30 PM MT
Location: Zenergy
245 Raven Road
Ketchum, ID 83340
Join us for our last M&M of the year at Zenergy.
No registration required!
Sending a warm welcome to our new members:
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
Originally from El Paso, Texas, I moved to Boise in 1979 where I had a successful career in marketing/executive management and raised my three children.
I have an A.B. in Economics from Stanford University and an MBA from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. My career has spanned marketing leadership, entrepreneurship, and executive coaching.
I served eleven years on the Idaho Conservation League board, including two years as Board Chair, nearly thirteen years on the Bogus Basin Recreational Association board, and most recently completed a term as board chair for the Conservation Voters for Idaho Education board. In 2009, I helped found the nonprofit Artisans 4 Hope–still thriving—to serve local refugee artisans.
I moved to Hailey in 2024.
Joining WRWF felt like a natural next step — a way to connect more deeply with the Wood River Valley community, meet like-minded women, and direct our collective energy toward effective local nonprofits.
When I’m not volunteering, I’m most likely on the slopes — nordic and downhill — or immersed in all things Italian. My son has lived in Italy since 2017, which has given me an excuse to spend considerable time there and develop a deep appreciation for the country’s food, culture, and language.
I split my time between Hailey (mostly), Boise and Milan.
Highlighted Program
The Be Good Foundation is breaking barriers for young women through mentorship, cycling, and shared adventure. Led by local cycling legend Rebecca Rusch and Program Director Aerah Hardin, the program builds confidence, resilience, and leadership. By creating a safe, uplifting space for personal growth on and off the bike, the program has inspired families and local cycling partners to champion young women in sport.
A 2025 WRWF grant funded four girls to be paired with dedicated local women mentors for a hands-on learning experience. Following the success of that grant year, the program has expanded beyond riding to include new Creative (Photography) and Mechanic tracks, proving that female leadership takes many forms. The cohort served this year has more than tripled, now empowering 13 girls across the various tracks.
See the program in action and meet the team at Rebecca’s Private Idaho (RPI) to help get more women and girls into the cycling community! The RPI events are this week – you can learn more here.
Grantee Events
Please come join fellow members and represent WRWF at the Hike for Hope on September 19th! You can register for our WRWF team here.
In addition, the Crisis Hotline, in partnership with Community Library, Men’s Second Chance Living, and Higher Ground, is hosting a Hike for Hope pre-event, Talking Out Loud on Silent Ground with Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas, on September 18th from 4-6 p.m. at the Community Library. This event will provide a forum for an important community conversation about mental health, suicide prevention, resilience, and the power of connection-especially in the building industry. Registration for in-person attendance is requested, and there is an option to view via live stream. You can learn more about the event here.
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