STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK
The Little Black Dress Club is ready to make a difference again.
The philanthropic women’s group will host a meet open to all women at 5 p.m. Monday, June 4, at the Sawtooth Botanical Garden.
Participants can nominate a local nonprofit organization to be considered for funding. A handful of nominees will randomly be chosen from a pool and those who nominated the organizations will be allowed to make a three-minute speech on their behalf with two minutes set aside for questions.
Those present will then vote on which organization should receive the pool of $100 contributed by each person involved with the organization.
This is a participatory “pay to play event,” according to Tricia Swartling, who heads up the organization.
The action starts at 5:15 p.m. and the process should be completed within 60 minutes. Social time will follow, with those whose names begin with A-M asked to bring finger food and those whose names start with N-Z, a beverage. Cups, napkins and plates will be provided.
Those who wish to participate but can’t attend can send a blank check with another participant or mail a check to the winning charity, which will be announced the day after the meeting. The address: Little Black Dress Club, P.O. Box 313 Hailey, Idaho 83333.
Lynn Campion, who has been with the Little Black Dress Club since its beginnings, notes that the organization is a great way to learn about needs in the valley and about organizations that are striving to meet those needs.
At the last meeting in February, participants heard funding requests on behalf of NAMI-WRV (National Alliance on Mental Illness), The Hunger Coalition, Syringa Mountain School, Nosotros United and Sun Valley Ballet.
Those present elected to give the $4,000 that participants donated to Nosotros United, which means “All of Us United.” The student-led club was created by students Marisol Marquez and Grace Evans, who have been in the dual-immersion program in the Wood River Valley since kindergarten and now attend Wood River High School.
The organization, which boasts 41 members, encourages friendship and dialogue across cultures to make the Wood River Valley a welcoming and supportive home for everyone.
They hold community discussions on race and diversity, cultural dances and family carnivals, among other things. And to future their academic ambitions they attend weekly study club sessions, take advanced placement and honors classes and mentor middle school students.
A scholarship fund has been established to fund college-bound leaders in the group.
Representatives from the group will attend Monday’s meeting and give a brief update about the organization’s recent activities, according to Susan Giannettino.
For more information, visit https://lbdcwr.org/events/.