WomenConnected, a women’s giving circle within the Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Foundation, awarded grants totaling $34,888 to 12 programs and services at the Health Center, bringing the group’s total amount of grant funding to $475,000 since 2004.
WomenConnected is comprised of 74 women from Coles and surrounding counties who through their membership contributions, help fund and direct the expansion of Sarah Bush Lincoln programs and services.
Those receiving WomenConnected support this year include: SBL Dental Services which provide urgent, restorative care for underserved children, dental health kits for children in schools across nine counties and privacy screens for use during dental exams and cleanings for underserved children; Healthy Kids programs; Step in the Right Direction, a diabetes prevention program; Living with Diabetes, a program that focuses on managing diabetes through nutrition and exercise; programs to provide scales for indigent patients who suffer from cardiac heart failure; Center for Healthy Living scholarships; diabetic supplies for indigent patients, equipment for uninsured Lincolnland Home Health patients and training for staff members who encounter crises while on the job.
WomenConnected is celebrating its 12th year of giving to the community through gifts to Sarah Bush Lincoln. Individually these women make a membership contribution. Contributions are then pooled together into a single fund that is able to provide significant support via monetary grants to our programs and services, Amy Card, SBL Foundation Director, explained. “The members as a group vote on which programs receive their grant funding. I believe all of our members find it very rewarding to be a part of a larger effort. By pooling their resources, they can make a significant impact in helping improve the health of people in our community.”
Members of WomenConnected range in age and occupation and include former EC Illinois residents now living in Georgia and Texas. “We have employees of area businesses, retirees, volunteers, moms, daughters and grandmas in this group and they all have at least one thing in common -- they generously give because they want to help others, and they ask for nothing in return,” Card said. “I’m lucky to know each one of these ladies and I encourage others to join this rewarding group.”
WomenConnected 2003 charter members include:
Sally Bock, Judy Brown, Joan Cole, Sheila Dively, Penny Gordy, Patty Hedges, Barbara Hoppin, Joyce Madigan, Tess Melvin, Melanie Mills, Carol Myerscough, Colleen Stoner, Edie Terwilliger, Mary Williams.
In 2004, the first grant year, Judy Brown, Sheila Dively and Sheila Harshman joined the group.
WomenConnected members are:
Carol Adams, Dr. Fatima Alao, Dr. Sheryl Artmann, Cathy Babbs, Ann Beck, Kristen Bliss, Sally Bock, Laura Bollan, Mary Bovard, Judy Brown, Amy Card, Beth Catt, Joan Cole, Dr. Lori Cudone, Sabra Culp, Jeanne Cunningham, Becky Crites, Jeanne Dau, Lauri DeRuiter Willems, Dixie Dickens, Sheila Dively, Cynthia Edwards, Samantha Eggleston, Sharon Fox, Carol Jo Fritts, Penny Gordy, Barb Hall, Wendy Hastings, Susie Hay, Dr. Kathleen Hecksel, Patty Hedges, Jodi Hildebrandt, Leslie Hill, Star Hill, Barbara Hoppin, Maggie Huffman, Shirley Hunt, Karen Lindley, Kim Lockart, Joyce Madigan, Tess Melvin, Tracey McCord, Janet Meyer, Melanie Mills, Laurie Mooney, Patty Montgomery, Carol Myerscough, Cheryl Noll, Nancy Nguyen, Diana Oakley, Linda Perry, Jerri Pine , Theresa Quinn, Maggie Ratliff, Carol Ray, Debbie Sandercock, Karla Schubert, Diane Senteney, Karen Smith, Erica Stollard, Colleen Stoner, Selma Sweeney (in memoriam), Jenny Swearingen, Nancy Swits, Leslie Taggart, Edie Terwilliger, Kim Uphoff, Mary Lou Wild, Mary Williams, Pat Williamson, Lisa Hernandez, Nancy Marlow, Lana Esker, Laura Glenn, Nancy Schilling and Michelle Mathews.