Photos from the Power of the Purse

 

 

 

 

Cumberland Women Flex Their Muscles at Power of the Purse Event Featuring Roy Williams

http://upandcomingweekly.com/content/view/1518/26/

Written by JANICE BURTON

Over the past 60 years, the role of women in our society has changed dramatically. Many women have traded in their ironing boards for seats in the board room. With that shift, women have taken on a new role in the global community.   According to an article in Forbes, women now control more than half of the private wealth in the U.S. and make 80 percent of all purchases. Boston College’s Center on Wealth and Philanthropy has found that women will inherit 70 percent of the $41 trillion in intergenerational wealth transfer expected over the next 40 years. In addition to controlling wealth and consumer activity, women tend to donate more of their wealth than men do. A Barclay’s Wealth study titled Tomorrow’s Philanthropist, released in July 2009, showed that women in the U.S. give an average of 3.5 percent of their wealth to charity, while men give an average of 1.8 percent.   But before you get excited and start thinking these women have the money to give away, it’s important to note that who is giving is also changing.   Private foundations and public charities dedicated to fundraising by and for women and girls have grown at a faster rate than giving by the overall foundation community. A report conducted by the Foundation Center and Women’s Funding Network found that from 2004-2006, giving by women’s funds grew 24 percent. The study found that charitable giving by women, directly or through women’s funds, focuses on improving the quality of life and opportunity for girls and women. It also suggests a growing interest in philanthropic models that allowdonors to leverage and pool their charitable dollars in order to achieve maximum impact.   That idea has been firmly embraced in Cumberland County by the women who make up the Women’s Giving Circle of Cumberland County. Operating as a contibuting agency of the Cumberland Community Foundation, the organization seeks to:    • Empower women givers of all ages and backgrounds.   • Educate donors on women’s issues in our community.   • Impact substantial, positive change for women and children throughout Cumberland County by pooling financial resources.   The circle is “committed to educating its members on pressing social issues affecting women and children in Cumberland County.”    This is how it works: Each member of the circle contributes a $550 annual gift; $400 is immediately placed in the grant-making fund; $100 is placed in the endowment; and $50 is added to the program and operating expense fund. To ensure the continuity of the circle, members are asked to pledge an annual commitment of $550 for three years.   Additionally, the circle also hosts some fundraising events. On Thursday, Sept. 8, the circle will host a Power of the Purse Luncheon featuring University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Head Basketball Coach Roy Williams. Tickets to the event, which will be held at 11:30 a.m. at the Snyder Memorial Baptist Church Fellowship Hall are $75. To reserve a seat for the luncheon, please send a check to WGCCC, P. O. Box 2345, Fayetteville, N.C. 28302, payable to the Women’s Giving Circle of Cumberland County. Reservations will be accepted through Aug. 31 or until sold out. For questions about reservations, please call 910-818-3840.

UNC's Roy Williams keynotes luncheon in Fayetteville (Fayetteville Observer 9/9/2011)

 

http://m.fayobserver.com/articles?path=/articles/2011/09/09/1121378

Roy Williams has shared the tale before. But, hey, what's one more telling if the message can help someone new?

As the keynote speaker Wednesday at the "Power of the Purse" luncheon put on by the Women's Giving Circle of Cumberland County, Williams felt compelled to rewind to the spring of 1988, to the moment he got his big break in college coaching.

It came courtesy of the late Dr. Bob Frederick, then the athletic director at Kansas. Frederick was in charge of hiring a new coach to replace the departed Larry Brown, and he admired Williams' ambition and vision. Frederick also had a heartfelt endorsement for Williams from Dean Smith.

Still, the 37-year-old Williams was an unknown commodity hoping to take control of one of the nation's most prestigious programs, a fact not lost on Frederick's wife, Margie, who Williams says made it a point to second-guess her husband's judgment.

"You're going to hire that no-name assistant from North Carolina, aren't you?" Margie asked.

When Bob Frederick confirmed his intentions, Margie could shook her head.

"This could be the end of your career," she said.

Williams laughs at his good fortune. He has won 643 games as a head coach at Kansas and North Carolina since then, been to seven Final Fours, and captured two national championships. Yet, he still openly wonders which way might his journey have gone without the belief Frederick had in him.

"I'll never forget until the last day that I breathe that Bob gave me a chance," Williams said Wednesday.

Given that chance and so many other opportunities throughout his life, Williams has always made it a point to give back, to pay his good fortune forward.

That's what brought the Hall of Fame coach to Snyder Memorial Baptist Church in Haymount on Wednesday, an opportunity to help raise money for a charitable organization that hopes to educate the community on the hardships many women and children in Cumberland County face - from homelessness to hunger to health care inadequacies.

Positive energy

Before delivering his 45-minute address, Williams explained his purpose.

"For me, the philanthropy work I try to do isn't just about giving money, it's about giving time," he said. "I know through life I've been very, very fortunate. And that's helped me to understand I can always give to help somebody else. With my book ("Hard Work") and when I speak, my enjoyment comes from getting through in a way where people tell me they've been inspired. You never can underestimate how what you say or what you do might affect someone."

Alisa Debnam, one of the founding members of the WGCCC, expressed great appreciation for Williams' words. Debnam said she worked for almost a year to coordinate schedules with Williams to bring him to the "Power of the Purse" event.

"It was well worth the wait," Debnam said. "It's impossible not to be inspired by his message, understanding how to be appreciative of what you have and to always have a focus on giving back."
Amy Perko, once a colleague of Williams' at Kansas and now the executive director of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics, proved instrumental in securing Williams for the luncheon.
Perko, the former president of the NBA Development League's Fayetteville Patriots, said she has long admired Williams' drive and unselfishness.

"His is a story of giving and inspiration and how one person can make a big difference in somebody else's life," she said.

'I felt so blessed'

Williams easily pinpoints the people who made the biggest difference in his life. They were all, he says, giving in their own way.

Frederick gave him a chance.

Buddy Baldwin, Williams' high school coach at T.C. Roberson in Asheville, gave him confidence and an incentive to choose coaching as his life path.

"He made me feel like I could do something," Williams said. "And he did that so well that after my ninth grade year, that summer, I decided I wanted to be a coach. That was it. I never thought about being anything else. I never wanted to be anything else. And the reason is because of how good he made me feel."

Of course, Williams' mother Lallage gave, too, providing him invaluable lessons on sacrifice and devotion.

Throughout a tumultuous childhood, with an alcoholic, absentee dad and the family's financial situation unstable, Williams says he was always given what every kid deserves: a mother who was proud of him and taught him to always be generous.

"My mother was an angel," Williams said. "We were one step away from homeless three or four different times when I was growing up. But I felt so blessed. I really did. I didn't think in terms that it was a bad situation. Because she loved me. ... And that was the only thing that mattered to me."

Staff writer Dan Wiederer can be reached at wiedererd@fayobserver.com or 486-3536.

Hasty: UNC coach Roy Williams to speak at Giving Circle event

Published: 07:00 AM, Mon Aug 22, 2011

http://www.fayobserver.com/articles/2011/08/22/1115999

Kim Hasty

Members of the Women's Giving Circle of Cumberland County had to wait a year for a date to open on Roy Williams' speaking schedule.

But Williams has the kind of life story that makes the wait worthwhile.

Williams, well-known as the basketball coach at the University of North Carolina, will share the lesser-known story of his hardscrabble childhood on Sept. 8 at a luncheon at Snyder Memorial Baptist Church.

"We had a whole list of people, but we kept coming back to him,'' said Giving Circle member Alisa Debnam, who is helping to organize the event. "The fact that he was raised by his mother, the values she instilled in him and the great things he's done to help others are what the Women's Giving Circle is all about.''

The event, called the Power of the Purse, is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tickets are $75 per person and proceeds go to help the Women's Giving Circle fund programs that benefit women and children.

The women in the circle - more than 130 now - have awarded $125,340 over the past three years to Cumberland County nonprofit organizations that benefit women and children, including $25,000 awarded in June to Fayetteville Area Operation Inasmuch. That money will go to renovate a home for homeless women.

The Giving Circle's causes are the kind that are certain to have struck a chord with Roy Williams. After his alcoholic father abandoned the family, he was raised by a resilient, gentle-natured mother who worked hard to support her two children.

"Family was all that mattered to my mother,'' Williams wrote in his 2009 book, "Hard Work: A Life On and Off the Court.'' "Family was her first priority and second, third, fourth and fifth. Nothing ever got in the way of that.''

Williams recalls the days when he and his friends would stop by a service station on the way home from school. The station had a vending machine that sold Coca-Colas for 10 cents.

"Now my mom knew I loved nothing better than a cold Coca-Cola,'' Williams writes. "But she also knew I didn't have the money to buy one.''

He told his mother that the station had a nice water fountain and that he settled for that while his friends bought their sodas.

The next morning, and most mornings after, his mother left a dime for him on the kitchen table.

The days of watching his family struggle have long passed, but Williams has never forgotten. He and his wife, Wanda, have contributed $200,000 to the Carolina Covenant, an initiative at North Carolina that allows low-income students to attend the university without incurring debt, and the two serve as honorary co-chairs of a $10 million campaign to endow the program.

Giving Circle member Amy Perko, a former Academic All-American and all-Atlantic Coast Conference player at Wake Forest, got to know Williams when he was the basketball coach at Kansas and she was an associate athletic director at the school.

"He's good about carving out time on his schedule to help causes that help others,'' Perko said. "Coach Williams has an inspiring story. His is a story that transcends which team you pull for in March.''

Community news editor Kim Hasty can be reached at hastyk@fayobserver.com or 486-3591.

Power of the Purse: Fayetteville Observer

UNC coach Roy Williams to speak at Power of the Purse luncheon in Fayetteville

 

North Carolina coach Roy Williams is coming to Fayetteville. The Women’s Giving Circle of Cumberland County announced today that Williams will be its featured speaker at its Power of the Purse luncheon on Sept. 8.

The event, scheduled to be begin at 11:30 a.m., will be held at the Snyder Memorial Baptist Church. According to a press release, Williams will share many of his life stories with the group, touching on his days growing up in the western part of the state and sharing tales from his many triumphs as a college basketball coach.

The cost of the luncheon is $75 per person. To reserve a seat, send a check, payable to the Women’s Giving Circle of Cumberland County, to:

WGCCC
P. O. Box 2345
Fayetteville, NC 28302

The Power of the Purse event will celebrate the power of women’s philanthropy in Cumberland County. Reservations will be accepted through Aug. 31 or until the event is sold out. For event sponsorship information or further questions about reservations, call (910) 818-3840.

The Women’s Giving Circle is an organization of women whose purpose is to impact substantial, positive change for women and children in Cumberland County through philanthropy and education. Founded in 2008, the Circle has grown to include more than 130 women. Funds are held and maintained by the Cumberland Community Foundation. This organization is open to all women in Cumberland County.

Posted: 8/11/2011 11:05:53 AM by Dan Wiederer

 

http://blogs.fayobserver.com/accbasketball/August-2011/UNC-coach-Roy-Williams-to-speak-at-Power-of-the-Pu 

Circle of Women 'Give' to Help Homeless

Originally published on Saturday, June 25, 2011 in the Saturday Extra category.

Circle of women 'give' to help homeless

By Bill Kirby Jr.

Columnist
 
Fayetteville Area Operation Inasmuch, Cumberland Interfaith Hospitality Network and Grace & Mercy House are recipients of grants totaling nearly $50,000 from the Women’s Giving Circle of Fayetteville. Fayetteville Area Operation Inasmuch received $25,000 for its Frink Street Transformation Project, which focuses on renovation of a house for homeless women and children. Cumberland Interfaith Hospitality Network received $15,000 to support the security fencing project aimed at protecting homeless women and children who participate in the Cumberland Interfaith Hospitality Network program and Ashton Wood Transitional Housing. The grant, according to Susan Barnes, the Women’s Giving Circle coordinator, will be matched with funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Grace & Mercy House was awarded $9,340 for support services to homeless women and children. The Women’s Giving Circle has given $125,340 in grants to local nonprofit organizations since 2008..

Power of the Purse Event Information

The Power of the Purse

 

Luncheon:Thursday Sept. 8 at 11:30 am.
Our guest speaker:
UNC Basketball Coach Roy Williams

 
As WGC members, you will have the first opportunity to purchase tickets, but the window will be short as the event is quickly approaching. Tickets are priced at $75 each. Watch your inbox for the upcoming ticket purchase details!!!

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Our Women’s Giving Circle was formed just over three years ago, and we have more than 130 members with diverse backgrounds, activities, and accomplishments.  Our common bonds are our interests in philanthropy and our desire to advance our community.  Each newsletter will continue to spotlight one or more WGC members, and this month Margaret Dickson and Tammy Laurence, our new co-chairs, are our focus.

  

Margaret Dickson is a native of Fayetteville and spent most of her working career in her family business, Cape Fear Broadcasting Company.  When the business was sold in 2001, she ran for the North Carolina House of Representatives where she served 7 years and was then appointed to the state Senate to complete an unexpired term. 

Margaret is proud of our community and has served on the boards of a number of local organizations, including the Cumberland Community Foundation, the Cumberland County Education Foundation, the Fayetteville State University Foundation, the Fayetteville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce, which presented her its Athena Award in 2007.  She is a founding member of the Rape Crisis Volunteers of Cumberland County.  Margaret is the mother of three young adults and is blessed with a lovely daughter in law.

Margaret encourages women to participate in community life, particularly political participation, and believe that the WGCCC fills an important need.  She says she looks forward to working with the membership to grow our organization in the coming year. 

Tammy Laurence believes you can tell a lot about a person based on bumper stickers and personalized license plates- her license plate says “Kids First.”   She says, “If you want to know the health of a community, look at how it cares for the kids.”  She believes Fayetteville is a wonderful community for children and families, and after many travels as a military spouse is glad to call Fayetteville home.  
 
Tammy is the mother of three grown children and two adorable grandsons, and has spent over twenty-five years working to better children’s lives. Formerly the executive director for the local Child Advocacy Center, and prior to settling in Fayetteville, she was the executive director for the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) program for Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties in New York. Her work for military children was recognized when she received the Novella Gibson Whitehead award for spearheading efforts to pass legislation to provide the WIC program overseas for military families, and ensured that the program was implemented.
   
Currently Tammy is the president of NP Soar LLC, a consulting firm specializing in capacity building for nonprofits. She is a member of the International Association for Fundraising Professionals, the Association of Fundraising Professionals Triangle, and several local professional associations. 

Each One Reach One

Each One Reach One

In our last newsletter we wrote about our membership drive entitled Each One Reach One.  The idea being that we could double our membership and our giving if each member would bring in one new member.

As an incentive to get you to ask a friend to join us, we have a special treat associated with the Power of the Purse Event.

Every member that gets a new member (and also purchases a ticket) prior to the event will have the opportunity to meet and have your picture taken with Roy Williams.

You can call Susan Barnes at: 910-483-4449 or Denise Lynch at 910-481-8562
Or email them at:
      Susan Barnes susan@cumberlandcf.org
       Denise Lynch  denise.lynch@mssb.com
 

2011/12 Slate of Officers and Updates

1.    2011 – 2012 Slate of Officers

Co-Chairs:                                      Tammy Laurence and Margaret Dickson

Vice Co-Chairs:                              Patty Collie and Jean Harrison

Secretary:                                        Lisa Lofthouse

Asst.  Secretary:                             Ann Ashford

Treasurer:                                       Linda Goff                 

Asst: Treasurer:                              Lynn Deveaux

2.    The approval of the addition to the by-laws of the following policies: Funds received by the WGC as matching contributions will be distributed according to the preference of the member/organization (endowment fund, grant fund, etc.)  If she has no preference, then the money will be distributed according to the standard breakdown ($400 to grants,$100 to endowment, $50 to administrative expenses).    Funds received by the WGC as a donation by a non-member or a “friend” will be distributed to the endowment fund. 

3.    A name change from the Women’s Giving Circle of Fayetteville to the Women’s Giving Circle of Cumberland County.

Press Release in Fayetteville Observer: Grants 2011

Published: 12:00 AM, Sun Jun 19, 2011

http://fayobserver.com/articles/2011/06/19/1102551?sac=Local 

 

Women's Giving Circle awards grants to help homeless women, children

The Women's Giving Circle of Fayetteville has chosen three organizations to receive grants totaling $49,340 to help homeless women and children.

Fayetteville Area Operation Inasmuch will receive $25,000 for its Frink Street Transformation Project. A home will be renovated for homeless women who will be selected for character, work ethic and desire to improve their lives. The project will increase housing for women and children.

Cumberland Interfaith Hospitality Network is awarded $15,000 to support the security fencing project. The program helps provide a safe and secure environment for homeless women and children who participate in the Cumberland Interfaith Hospitality Network program and Ashton Woods Transitional Housing. The money will be matched 2-to-1 by a grant from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Grace & Mercy House Inc. will get $9,340. The program helps prepare women to get back on their feet and be independent.

In the past three years, the Giving Circle has awarded a total of $125,340 to nonprofits in Cumberland County for the benefit of women and children. The organization has grown to more than 130 women who seek to make substantial, positive changes for women and children through philanthropy and education. Funding is held and maintained by Cumberland Community Foundation.

March 2011 Meeting and Upcoming Events

This was the first meeting of 2011 and it was an important one...Our grantees from last year shared their successes though story boards and we voted on this years grant requests within the focus of homelessness.

UPCOMING EVENTS

General Membership Meetings
Thursdays at 6PM in CCF Community room
May 19th

Leadership Committee  Meetings
Fridays, 12 – 1:30 pm in the CCF Board Room
May 4 (new date)

Special Events
Fall 2011 (TBD) – Power of the Purse event

Members in the News: March 2011

Members in the NEWS

Deidra Debnam, daughter of Alisa Debnam, was selected as one of the three contestants to appear on the game show, "Wheel of Fortune" to be aired on WTVD, Channel 11 at 7:30 p.m. April 25, 2011.

http://fayobserver.com/articles/2011/03/02/1074904

HUMANITARIAN AWARD


On Saturday, March 19th Alisa Debnam was presented with the Humanitarian Award. Debnam, among other positions, serves as a member of the Junior League of Fayetteville, the Community Advisory Board of Planned Parenthood of Central North Carolina and the Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation.