Women's Giving Circle

Great Things Happen When Caring Women Gather
One Night. 200+ Women making $100 gifts.

 
10TH ANNIVERSARY
Spring Women's Giving Circle Gathering
 
Wednesday, May 8, 2024
Eagles Landing at Lake Olathe
 
Will be Hosted by Sustaining Member, Debbie Swinney
 
 
Olathe Educators - Apply now for a $15,000 Women's Givig Circle Grant that will address innovation - Applications are due at 4 p.m. April 24
 
 
OPSF WGC JUST AWARDED A $10,000 NEEDS-BASED GRANT AT OUR FALL CIRCLE!! AND TWO $5,000 GRANTS!

A circle of giving and compassionate women met Tuesday night, September 26th, at the Ball Event Center. The Circle has reached a record number of 249 members with 34 new members and 206 sustaining members. It was a packed room!! One member described the WGC gatherings as magical and that is the perfect word to describe the $24,450 raised this cycle and the atmosphere in the room. This brings our Giving Circle total to $342,000 and our 10-year anniversary is next spring. Great things happen when caring women gather!

We listened to presentations on needs-based projects from three very passionate Olathe educators. Jessica Sadler presented on a Low Rider Leaders initiative at Oregon Trail Middle School, modeling the one started at Olathe North. We also heard about a Leadership, Service and YOUR FUTURE program that would supplement the AIM program at Indian Trail, Oregon Trail, Pioneer Trail & Santa Fe Trail Middle Schools. The third initiative we heard from was The Wonderful World of Music at Central Elementary School. This project would bring musical experiences from the community to the children who otherwise would not have these opportunities and supply the school with musical instruments they might use in their own cultures.

The excitement in the room was contagious as we listened to the passion behind these projects and the love and connection that these teachers have for their students. It's so encouraging to hear the creativity, and compassion behind their ideas, making it so hard to choose which one to vote for.

After much collaboration and discussion, the Circle awarded the $10,000 need-based grant to Rachel Marlow, a music teacher at Central Elementary. Central Elementary is a Title I school serving many families on the fand reduced lunch program along with students who are going to school for the very first time and speak many different languages. The Wonderful World of Music will allow these kids to have actual instruments to play that reflect ones they might use in their cultures. These funds will also allow them to take field trips to cultural centers and experience shows and performances that many of us take for granted.

The votes for the other two grants were so close. The Circle awarded them both $5,000. The OPSF staff and a few of the WGC members, including this cycle's hostess, Barb Hendricks, arrived at Central Elementary on Wednesday morning to deliver the exciting news!! Afterwards we headed over to Oregon Trail Middle School where we surprised the other two with their checks for $5,000 each! We can't wait to see all of these dollars in action, impacting our Olathe community!

The Women's Giving Circle is open to all. Contact Katie Beaudin at kebeaudin@olatheschools.org to reserve your seat for the Spring 2024 10th Anniversary gathering.

Visit our Instagram, Facebook and X pages for more pictures from the event.

 

Fall 2023 Gathering By the Numbers

$23,000 raised!!
223 total members
184 Sustaining Members
20 new members

 

Become a Sustaining Member
OPSF Women's Giving Circle Sustaining Members commit $100 twice a year, for the Spring and Fall gatherings.  These generous women listed below have pledged their ongoing support - and you can join them!

Contact the Foundation at (913) 780-8222, make your commitment and have your name added to this list of extraordinary women. Your continued support is needed to maintain our tradition of awarding one deserving project funding of $10,000 or more!