The Advisory Committee for the Greenbrier Valley Women’s invites area women who would like to have a positive impact on the lives of other women to attend its fourth annual luncheon and distribution meeting. The salad luncheon will be held at noon on Wednesday, Sept. 13 at Saint James Episcopal Church in Lewisburg. Kate Long, co-director and founder of Try This West Virginia will be the keynote speaker. She will talk about Try This West Virginia and how it helps promote individual and community health as well as the ideas and resources it offers. Food for the luncheon is being prepared by Adriana Grecu who will be opening a new restaurant in White Sulphur Springs this October called Sanctuary Living Cuisine. In addition, the Women’s Fund be presenting distribution checks for three projects that empower women. This year, grants of $1,000 will be awarded to organizations in Greenbrier, Monroe, and Pocahontas counties. Michelle McFall, executive director of the Monroe County Day Care, will also present a report on the programs funded through last year’s grant. Membership in the Greenbrier Valley Women’s Fund is available to all women who pay annual dues or make a donation to the fund. Dues for 2017 are $20, the entire amount of which is applied to the fund. Since the fund is an endowment, only the earnings are distributed and the principal is protected. Accordingly, the fund will be able to provide grants to empower women in perpetuity. Membership forms may be obtained by visiting the “Women’s Fund” page at www.gvfoundation.org, calling 304-645-5620, or emailing info@gvfoundation.org. The Greenbrier Valley Women’s Fund was established in 2006 at the Greenbrier Valley Community Foundation (GVCF) to assist local nonprofits that work in our region to empower women. West Virginia ranks at or near the bottom of all states in the key areas of women’s lives. According to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research’s The Status of Women and Girls in West Virginia, women in WV have the lowest level nationwide of educational attainment and employment. They are more likely to live in poverty, to die of heart disease or lung cancer, to have diabetes, or to experience physical limitations due to their health status. To date, the fund has distributed over $16,000. Previous recipients include: The Family Refuge Center, High Rocks Educational Corporation, Almost Heaven Habitat for Humanity, the Alderson Quilters Guild, Greenbrier/Pocahontas Parents as Teachers, the Tutoring Center, Pocahontas County Historic Preservation Project, Homeless Inc., the Women on Wellness program, Carnegie Hall WV, the Greater Greenbrier Chamber of Commerce, Communities in Schools Greenbrier County, Oakhurst Outreach, and the Monroe Family Resource Network. The 2017 Women’s Fund Advisory Committee members are Diane Browning, Vicki Dove, Susan Hewman, Erin Hurst, Mary Leb, Gloria Martin, Rebecca Morrow, Sarah Riley, and Robin Spence. The Greenbrier Valley Community Foundation was incorporated in 1999. It is a collection of funds, each with a separate agreement, donors, and philanthropic purpose. When appropriate, each fund makes an annual grant to area nonprofit organizations and through scholarships for higher education. GVCF has assets over $13.5 million and has distributed over $4.3 million to the community.
