Gathering women in a room to do good unleashes a positive energy that gives Laurie Brakeboer goosebumps.
“You have to come and sit in a room full of women whose only reason to be there is to enjoy each other and give back — there’s an energy in the room, a camaraderie,” says the founder and president of the local chapter of 100 Women Who Care. “I get goosebumps when I think about it.”
It was Brakeboer who was the catalyst for the storm of local generosity that has resulted in much needed support of dozens of small grassroots organizations who are making a powerful difference in our community.
All it took was for a friend to make mention of the nationwide 100 Who Care Alliance movement that capitalizes on the power of a group for Brakeboer to decide she would start a chapter for Newmarket and area women.
“I thought, ‘I can sit around and wait for someone to do this, or I can get it done’,” she told NewmarketToday.
She took the leap in August 2015, confident that the community had both the compassion and generosity required to make a local chapter successful.
Within the first year, the group had 100 members, and it has nearly doubled in membership today with women from Newmarket, Aurora, King, East Gwillimbury and Toronto signed on to pool their donations to create major impact.
At each of the four meetings held throughout the year, each member contributes $100 — adding up to more than $12,000 raised quickly and simply in a single evening — to four non-profit organizations annually.
More than $153,000 has been donated to the charities nominated and selected by the 100 Women Who Care - Central York Region members, including TLC Centre, the Women’s Centre of York Region, Dragonfly Wellness for Women, Doane Hospice, 310-COPE, MOBYSS, New Leaf, KC's Cancer Cushion Fund, Marquee Theatrical Productions, the Character Community’s Slap Shot program and Routes Connecting Communities.
Brakeboer also mentors and personally supports the affiliated 100 Youth Who Care chapter, which just celebrated its third anniversary.
She's committed to ensuring every cent raised goes to the charities, with local businesses supporting the chapter by providing the venues for the meetings without charge, including Market Brewing Company, Silver Lakes Golf and Country Club, and the Aurora Legion.
Beyond the desire to make a difference, most of the women in the chapter share a common reality.
“We lead full, busy lives, but we can take one hour, four times a year, to learn about a charity and make a donation, and then go on with our lives,” Brakeboer says in her straightforward way.
She makes it sound easy, but because Brakeboer took the initiative to unleash the power of generosity in local women, she has lifted an entire community.
Oh, and she would want you to know that new members are always welcome.
