Two charities making plans for Valley residents

100 Women Who Care sponsors local groups every three months

Chills run up and down Bethany Benner’s spine as the winning charity is announced at the end of the 100 Women event.

Once every quarter, members of the 100 Women Who Care and others arrive at the event and write a blank check for $100. When walking in the door, people can choose to nominate and write down charities throughout the Cedar Valley.

Once everyone has arrived at the event, finished socializing and written down a charity, three will be chosen by the 100 Women group.

Once the three are chosen, the person who nominated the charity will be allowed five minutes to speak on their behalf.

After the three speeches, a motivational speaker will be onstage making a speech, and shortly after, people at the event will be able to vote for whichever charity should win.

Then, a charity is chosen to win up to $10,000 or more, and they are able to speak about what they stand for, their story and what the money will be going towards in the Cedar Valley.

“The charities have to be a 5013C in order to receive the funds, and the funds have to be spent and used within the Cedar Valley,” Benner said.

Creating a culture of giving, connection and support, the 100 Women of the Cedar Valley’s mission is to combine donations through power of numbers in order to make an impact on the community while still having fun.

There are 28 chapters of the whole organization in Iowa, but 100 Women was started in 2006 in Michigan by Karen Duigan.

A hospital in her town was in need of cribs, and Duigan had the idea of pulling together 100 people who would be able to donate $100 rather than pull together $10,000, and from then on the organization grew rapidly.

The 100 Women Who Care of the Cedar Valley was founded last year in January, and since then, all together, the group has raised over $70,000.00 to donate every three months to different local charities through this event.

“Some people aren’t able to volunteer, don’t want to or can’t put in the work in, but with this organization and this event, you don’t have to take a lot of time, just $100 and a few hours out with your girlfriends,” Benner said.

The board members of the Cedar Valley Chapter include Lisa Van Hermert, the homemaker; Tina Miller, the director of operations; Benner, VP of sales and marketing; Katie Walsworth, Kristin Pease, Deanna Wheeler and Beth Zars.

“It’s an easy concept. You don’t have to be out all night,” Benner said.

Benner also said it’s a really fun night and even more fun organization to be a part of.

“It’s like a social event, to get together with everybody, meet friends and have a girls night but to also give back.”

The next event will be held on Thursday, August 3 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., the location and sponsor is to be determined, but for more information, visit the 100 Plus Women Who Care Cedar Valley website.

Past charities that have won $10,000-$15,000 from this event were the House of Hope, Sing Me to Heaven, Karsyn’s Krusaders, Beau’s Beautiful Blessings and Caden’s Closet, who actually received $19,000 after giving a heart wrenching and emotional speech.

“You get goosebumps when you announce the winner,” Benner said.  “Some ladies that come there have no intentions of receiving the fund, but things happen for a reason, and those charities end up the winners.”

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