posted
on 1/16/2024
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Press Releases
Story written and provided by Larry Devine at the Carroll Times Herald.
The 712 Women on a Mission charitable group recently presented donations of $3,500 to St. Anthony Nursing Home, which will go toward the purchase of a used minibus equipped with a wheelchair lift, and $3,900 to Caring Hearts of West Central Iowa to support its new crisis apartment initiative.
St. Anthony Nursing Home Administrator Jerry Wordekemper says approximately $21,000 has been raised toward the expected $35,000 to $40,000 cost of a used 15-passenger bus.
712 Women on a Mission recently donated $3,500 to St. Anthony Nursing Home, which will use the funds toward the purchase of a used minibus with a wheelchair lift for outings by residents of the nursing home as well as Garden View and Orchard View, both also on St. Anthony Regional Hospital campus.
Participating in the presentation are (from left) Cindy Heuton, 712 WOAM; Angel Luis, St. Anthony chaplain; Jerry Wordekemper, St. Anthony Nursing Home administrator; Cindy Duhrkopf, 712 WOAM; Shan non 712 WOAM; and Joellen Buerckley, 712 WOAM.
The bus will be used to transport St. Anthony Nursing Home residents on a variety of outings, such as viewing the countryside or touring area communities where residents may have lived at one time.
“It opens a lot of possibilities for us,” Wordekemper says.
The bus also could be used for outings for residents of Garden View and Orchard View seniors’ residences, which along with the nursing home also are located on the campus with St. Anthony Regional Hospital.
Fundraising for the bus also has benefited from events spearheaded by Angelo Luis, St. Anthony’s chaplain. Those have included a car wash, a bake sale and a raffle.
Donations for the effort are welcomed and may be directed to the St. Anthony Foundation.
Caring Hearts began the crisis apartment last summer, offering a short-term place to stay for people undergoing extreme hardships, such as homelessness, domestic violence, loss of job, house fire, mental-health issues, or a variety of other life stressors.
Caring Hearts has welcomed donations of gently used adult clothing, kids’ clothing, coats, handbags, wallets, backpacks, overnight/travel bags and small suitcases. Community of Concern food pantry also has helped with daily needs.
About Women on a Mission:
712 Women on a Mission made its first donation in January 2020 and since then has contributed a total of $73,500 to 16 recipients. Other recipients in 2023 were $3,700 to Dolly Parton Imagination Library (books for children from newborns to 5-year-olds) and $3,500 to Girls on the Run (programming to help young girls successfully navigate life experiences).
712 Women on a Mission looks to help nonprofit organizations that have projects they can’t fund but would make a major impact in the local community.
712 Women on a Mission members pledge to donate $100 per quarter, and the organizations meets four times a year on the second Wednesday of the moth in February, May, August and November to decide on recipients.
Pledge members nominate a recipient by completing a nomination form and submitting it at one of the quarterly meetings. At those meetings, three members are chosen at random and have up to five minutes to make a pitch for their nominated charity. Members then cast ballots for one of the three charities presented. The charity with the most votes will be designated the quarterly recipient.
Before leaving the meeting, pledge members write their $100 checks directly to the recipient charity. The leadership team delivers the checks to the recipient charity.
Those interested in becoming a member may send application — including name, address (city, state, ZIP code), phone and email — to 712 Women on a Mission, P.O. Box 294, Carroll, IA 51401, or email 712womenonamission@gmail.com.
The group’s use of “712” phone area code in its name shows its widely welcoming membership.