Community Give Back Committee

The Mercer Chapter is having a Business Clothing Drive this Fall primarily for the benefit of women receiving public assistance and seeking employment. At the November 11th dinner meeting, clothing suitable for work, including accessories such as pocketbooks, scarves, belts, gloves, hats and shoes, will be collected between 5:45 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. at the main lobby entrance of the Harrison Conference Center. Ms. Mary Rostrom from the Mercer County Technical School, in its affiliation with the Work First Program and Catholic Charities, will come to the Conference Center that evening to collect the donations and acknowledge our Chapter’s generous contributions.

So, clean out your closets asap! Plan to bring those good old favorites that brought you success in your business when you wore them. Many up-and-coming women look forward to these work clothes and all the positive energy that you’ve worn into them! Since so many of our members would have liked to contribute men’s clothing last year, we will accept men’s attire this year as well. Thanks!

For additional information, call Lynn McDougall 609-208-9500

About The Giving Back to the Community Committee

During the past several months, an interested group of NJAWBO women got together to create the Mercer Chapter's Community Give Back Program. At the request of our President, Lisa Snyder, Committee members Eileen Entin, Suzanne Rosenblum, Grazina Crisman, Lynn McDougall and Arlene Schragger were guided by Community Give Back Committee Chair Linda Richter in discussing the goals, guidelines and plans to move this project forward. The following structure has been designed to do just that:

Goals - The objectives for the Program are:

• To help enhance community spirit in the Mercer Chapter
• To give back to the community
• To support women-related issues and activities

• Non-political
• Non-religious
• Support women's issues or support women-sponsored initiatives

Activities will be planned for each fiscal year (June1 through May 31). The Committee hopes to hold up to three different types of activities per year under the umbrellas of:

1. a "walk" to individually raise funds for an outside organization
2. a donation drive-- of goods such as clothing, cell phones, food, school supplies, etc.
3. a Chapter sponsored fund raiser with these funds designated to provide several different types of scholarships to Mercer Chapter members

Some suggestions for fund raising events include a miniature golf night, a game night, a special dinner/cocktail party, a progressive dinner, a night or afternoon at the Grounds for Sculpture, a goods and services auction.

Visit our web site and check future newsletters for updates on the Committee's initiatives. Committee Chair Linda Richter welcomes comments and suggestions at our new email address: mercernjawbogiveback@yahoo.com