2nd Annual 99 GAL Friends Gala, April 6, 2024
99 GAL Friends marks year of giving
Starla Pointer/News-Register
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Ellen Summerfield speaks to women gathered April 6 at the Presbyterian Church for the 99 GAL Friends first anniversary brunch. The group brings women together to leverage their donations to assist organizations that help the community. It is a model of trust-based philanthropy, said Summerfield and co-founder Bonnie Mann.The 99 GAL Friends women’s philanthropic organization celebrated its first anniversary Saturday along with two other milestones: topping its 99-member goal and, over the course of the year, giving out its first series of grants.
"This is about as good as it gets!” said Ellen Summerfield, who founded 99 GAL Friends with Bonnie Mann last year. She told the women gathered April 6 for a brunch in the Presbyterian Church, “You all are making it happen.” Summerfield also was one of the founders of the Give A Little foundation, which provides grants to individuals with emergency needs, such as new tires in order to drive to medical appointments or funds for a winter heating bill. |
Starla Pointer/News-RegisterEllen Summerfield speaks to women gathered April 6 at the Presbyterian Church for the 99 GAL Friends first anniversary brunch. The group brings women together to leverage their donations to assist organizations that help the community. It is a model of trust-based philanthropy, said Summerfield and co-founder Bonnie Mann.
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The 99 GAL Friends takes its name, in part, because it works under the auspices of the nonprofit Give A Little. Its aim is to provide a place where women can pool their donations and decide how money will be distributed.
When it held its first meeting in April 2023, 99 GAL Friends had about 50 members. Now there are 102. Each member pledges to contribute $500 annually and help make decisions, as well.
The process is called “trust-based philanthropy,” Summerfield said. Everyone in the group has an equal say, she said, as the process “rebalances the power dynamic” and builds relationships with “integrity, compassion and service.”
Mann said the organization has nine committees, including a steering committee, four organizational committees responsible for publicity, membership, fundraising and programming, and four committees that focus on areas for giving — children/education/schools, arts/music/culture, senior welfare and women’s health needs.
Committees look for nonprofit organizations that have needs, studies them, then invites them to apply for grants. After 99 GALS approves a grant, one of its members continues to work with the recipient and offer support.
“These are efforts to partner with the community,” Summerfield said.
The Friends gave out 11 grants in its first year. Each went to an organization the group had identified and researched, then invited to apply for a grant.
Recipients were:
- Sheridan Museum of History, to replace plaques on historic buildings. Marilyn Levy of the museum said volunteers identified 51 historic properties around Sheridan in 2015, marked them with plaques and developed a walking tour. About half the plaques had been damaged or lost since then. The grant will restore them. “It wouldn’t have happened without you,” she said at the brunch.
- West Valley Community Campus’ annual Coastal Hills Art Tour. Cris Darr, a representative of the Willamina-area event, said the tour, started in 1991, might have had to shut down if not for the 99 GALS grant. “You saved the tour,” she told 99 GAL Friends.
- A Family Place, for Spanish-language curriculum for parent education.
- Lutheran Community Services for the enhanced visitation program for foster care children and their parents. It will fund “bonding activities,” such as trips to the zoo or the movies. “This will really impact parents and children who have been separated,” said Kathy Ann Meier of LFS.
- Friends of the McMinnville Senior Center, for Thanksgiving dinner and a holiday open house.
- Henderson House for shelter welcome kits for children. Such gifts help youngsters “feel honored, welcome and comfortable” when they arrive after fleeing a violent situation with their parent, said Rachel Flores, development director for Henderson House.
- Chehalem Cultural Center, for its multi-generational inclusive voices book and craft club.
- Junior Orchestra of Yamhill County, a program of the Yamhill Enrichment Society that introduces elementary students to playing violin. The grant will help the program expand from six schools to nine next year, said Alyssa Johnson of YES.
- Make Music McMinnville, a PA system and sound engineer to make an additional venue possible during the June 21 event that brings numerous musicians to perform around town.
- Head Start of Yamhill County for Cooking for All classes.
- Meals-on-Wheels, for gift bags delivered to clients at Christmas.
“Recipients were so grateful,” Mann said.
When it held its first meeting in April 2023, 99 GAL Friends had about 50 members. Now there are 102. Each member pledges to contribute $500 annually and help make decisions, as well.
The process is called “trust-based philanthropy,” Summerfield said. Everyone in the group has an equal say, she said, as the process “rebalances the power dynamic” and builds relationships with “integrity, compassion and service.”
Mann said the organization has nine committees, including a steering committee, four organizational committees responsible for publicity, membership, fundraising and programming, and four committees that focus on areas for giving — children/education/schools, arts/music/culture, senior welfare and women’s health needs.
Committees look for nonprofit organizations that have needs, studies them, then invites them to apply for grants. After 99 GALS approves a grant, one of its members continues to work with the recipient and offer support.
“These are efforts to partner with the community,” Summerfield said.
The Friends gave out 11 grants in its first year. Each went to an organization the group had identified and researched, then invited to apply for a grant.
Recipients were:
- Sheridan Museum of History, to replace plaques on historic buildings. Marilyn Levy of the museum said volunteers identified 51 historic properties around Sheridan in 2015, marked them with plaques and developed a walking tour. About half the plaques had been damaged or lost since then. The grant will restore them. “It wouldn’t have happened without you,” she said at the brunch.
- West Valley Community Campus’ annual Coastal Hills Art Tour. Cris Darr, a representative of the Willamina-area event, said the tour, started in 1991, might have had to shut down if not for the 99 GALS grant. “You saved the tour,” she told 99 GAL Friends.
- A Family Place, for Spanish-language curriculum for parent education.
- Lutheran Community Services for the enhanced visitation program for foster care children and their parents. It will fund “bonding activities,” such as trips to the zoo or the movies. “This will really impact parents and children who have been separated,” said Kathy Ann Meier of LFS.
- Friends of the McMinnville Senior Center, for Thanksgiving dinner and a holiday open house.
- Henderson House for shelter welcome kits for children. Such gifts help youngsters “feel honored, welcome and comfortable” when they arrive after fleeing a violent situation with their parent, said Rachel Flores, development director for Henderson House.
- Chehalem Cultural Center, for its multi-generational inclusive voices book and craft club.
- Junior Orchestra of Yamhill County, a program of the Yamhill Enrichment Society that introduces elementary students to playing violin. The grant will help the program expand from six schools to nine next year, said Alyssa Johnson of YES.
- Make Music McMinnville, a PA system and sound engineer to make an additional venue possible during the June 21 event that brings numerous musicians to perform around town.
- Head Start of Yamhill County for Cooking for All classes.
- Meals-on-Wheels, for gift bags delivered to clients at Christmas.
“Recipients were so grateful,” Mann said.
1st Annual 99 GAL Friends Gala, April 1, 2023
Our April 1, 2023, inaugural event was a wonderful success.
Much appreciation to our sponsors Harvest Fresh Grocery and Deli, First Federal Savings and Loan, and the First Baptist Presbyterian Church in McMinnville. We are now planning for our second annual GAL Friends "Gala," to be held in April, 2024. 
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