Question 1

Where do you meet?

Accepted Answer

At the Red Deer Golf & Country Club, 4500 Fountain Drive in the upper dining room.

Question 2

Why should I consider joining 100+ Women Who Care Red Deer?

Accepted Answer

There are lots of reasons to join and your motivation may be different than the next person’s. Here are a few reasons to join:

• It's simple, quick, and fun: in just one hour you can be part of a group that donates $10,000 – or more – to a local charity. Collectively we make an impact. 
 • You get to learn about a variety of groups who work in our community. 
 • There’s minimal time commitment: just four meetings per year.
 • You get to share some time with community-minded women. You can reconnect with friends and colleagues. You can meet new friends.
 • You believe in local charities and local causes.
 • You want to be part of a powerful group of women who care and who are having an immediate, direct, and positive impact on our community.
 • You want to see the impact that your donations make.
 • 100% of the funds raised go to the charities selected.

Question 3

What is the main goal of 100+ Women Who Care Red Deer?

Accepted Answer

Our goal is to support wonderful non-profit and charitable organizations in the Red Deer area.  There are so many groups that are working to make our community a better, healthier, stronger place to live and by offering our support we can help them achieve their goals.

Question 4

Is the membership level capped?

Accepted Answer

We are more than 100 women strong, but we want as many members as we can get! The more women involved, the bigger the impact we can have on our community. Join us and experience that magical feeling of knowing that you directly impacted lives for the better four times a year!

Question 5

How long do the meetings last?

Accepted Answer

Meetings are intended to be very short and no longer than 60 minutes. We encourage socializing before and after the meeting. It’s part of the fun but is optional for what time you have available!

Question 6

Is my donation tax deductible?

Accepted Answer

Yes, donations are tax deductible. The group will sponsor only registered not-for-profit and charitable organizations. Donations are made through the Red Deer and District Community Foundation and NOT to 100+ Women Who Care Red Deer. The Foundation generously manages the donation process by channeling the funds to the charities selected and issuing the tax receipts.

Question 7

How is the organization that receives the group donation chosen?

Accepted Answer

A member in good standing can nominate a local organization. Organizers review the nomination and ensure its eligibility. At each meeting, three organizations will be randomly selected from the nominations. The nominating members will be asked to come up and give a short 5-minute presentation as to why the organization they are nominating should be selected, followed by 5 minutes for questions and answers. We encourage members to participate by submitting the names of local, needy, charitable organizations! Then the members vote by secret ballot and the one with the most votes will receive the donations.

Question 8

Can I just send the donation to the charity myself?

Accepted Answer

Because the goal of 100+ Women Who Care Red Deer is to make a large donation on behalf of the whole group, the answer is no. We want to be able to support this endeavor and give at least $10,000+ dollars at a time to make a large impact in our community with each member’s donation being part of the larger donation. This is the power of joining forces! We also need to be able to track your donations so that you get credit for the donation and remain eligible for nominating charities and voting at meetings.

Donations are made through the Red Deer and District Community Foundation and NOT to 100+ Women Who Care Red Deer. The Foundation generously manages the donation process by channeling the funds to the charities selected and issuing the tax receipts. Tax receipts will be issued by The Red Deer and District Community Foundation.

Question 9

How can my vote still count if I am not present at a meeting?

Accepted Answer

A friend and member of 100+ Women can vote for you if you are unable to attend a meeting. They simply need to let the registration desk know that they are your proxy.

Question 10

What if I cannot attend a meeting?

Accepted Answer

• You can send a completed cheque or cash with a trusted friend to the meeting. The friend can vote on your behalf, too.
 • You can donate following the meeting by sending a cheque to the Red Deer Community Foundation or donating online through the Foundation’s website here.(https://rddcf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=1168)

Question 11

Can I bring a friend to the meeting?

Accepted Answer

Of course, you can - we are always seeking women who care! However, to vote she must complete a registration form and become a member. Otherwise, she is free to observe to decide if 100+ Women is for her and contribute a donation if she likes.

Question 12

Does any of the money I donate go to administration costs of 100+ Women Who Care Red Deer?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely not! 100+ Women Who Care Red Deer is organized and operated entirely by volunteers.  We are thankful for the generosity of sponsors who help cover our costs.  100% of the money raised at our meetings goes directly to the selected organizations.

Question 13

What do you do with my personal information?

Accepted Answer

100+ Women Who Care Red Deer collects your personal information (including name, address, email address, phone number) strictly for the purpose of maintaining our membership list and communicating with our members. 100+ Women Who Care Red Deer will not sell, give, or otherwise share your personal information without your express consent, unless required by law.

Question 14

How do Red Deer charities get in the running?

Accepted Answer

Each member of 100+ Women Who Care Red Deer is allowed to nominate one local charity of their choosing for any given meeting.  The charity must serve the Red Deer area and must be a registered charity to be eligible for consideration.  The member must submit her completed nomination form at least one week prior to the meeting to have it vetted as eligible and added to the “hat” from which we randomly draw three names at each meeting.

The charity that is selected to receive our group’s donation will be invited to the next meeting to give a 5-minute presentation on how our donation was spent and the impact that was made from the donation.

Helpful tip: At each meeting, a charity CAN be nominated by more than one member.  This increases their chances of being drawn for consideration.  We must always have three different charities for our members to consider voting for, but multiple nominations for one charity can increase that charity’s chances to be drawn as one of the three.

Please note: the member’s name on the ticket drawn is the person who must come up to speak for the charity. Every member that nominates a charity must be willing and able to get up and speak about why our group should vote for that charity. A representative from the charity can be available to answer questions during the Q & A sessions, but the “pitch” must be presented by the nominating member.

Question 15

Are there other benefits to the charities nominated and selected?

Accepted Answer

There is a benefit to all three charities considered at each meeting, because of the exposure each one gains from this opportunity.  These charities could potentially gain volunteers and/or donations from people who didn’t know about them before!  Remember, many of our members are joining so that they can learn more about our local charities and this is a great opportunity to get them connected to a charity you care about.

Question 16

How long does my membership last?

Accepted Answer

Members initially commit to join for one year, but unless we hear otherwise, memberships continue from year to year. If a member decides not to continue, they simply need to let us know by email.

Some previous members stay on our email lists to keep up to date on what’s happening. Some members take a break but can jump back in at any time.

Question 17

What about National and International Causes?

Accepted Answer

We care deeply about many national and international causes, but our focus is Red Deer and area.

Question 18

What is considered an eligible charity?

Accepted Answer

An organization must a registered not-for-profit or charitable organization based in Red Deer or Central Alberta. It must be previously established for at least one year (no start-ups). Members are encouraged to nominate small to medium sized charitable organizations that may not have the fundraising resources of larger organizations. Religious or politically affiliated organizations are not eligible for nomination.

Question 19

Can charities receive our donations more than once?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Successful charities can re-nominated two years after being the recipient of our donations.

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