Good Idea
By John Swartz
First there was Ripple of Kindness, now there’s Men With Heart. Both fundraising ideas operate the same way, a bunch of people get together for a schmoozer knowing they are going to leave behind $200 per person to donate to a designated charity. It sounds like the guys are copying the women, but like many great ideas, when one is thinking it, so is someone else.
“Two and a half years ago, Paul Valle and myself, we did the Brewery Bay Oldtimers hockey tournaments all the time, so over 25 years we figured we raised about $400,000 for local charities. We talked about we’re not doing it anymore because it was a lot of work and all that stuff and said. “We got to do something that’s hardly any work.” So we came up with this idea and we never talked about it again,” said Wes Trinier.
Then Amber McGarvey and Raquel Ness started Ripple of Kindness in Orillia, borrowing the idea from a group in Barrie. They are just about to complete their first year. In the mean time, Wes said Jim Dykes mentioned to Mayor Steve Clarke a men’s’ club should be started.
“Steve said you better to talk to Wes because he’s been talking about this for over two years,” said Trinier. He’s been rounding up similarly minded men to get going and make it a reality.
“We just started and we have our first meeting coming up next Tuesday and it’s going to be at the Green Room (Opera House),” said Trinier. Without a lot of fanfare there are 25 men who have joined Men With Heart.
“We have our first meeting coming up next Tuesday and it’s going to be at the Green Room (Opera House),” said Trinier. He’d like to have 100 guys on hand.
“If we do that will be $20,000 twice a year and that’s exactly what the girls do, the Ripple of Kindness.”
The process works the same as Ripple. Everyone meets over cocktails and those brought along as guests get the pitch on how the scheme works.
“You don’t have to register, you could just show up on Tuesday. If you want to be a member you have to go in and join and pledge you will donate $300 twice a year,” said Trinier.
When signed up, you get to submit a choice of charity to donate money to. In January, three charities with the most nominations will be posted on the website for a vote of the membership and the winner gets the whole pot.
“The charity will come out to our event in April and tell us how they are going to use the money,” said Trinier. All donations go straight to the charity at that time and the charity handles all the financials and tax receipts.
The first event at the Opera House Tuesday is at 5 p.m. Amber McGarvey will there to talk about the success of Ripple of Kindness.
(Image Supplied)