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January - July 2022
LOOKING BACK
(as we move forward)
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HALF-YEAR HIGHLIGHT
GWC Bi-Annual Newsletter
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- Special Message
- Important Notice
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Upcoming Events
GWC Quarterly Meeting
"Giving is in our Genes"
Tuesday, August 23, 2022
Greenwood Genetic Center,
Self Research Center
Door 113
Social: 5:15 pm
Meeting: 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Join us to Celebrate the
2021 Grantees!
Bring A Friend!
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Future
Meetings
Grant Writing 101 Workshop
Tuesday, July 26
10:00 am – 12:30pm
Westside Baptist Church
215 Bypass 225 S, Greenwood
No charge for non-profits
Registration Required
September Social
“A Potluck Party”
Tuesday, September 20
5:30 – 7:00 Venue TBA
Kick Off the Vote!
Monday, October 17
5:30 – 6:30
Harley Family Center
1101 Main Street S, Greenwood
4th Quarterly Meeting
Monday, November 14
5:15 – 7:00
Program, Presenters, and Venue TBA
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Mary's Musings
This month, I have giving on my mind, especially our collective giving through GWC’s annual grants! I think it’s important to provide you with details about significant aspects of our GWC Granting Fund and Grant Awards.
Last year, our Governance and Finance Committee made a recommendation, based on thorough discussion and reflection, to enable the Grants Review & Awards Committee to award the total amount of monies in our GWC Granting Fund, as of August 1 of each year, in that year’s granting cycle. The Advisory Board approved this recommendation with the understanding that our Members are interested in their contributions moving into the community in a timely way. This means that our granting resources must be rebuilt annually as we no longer hold funds in reserve for the next granting year.
Your annual membership contribution provides $400/Member for the GWC Granting Fund. In our five years, a few of our Members have chosen to contribute an additional $15-$500 to this Fund, and other contributions to our Granting Fund (ranging from $20-$650) have come from community supporters (non-members). These contributions have allowed us to “punch above our weight” in granting out over and above the total amount generated by annual Member contributions alone.
If you are looking for another opportunity to give within our community and are moved, as I am, by the way in which we award GWC Grants broadly and impactfully, please consider an additional contribution to our GWC Granting Fund. As you know, we have a very modest administrative budget (based on $50/Member) because we do not incur expenses for paid staff, rental space, or related administrative costs. So, every dollar added to our Granting Fund will go directly to support the critical work of an array of nonprofits serving our community. Contributions may be made by check or online and are fully tax-deductible. Any amount will be welcomed and greatly appreciated!
Thank you, each one of you, for choosing to join this circle of women who care about enhancing our shared lives and for being a part of this beloved community within our beloved (home or adopted) community.
Warmly,
Mary
Mary Woodiwiss
Chair, GWC Advisory Board
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GIFTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS
If you would like to honor someone with a gift to GWC, please download the form linked here or contact [email protected]
If you would like to make an additional contribution, you may do so here.
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Susie Aufderheide
Terri Bacon
Dianna Biffle
Joanne Boggs
Debbie Bourne
Janet Deason
Patti Gagstetter
Cady Nell Keener
Charlene Kish
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Katherine Leslie
Kathy Mangano
Cindy O'Connor
Carson Penney
Katherine Ridings
Candy Sutliff
Carolyn Taylor
Phyllis Van Swol
Nancy Hart Wicker
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Special Message from Grants
and Awards Committee
Your GWC Grants Review and Awards Committee is expecting remarkable things in 2022!
We have recently announced our 2022 GWC Grants cycle to our local nonprofits and to you, our Members. This July, we’ll offer our Grant Writing 101 workshop again at no charge to participants. We are anticipating another round of strong applications in August and a varied and interesting slate of proposals to present to you for voting in October!
In only three years of making grants, GWC has awarded more than $200,000 through 30 grants. Funding for awards comes from two sources: Membership contributions and additional donations made by Members and Non-Members. During the past two years, the total amount awarded has been higher than the contributions for each year for the following reason: in 2018, Charter Members contributed $42,000 to the Granting Fund, but no awards were made that year. These 2018 contributions were added to the annual contributions awarded during the 2020 - 2021 cycles. Thus, in the 2022 grant cycle, we may award less than in previous years, but please know that GWC is thriving. Our membership is larger and stronger than ever - 136 Members at this writing!
We look forward to sharing news about our 2022 applicants with you in early September. Until then, enjoy your summer!
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The GWC Advisory Board is currently seeking nominations for candidates to serve on the Advisory Board. Candidates must be an active member of GWC. Please submit nominations for consideration here by November 1, 2022.
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Grantee's Corner
Greater Greenwood United Ministry is very grateful to GWC for the grant received which assists patients of our Free Medical Clinic with funding for outside consultation fees, co-pays, etc., so they can receive specialty care that our clinic does not offer. The GWC grant has made a life changing difference to improve the quality of life for these patients! Learn about our fundraiser here.
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Rock Steady Boxing Greenwood is blessed to have received this grant from GWC. This grant has enabled us to purchase much needed equipment for our boxing program that is dedicated to helping our Parkinson’s community in and around the Lakelands. Our fighters are learning new skill sets, regaining their independence, and experiencing better quality of life. This is our gift to our Parkinson’s community. In Our Corner there is HOPE! Find out more about us here.
Thanks to the generosity of Greenwood Women Care, Greenwood Community Theatre presents our 2022 Penguin Project production, The Aristocats, September 15-18. We are so excited to have our penguins back on stage and can't wait to show off their hard work. For information on the Penguin Project, please see www.greenwoodcommunitytheatre.com/penguin.
With help from our GWC Grant, La Clinica Gratis/The Free Clinic has added OB services for uninsured, expectant mothers to our growing list of services. This opportunity has increased access to quality medical care as well as referrals, and other needed assistance as the moms seek OB care to have a healthy pregnancy and child. Assisting these moms has been a joy for our clinic staff and volunteers. Learn more at Community Initiatives.
GWC, through the generosity of its grant, is allowing Faith Home to realize a dream many years in the making. Most of our residents are malnourished upon arrival - alcohol and drugs having taken their due. The possibility of good meals served from our new kitchen will soon be a fact. The commercial-grade oven, steam table, and dishwasher made possible by the grant have been purchased and await installation. Faith Home, in host of a great company, extends its gratitude to GWC. As we say before each meal here, "God is good!" Find out more by visiting https://faithhomegwd.net.
Hospice & Palliative Care of the Piedmont was honored to be awarded a GWC grant. The grant supported the renovation of the children's playroom at our Hospice House. It is a valuable space for children to be able to play and be themselves, somewhat removed from the stress of what is happening around them. We appreciate GWC’s contribution, so our smallest visitors have a clean, comfortable area to read a book or play with toys. All while being steps away from their loved one’s room. Learn more about our services at https://hospicepiedmont.org.
Palmetto Girls Sing recently returned from our trip to New Orleans where we participated in the Crescent City Youth Choir Festival. Our girls presented a formal concert at The Immaculate Conception Jesuit Cathedral in downtown New Orleans and experienced a great deal of what New Orleans has to offer in just a short time. We especially loved our riverboat cruise, Cafe du Monde, the streetcars, the jazz musicians and the ghost tour in the French Quarter! GWC helped with registration expenses making this trip more affordable for our girls. We look forward to season 8 of Palmetto Girls Sing which will begin this August. To find out more, click here.
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GWC has a new member on the Advisory Board! Pacquitta Coleman has graciously agreed to take on this leadership position and is now serving as our newest member of the Board. She joins Mary Woodiwiss (Chair), Laura Bachinski (Vice Chair), Summer Booker (Treasurer), Catherine DiBenedetto (Co-Secretary), Laura Stowe (Co-Secretary), Kathy Emily, Alison Fletcher, Rhonda McGinnis, and Edris Louise Robinson.
Pacquitta is a native of Greenwood, SC and a graduate of Lander University with both Master of Education and Bachelor of Music Education degrees. She is a retired Music Educator of Greenwood School District 50 and Piedmont Technical College (Adjunct Music Instructor). Currently, Pacquitta is pursuing certification in Music Industry Essentials from New York University, NY, in addition to teaching piano, voice and chorus with Phoenix Performing Arts Initiative, Incorporated. While her father was in Hospice Care, they were blessed to have hours of priceless conversation. Her father reminded her of the gifts that God has bestowed upon her and to always use them to be of service to mankind, without excuses. Those words were the catalyst for her joining GWC. Pacquitta is the proud mother of three daughters who all excel in the performing arts: Italy (30), professional dancer/choreographer in NYC, Charli (17), aspiring dancer/choreographer and Davida (14), aspiring vocalist/actress.
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Are you interested in being on a committee? We would LOVE to have your talents put to good use with all those currently volunteering! What better way to foster great relationships with all the amazing members of GWC and, at the same time, play a bigger part in GWC's success? Look below and see where you might be able to help. More details on our website can be found here.
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Communications Committee (Laura Stowe and Catherine DiBenedetto) - posts on social media, creates newsletters, sends press releases to Index Journal, creates evites, takes meeting photos, prepares meeting recaps, sends member birthday cards.
Governance and Finance Committee (Rhonda McGinnis) - reviews governing documents, oversees budgets and financial activity of GWC.
Grants Review and Awards Committee (Alison Fletcher and Jan Puzar) - updates grant documents yearly, accepts and reviews grant applications, oversees voting, assigns grant awards, prepares publicity for grant cycle and other events, plans August quarterly meeting, plans Kick off the Vote meeting, offers Grant Writing 101 as needed.
Membership Committee (Deb Maschoff and Betty Adams) - organizes member recruitment and outreach, oversees orientation of new members.
Programs and Education Committee (Edris Louise Robinson) - secures meeting venues, provides speakers, creates meeting agendas and works with tech team.
Social Committee (Laura Bachinski and Holley Coyle) - Plans, orders, sets up, serves, and cleans up all food and beverage for all our fabulous events!
Tech Team (Lesley Lane) - provides AV for meetings as necessary, makes GWC videos.
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Follow us on Facebook
We have a goal to reach 1,000 Followers by the end of 2022 and we're currently at 667. Help us get there! Please like, comment on, and share Facebook posts to help expand our reach. That would be most awesome!
And if you haven't visited our Facebook page recently, you're missing lots of fun! Check it out here!
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