Women Who Care donate $12,300 to Habitat for Humanity

Approximately one- third of the Oceana Women Who Care membership is shown at the Open Hearth Grille in Mears Tuesday, Dec. 2, surrounding a check symbolizing their collective $12,300 contribution to Oceana’s Habitat for Humanity.

MEARS — Oceana Women Who Care (WWC) did their part on “Giving Tuesday,” Dec. 2, by having each member write a $100 personal check to Oceana County Habitat for Humanity.

With six new Women Who Care members added in the last three months, Habitat stands to receive $12,300 in $100 checks from 123 Oceana women.

“As we move into 2015, we have a family of seven needing a home,” said Lynn McTaggart of Oceana Habitat. “The family includes a child with special needs, so the house must be retrofitted with the necessary equipment. We also have other projects in mind that involve renovating, rebuilding or restoring homes of low income families, veterans and seniors. The gifts from these wonderful Oceana women get our year off to a great start.”

“We did it again,” added Women Who Care volunteer Amy LaBarge of Pentwater. “At every quarterly meeting, everyone comes away feeling really uplifted by the thought of what our collective gifts will do. And we also learn, from the organization we chose to support at our last meeting three months ago, how it has put our funds to good use since then.”

Penny Burillo of the Oceana Hispanic Center in Hart, told the women how the center is beginning to use the unexpected $11,700 contribution it received in September. The Center seeks to unify the community through its literacy and leadership efforts.

With 123 members and counting, the women meet quarterly for an hour; learn about three worthy causes serving county resident; and choose one that everyone agrees to support with $100 personal checks. Networking and socializing follows for those who have the time to stay.

Membership is open to any woman who wants to be involved in this unique, joint effort to support Oceana causes.  The next meeting is March 3, from 5:30-6:30 p.m. at Open Hearth Grille in Mears. For more information, contact  Amy LaBarge at 313.268.2086, or go to women who care of oceana county.