July 2019 News Brief
Our Mission Statement Revised
Incoming Chair Terri Bullock, current Chair Peggy Grove, President’s Council members Marcia Liebich, Joanne Wetherell, Barbara Thrasher, Jo Murray. Not pictured, Jan DeBard.
The WRWF President’s Council (composed of all our past presidents) continues to roll up their sleeves on the Foundation’s behalf. Over the past several months, they have reviewed and refreshed our Mission Statement and created, for the first time in WRWF history, a WRWF Vision Statement. These are critical reference points for our organization that serve to define, guide and inspire us. We are fortunate to have the enduring gift of leadership from each of these women and extend our gratitude for their thoughtful work on this important project.
Mission Statement:
Wood River Women’s Foundation inspires and educates women to become leaders in philanthropy. We encourage and create significant positive change in our community through pooled grant-making.
Vision Statement:
We envision a community improved by educated philanthropists.
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Looking Forward: Grants 2020
On August 7th, we will wrap up the current Grants cycle and celebrate with our 2019 Grant recipients at the annual awards luncheon. Looking forward to 2020, the Board and the Grants leadership team considered whether to name a task force to evaluate our current Grants system and philosophy. After surveying the membership and careful consideration, the Board reached a consensus to not launch a Grants task force at this time; rather, our two ongoing strategic initiatives to improve our operational systems and strengthen our leadership process will continue to be our key organizational focus.
While a full evaluation of our Grants system will not begin this year, we will continue to work towards improving our process by evaluating best practices in the area of collective giving, and by seeking feedback from our membership, hard-working committees and non-profit partners.
A warm WRWF thank you to the many members who committed time and wisdom to evaluating 2019 grant applications and who provided input to the process over the past year. We appreciate you!
–Gina Wolcott, Patti Zebrowski and Julie Brewer,
Grants Committee Co-Chairs
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2019 Grantee in the Spotlight: The Hunger Coalition: Bloom Youth Project
Last year’s interns helped grow 6,500 pounds of food that supported hundreds of local families though Hunger Coalition programs including its food truck.
Photo Credit: Eric Kiel
This year WRWF granted $35,000 for The Hunger Coalition’s Bloom Youth Project; in 2017, WRWF funds helped launch this program. Bloom Youth Project is a paid internship designed to support teens in an in-depth, sustainable manner. Centered on growing, cooking, and sharing good food, Bloom Youth interns learn life skills, healthy eating, and marketing skills that can help them build resiliency.
Over the course of seven months, Bloom Youth interns manage food production at Bloom Community Farm and turn their harvest into a social enterprise. They sell affordable produce to low-income neighborhoods in Blaine County, develop a business plan for their farmers’ markets, and complete a series of life skills workshops including budgeting, healthy eating, safe relationships, financial literacy, and public speaking. The interns are mentored by a team of adults from The Hunger Coalition as well as other community partners.
“Bloom Youth Project teens are ambitious with dreams for their future and have the drive to learn, grow and give back to their community. The Wood River Women’s Foundation helps make this possible from ground zero.” Megan Schooley, Bloom Youth Project supervisor.
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2019 Grantee in the Spotlight: Blaine County Recreation District (BCRD): Aquatic Center
Construction is expected to begin this fall
In Idaho, drowning is the second leading cause of death among children – pointing out the compelling need for good quality, accessible, and affordable swim instruction. Last summer, more than 450 kids participated in the BCRD’s swim school at the Aquatic Center in Hailey, and another 100 honed their skills on the BCRD Dolphins swim team. Participation grows steadily every year. With 21,000 visits each summer, the Center is the cornerstone of aquatic recreation for people in southern Blaine County.
BCRD dove into its Aquatic Center Revitalization project in 2017, intent on restoring and expanding the aging facility. The revitalized center will allow the BCRD to expand its instructional swim programs by more than 50 percent. The project also will add a zero-depth entry pool to provide access for patrons with physical disabilities.
In 2018, the WRWF supported BCRD’s request for the development of construction plans, and in 2019, we again voted to fund a $35,000 grant to help with actual construction. On completion, the Aquatics Center will be an even greater asset accessible to virtually everyone in our community.
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DONOR EDUCATION EVENT: August 21st, 5:30-7:30 pm, The Community Library Conference Room
The WRWF Education Committee invites you to attend a panel discussion on charitable giving – why, how, and in what manner. Our panel represents a range of perspectives and expertise, and will include:
Suzanne Hazlett, Financial Advisor
Sandra Clapp, Estate and Trust Attorney
Cate Cox, Marriage and Family Therapist
Terri Bullock, President of the WRWF
Panelists will invite an open and free-ranging discussion to address your questions, which may range from changes in tax laws to the various options we have to give back to our community.
Come to talk, listen, and learn ideas and opportunities to support the many nonprofit organizations in the Wood River Valley. What financial strategies are available and how are their benefits best realized? What are the personal and psychological benefits of giving? How do we assess the impact of giving to a charity?
This evening we’ll have a first look at the recently published Giving Guide of the Wood River Valley.
This event is free and open to the public. Friends, family, and other guests welcome!
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Advancing Mission, Building Sustainability: Strategic Plan Update
Our incoming Board Chair, Terri Bullock, recently shared an analogy that came to mind while she was visiting family on the Washington Coast.
“Let’s say I decided to build a beach house, and constructed it on the sand rather than on pillars or a foundation. Since the main purpose of a foundation is to hold the house upright for years so that it can weather a variety of conditions, my house would never be sustainable if it were built on sand.
By analogy, the WRWF is our house, and its strength and longevity rests on the pillars of its foundation. This is the important Building Sustainability piece of our Strategic Plan. We rely on this organizational structure to establish and implement policies, collect and document the knowledge of our founders who have worked tirelessly to grow our organization, ensure our financial health, develop disciplined and focused board leadership, and create a culture of continuous learning. Strengthening the ‘foundation of our foundation’ will assure our mission is sustainable for years to come.”
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Meet Our New News Brief Editor Stephanie Chamberlain!
A few years ago, an unexpected trip to Red Fish Lake followed by a few turns on Baldy quickly hooked my husband and I on the Wood River Valley. We made the move from Missouri last summer and now enjoy being full-timers. I hold a PH.D in English and was a Professor at Southeast Missouri State University specializing in Shakespeare. While no longer teaching, I remain active in my profession writing and presenting at conferences.
I look forward to bringing my experience in writing and editing to the WRWF News Brief. The WRWF does so many amazing things for the valley and I am proud to be a part of the team that relays important information to the many caring members of this organization.
— News Brief Editor, Stephanie Chamberlain
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Teresa Brennan Accepts New Role as WRWF Photography Coordinator
Teresa Brennan and her young family relocated to the Valley in the fall of 2018 and she immediately jumped into the WRWF.
A member for just one year, Teresa has already participated on the Grants and Membership committees, and is looking forward to her new role as Photography Coordinator. She is a Registered Dietitian and works with patients requiring nutrition support. Teresa enjoys cooking, outdoor athletics and being with her boys.
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Judy Cahill, WRWF Photographer, Hanging Up Her Camera
Over the past five years, the lens of Judy Cahill’s camera has documented many important, fun and historical WRWF moments.
And now, Judy has decided to attend our events on the other side of the camera, opening up a fabulous opportunity for others to take up the reins of recording WRWF social events and philanthropic endeavors.
Thank you Judy, for always targeting your viewfinder at the best in us and for helping to build a visual portfolio of the WRWF; your efforts will forever remain as stepping stones for the those who follow.
If your camera has a friendly lens and you want a front and center seat to WRWF action, please contact WRWF Photo Coordinator Teresa Brennan, (509) 999-8477 for details.
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Communications Committee Needs Your Helping Hands
The Communications Committee is looking for members to join our busy team. If you would enjoy assisting our Social Media, News Brief and Photography teams, we’d love to talk with you. There is always room for anyone who wants to learn more about using Facebook and Instagram to spotlight our events and grantees or to write or edit News Brief articles. If you enjoy taking photos, we could use your eye and talent at our events.
If you are interested in these opportunities, please email:
Communication Chair Sandy McCullough at sandymccullough00@gmail.com.
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MEMBER EVENTS
Be sure to save the date for these exciting WRWF summer events:
**Invitation and registration to be
sent out prior to each event**
Summer Social
Wednesday, July 24th, 4-6 PM
At Mountain Humane, overlooking the prairie & mountains!
Members and Guests
Celebration of WRWF Grantees & Annual Meeting Luncheon
Wednesday, August 7th
Trail Creek Cabin, Under the Tent
Members, guests, non profits, and press invited!
Invitations have been mailed; please RSVP as soon as possible!
Donor Education Event: Panel Discussion on
Charitable Giving
Wednesday, August 21st, 5:30-7:30pm
The Community Library Conference Room (Ketchum)
Free and open to the public. Friends, family, and guests welcome!
**Upcoming events are posted on our website’s calendar page here.**
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President’s Closing Message: Forming “Comunite” Through our Grant Making
Summer is finally full on and with it we greet our next two events with the same fanfare, applause, and wonder we bestow to the burgeoning blossoms on our garden flowers as they finally flourish with the warmth of the sun. Our Summer Social and our Grants Celebration & Annual Meeting luncheon are arriving – ready to greet you with their own bouquets of flowers.
First up is the Summer Social, a friendly opportunity to get to know each other as colleagues, philanthropists, and women standing together in pursuit of an improved community. And the next event, our annual luncheon where we celebrate our newest Grantees to whom we have given our funds through rigorous study and our votes, along with the help of our Grants team volunteers, is a superb example of philanthropy at its best, a paragon of the possibility of encouraging others to flourish in our mountain community.
The impact these grantee projects will deliver to the community plus the inspiring picture of 350 women working together to support opportunities for people across Blaine County are exactly what the Old French 14th Century “comunite’” spoke to: The individual AND collective rewards of caring for everyone in our community, be it the hungry, the aged, or the children, or by providing books, growing food, and even learning how to improve our own philanthropic know-how. Giving together as women, learning about the community needs that will continue to require our support each year, and the joy of participating in celebratory events – our “comunite” in action.
So, come participate in our Summer Social and get to know your friends and fellow philanthropists. Then delight in the Grantee Celebration & Annual Meeting luncheon, our signature celebratory event of the year, to know the joy and camaraderie of applauding our wider community together.
Peggy Grove, Ph.D.
WRWF President
Peggy Grove, President
Mark Your Calendar:
Wednesday, July 24th, 4pm-6pm
Summer Social
Mountain Humane (100 Croy Creek Road, Hailey)
Wednesday, August 7th, 11am – 2pm
Celebration of WRWF Grantees & Annual Meeting Luncheon
Trail Creek Cabin
Wednesday, August 21st, 5:30-7:30pm
Donor Education Event: Panel on Charitable Giving
The Community Library Conference Room, Ketchum
Free and open to public
Wednesday, October 23rd, 10am-12pm
WRWF Orientation Brunch
At the home of Mindy Meads (223 Gem Street, Ketchum)
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Welcome New Members
Rhonda Brown
Sun Valley, ID
Laurie Hall
Indian Wells, CA
Kristina Dudunakis
Bellevue, WA
Welcome back Bobbi Hunt and Terry Seigel!
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News Brief Team:
Stephanie Chamberlain
Sandy McCullough
Photographers:
Judy Cahill
Charlotta Harris
News Brief Team:
Louisa Moats
Susan Jackson
Photographers:
Judy Cahill
Charlotta Harris
