Thank You for Joining Us!

Wow, what a night!

Thanks to the over 200 attendees last night who joined us for the WGC's March 8, 2021 Virtual Annual Celebration on International Women's Day! 
 
We hope you enjoyed hearing about the work of the Women's Giving Circle of Howard County and how you can get involved, listening to the conversation about “Democratizing and Diversifying Philanthropy Through the Power of Collective Giving” from our Keynote Speakers Valaida Fullwood and Sara Lomelin, and viewing our Virtual (S)hero Mosaic, highlighting over 500 local (S)heroes.

​And, we hope you enjoyed learning more about our five Featured (S)heroes, the important work their organizations are doing on the ground in Howard County, and how you can support them.

If you were unable to join us you can view the recorded event here, read the event program here and watch an event snippet here.

We appreciate the wonderful feedback! Here's just a few thoughts from several attendees:

• "This is one of the best programs I've attended in my 30+ years in Howard County." 
• "I have appreciated the work of the Women's Giving Circle for many years. Not only as an agency recipient, but because the model of a giving circle can be revolutionary. Tonight's speakers highlighted that brilliantly." 
• "The speakers were so inspiring!" 
• "A wonderful evening! Well executed and the speakers were awesome ... glad to be a part of such an amazing vision!" 
• "The Annual Celebration was terrific ... informative, and inspiring to hear from the speakers - lovely people that you'd like to know better." 
• "I was struck by how none of that would have been a conversation when I was a young, smart, forward-thinking woman. Women can do anything and they make it happen!" 
• "Really excellent program ... you have definitely put us on the map, and elevated our relevance."
• "The WGC is really on a roll ... Bravo!"

If you are as inspired as we are to continue making a difference collectively, here are 5 Actions Steps you can take today:

• JOIN: us on Wednesday, April 14 at 8:30 am for a virtual coffee chat following up with our five Featured (S)heroes to hear more directly from them about how you can volunteer and give to support their important efforts. WGC Executive Director, Buffy Beaudoin-Schwartz and Grants Committee Chair, Candace Dodson-Reed will also be speaking at the upcoming Conscious Capitalism of Central Maryland Coffee Event on Diversifying and Democratizing Philanthropy on Tuesday, March 16 at 8:00 am if you'd like to join us!
• READ: the blog posts written by WGC Student Intern Adora Brown on our five Featured (S)heroes: Jen Broderick, Erika Strauss Chavarria, Bita Dayhoff, Dr. Mariana Izraelson, and Vanita Leatherwood.
• HIGHLIGHT: YOUR (S)heroes on our Virtual Mosaic - this will remain open for submissions until Wednesday, March 17, when it will become a permanent part of the WGC.
• CONNECT: with the WGC - check out our website, sign-up for our mailing list to receive our eNewsletter and Emergency Response Network requests, read our blog, read our monthly column in Her Mind Magazine, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Linkedin.
• GIVE: to the WGC - make a donation in honor of a (S)hero in your life.

Once again, we thank our incredible sponsors - all 118 of you! It takes a special person and individual to understand the value of investing in the WGC and supporting women and girls by sponsoring events such as ours tonight, and we appreciate you! Take a look at the goodies in our Virtual Swag Bag from some of our sponsors.

Many thanks to our fabulous Keynote Speakers, Valaida Fullwood and Sara Lomelin - you can learn more here about Philanthropy Together and Black Philanthropy Month. And, thank you to the WGC Advisory Board and Committee members, including our terrific Membership & Events Committee who made tonight possible, our partners at the Community Foundation of Howard County, our food and drink partners throughout Howard County, our five Featured (S)heroes, and all of you - so many (S)heroes Among Us, for taking the time last night to GIVE | JOIN | CONNECT with the Women's Giving Circle of Howard County to make things happen in our community.
 
We truly believe that women’s philanthropy is shaping the future for women and girls through the power of diversified and democratized collective giving. 
 
Thank you for being a part of it. 

Sincerely,

• Barb Van Winkle, WGC Chair
• Melissa Curtin and Mary Thompson, WGC Membership & Events Committee Co-Chairs
• Candace Dodson-Reed, WGC Event Host and Grants Committee Chair
• Buffy Beaudoin-Schwartz, WGC Executive Director
• WGC's 2021 Advisory Board

---