Good Cause Gatherings

Some sipped coffee, others sampled cheese and wine, a lucky few took pleasure in an extravagant meal. Smiles and handshakes were exchanged, plus a few hugs. Plenty of laughter rang in the air.

Within one week of March 2009, more than 450 women met at various homes and restaurants throughout Oshkosh, Appleton and Green Bay. The majority appeared as an ordinary assembly of girlfriends, but the gatherings had a serious side.

Women socialized with friends – old and new – as they reflected on the status of women in the community at the Let’s Dish events coordinated by area Women’s Funds organizations. The name represented the food shared and the chatting they were sure to do.

“The purpose of Let’s Dish was for women to get a small group of friends together to talk about things they might not always talk about – concerns we have about our daughters, things happening in the workplace, or how women are faring in the community,” explains Becky Boulanger, executive director of Women’s Fund for the Fox Valley.

Lisa Kewley, co-chair of Fox Valley 2008 and 2009 Let’s Dish, concurs.

“It was a great way for girlfriends to get together to talk about issues that are serious and to make people more aware of what is going on in our backyard.”

While the topics center on women and girls, a few men also joined in – contributing to the conversation, serving drinks or putting on dinner.

Let’s Dish originated in Appleton in 2008. Its philosophy was simple. Willing hostesses rallied their network of ladies to attend the party. The type – fun or fancy, casual or elaborate – was their choosing.

“The hostesses are critical to our ability to reach throughout the community to people that may not be plugged into the mainstream and may not have heard of the event,” says Sarah Schneider, business development specialist of Schenck SC, chair of 2010 Let’s Dish.

In the past two years, Let’s Dish has raised more than $40,000 for the Women’s Fund. In 2009, the event’s second year, the Women’s Fund for the Fox Valley region inspired the Oshkosh and Green Bay Women’s Funds to share in the event. More than 40 parties were hosted within the regions.

While the primary objective was to increase the circle of friends for the Women’s Fund, uniting women and raising funds played an important role in the gatherings.

“The magic behind the event is women connecting with one another,” says Diane Roundy, director of business development for Schenck, board member and past president of the Women’s Fund of Greater Green Bay. “They are coming together for a common cause but they are also getting to know each other better.”

The parties were not exclusive. “It is something we hoped lots of members in the community would be interested in,” Boulanger explains.

The Women’s Funds assembled hostess packets for each hostess. Local statistics – suicides among teen girls, homeless women with young children – and an educational Women’s Fund DVD served as a call to action. Hostesses were not charged with raising money for the cause, but donations were not turned down and encouragement to attend the annual Women’s Fund luncheon in the fall was turned up.

Imagine an evening where Appleton Mayor Tim Hanna prepares a multi-course gourmet meal for a dozen girlfriends. That was the Let’s Dish event co-hosted by Schneider. “You couldn’t put a value on the meal but if you did, it would have been a donation for the cause,” she says.

Any money collected went into the organization’s general fund. The money stayed local and supported grants for the Women’s Fund.

“It is important to give not only of our time and talent, which as women we’ve always done, but it is important to give our treasure also,” says Roundy.

Women’s Fund for the Fox Valley region is currently recruiting hostesses for the March 2010 Let’s Dish event. Parties should occur anytime within the week of Thursday, March 4 through Thursday, March 11.

Scheduling conflicts and a change of direction prevent the Green Bay and Oshkosh Women’s Funds from participating this year. A new Door County Women’s Fund is expected to launch this year, kicking off with its own Let’s Dish event.