July 2016

President’s Message

July 2016 News Brief
President’s Message

Dear Members,

August in Sun Valley is one of the most exciting months of the year. For us as well, the Annual Meeting and Grantee Awards Luncheon takes place on August 2nd at Carol’s Dollar Lodge. This event is the culmination of a year of grantees sending in their applications, grants teams making site visits, the grants committees selecting the finalists, and finally, our members voting on those non-profit projects. Join us at the luncheon to applaud the women who are retiring from the Board, and meet the new WRWF Board Members for 2016/2017. Hear and see presentations from our past recipients to learn what our funding has helped them achieve, and congratulate our newest grantees. See you there.

Joanne Wetherell
WRWF President

The events committee has been an integral part of the WRWF since its inception. Its goal is to organize and help execute four events each year: the educational event in the winter, organized with the education committee; the summer social in July, at a beautiful house of one of our members; our annual meeting in August; and another social event in December. In support of our mission – to inspire and educate women to become leaders in philanthropy, and to bring significant, positive change to the community by pooling and distributing its members’ resources – these events help our members to socialize with each other and to meet women with similar interests.

Debra Levin, Chair, remarks that the event planning process is enjoyable for all involved. Barbara Thrasher notes that the meetings the committee holds in the most elegant homes in the valley are the highlight of the social calendar. Anyone who has ever attended an event agrees!

Alternative method for doing away with noxious weeds….

Last month, we featured our two grantees in the arts, and this month, we highlight our single grantee in the category of the Environment.
In March 2014, the ERC joined forces with the Pesticide Action Network of Blaine County (PAN BC), the local citizens coalition advocating for changes to weed control policies to protect kids and the community. In 2011, PAN BC worked with the City of Ketchum and local citizens to pass Idaho’s first municipal Integrated Pest Management (IPM) policy, which focuses on using methods such as mechanical control, biological controls, prevention strategies and other non-chemical methods to control weeds and other pests, with the use of toxic chemicals as a last resort.

Hadley DeBree, Executive Director, writes, “The Environmental Resource Center (ERC) is grateful to the Wood River Women’s Foundation for their very generous support of our Pesticide Action program. This grant will allow us to continue our efforts in reducing the use of pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers in the Wood River Valley. Through this program, the ERC is committed to creating a healthier community and environment now and into the future. The ERC is a small, local non-profit with a big impact in Blaine County and so our work would not be possible without the passion and support of groups such as the Wood River Women’s Foundation. Our work will continue to grow and expand into next year, largely because of you! “

St. Luke’s Wood River Medical Center could not run without at least ten thousand hours of volunteer help every year. Terri LeFaivre herself has logged in more than 2, 461 hours over her lifetime. Named Volunteer of the Year by the St. Luke’s board, Terri was recently honored for service that included five years on the board and two years managing the hospital gift shop.

Terri writes, “We, the Sun Valley community, are very lucky to have St. Luke’s Medical Center. I joined the St. Luke’s Volunteer Core Board in November of 2011. A former neighbor recruited me. I joined to work in the St. Luke’s Gift Shop, called Retail Therapy, for which I trained. Although I liked working in the Gift Shop, the Board needed a Treasurer and when they had trouble finding one, I volunteered for that position and did that for two years. In 2014, the Gift Shop Chairman decided to leave the Board and that position became available. So, I stepped in! There are two advantages to running a gift shop: I like to shop and buy things and as Manager, I am not spending my or my husband’s money! The other reason to manage the gift shop is to honor a friend who died from ovarian cancer.”

Congratulations, Terri, on your well-deserved honor!

Dozens of members gathered on July 6th at Anita Weisberg’s lovely home for the annual Summer Social.

Wildflower hikers, courtsey of Judy Cahill

ALERT! You Can Renew Your Membership This Summer!

If you’ve been a member of WRWF for a while, you’ve probably realized that our membership renewal has had an annual deadline of December 15th. Our funds are held by The Idaho Community Foundation and are available for distribution to our grantees after a six-month period. This cycle has enabled us to grant our funds in the summer at the Annual Meeting of WRWF.

The winter holiday season in the Valley is a busy time for everyone, including the dedicated volunteers at WRWF, who process the 280+ renewal checks, handle the bookkeeping, and send reminder notices to those members who may have forgotten that the deadline is closing in.

So… true to our commitment to ease and efficiency, we are enhancing the process for summer renewal. Here’s how simple it can be: Attend the annual luncheon on August 2nd and bring your checkbook, Mastercard, or Visa. We’ll have a membership table set up and, voila! — you can renew on the spot! The membership committee will be available to answer questions about the renewal process. And, if paying later in the calendar year is still your preference, you can certainly do that. Dues will not be delinquent until after December 15th.

Think of the extra time you will have to shop in December, without having WRWF renewal on your to-do list! –Barbara Thrasher

While attending the Annual luncheon, you may sign up for committees such as the Events Committee which makes occasions such as this so very special for us to attend, or the Membership Committee which celebrates all of our members in many extraordinary ways. And don’t forget the Grants Committee, hard working and research oriented, helping to choose our grant recipients. We hope you will be involved in any way feasible. See you soon.

Joanne Wetherell
President

Joanne Wetherell, President

www.wrwcf.org

Our Mission Statement

The WRWCF inspires and educates women to become leaders in philanthropy and brings significant, positive change to the community by pooling and distributing its members’ resources.

PO Box 3686
Ketchum, ID 83340
www.wrwcf.org

Please note that the old website address will take you to the new website

Mark Your Calendar:

Tuesday, August 2nd
11:30-2:00,
Early registration at 11:00AM
Carol’s Dollar Mountain Lodge
Members Only
$35.00, Register on line. RSVP, as seating is limited!
Click here to register
Annual Meeting and Luncheon

___________________

Welcome New Members

Stormi Greener-Brown
60 Stone Bridge Road
Hailey, ID 83333
612-280-0600
stormigreener@gmail.com

Jenny Krueger
PO Box 1661
Ketchum, ID 83340
337-296-5901
jkrueger37@gmail.com

Debbie Park
PO Box 899
Sun Valley, ID 83353
208-490-0491
deborahfpark@yahoo.com

Mary Anne Pinkerton
PO Box 1957
Sun Valley, ID 83353
208-726-3555
maryannesunvalley@gmail.com

Jane Williams
PO Box 1967
Ketchum, ID 83340
530-263-4082
jswncity@me.com

News Brief Team:

Judy Cahill

Janet DeBard 

Peggy Grove 

Louisa Moats