They didn’t hit 100, but came close. As a result both the Dundas County Hospice and the Winchester District Memorial Hospital Foundation received a donation that will make a difference. The South Dundas Men’s Committee members gathered round the representatives of the two selected organizations at the end of the evening. Back row (left to right): Nick Lee, Rev. Mark Lewis, Chuck Irvine, Scott Corden, Miles Harrison, and Jack Barkley. Front row: Wally Baker, Doug Jarvis, Justine Plummer – Winchester District Memorial Hospital Foundation manager of direct mail and events, Cindy Morgan – Dundas County Hospice vice chair, Cindy Ault Peters – WDMHF executive director, and Arnold Scheerder – DCH chair. Tinkess Photo

MORRISBURG – While they didn’t quite reach the 100 that their name implies, 100 Men Who Care South Dundas did come close and send two of their presenters away with a healthy donation.

There were seven groups presenting at this year’s meeting, which was held at the Morrisburg Legion. In no particular order, these are the organizations and what they were asking for:

Iroquois Marine Search and Rescue

  • $5,000 for engine repairs, training and maintenance costs

Winchester District Memorial Hospital Foundation

  • $5,000 towards a new cardiac monitor

Dundas County Hospice

  • $5,000 towards programming

Morrisburg Veterans Walkway

  • $5,000 towards the Veterans Walkway project

Historical Society of South Dundas

  • $5,000 towards Forward House repairs

Centre 105

  • $836.40 for a new heavy-duty commercial grade printer

Community Food Share

  • $4,000 for Menstrual equity pilot project in South Dundas

Scott Corden the chair of 100 Men Who Care South Dundas addressed the audience prior to the presentations beginning. audience. “Your job is to consider how we pool our financial resources. How do we support more than one of them tonight,” said Corden. “Last year, we changed our format to cap any one of the recipients receiving no more than $5,000. You told us that you’re often torn between two or more and you’d like to see more than one group get funded. We heard you, and we changed that way. More than one charity walks away with some significant funds tonight towards their project.”

The seven organizations made their presentations and stayed within the three-minute time limit they were given. Once the final presentation was made, it was time to vote. When all the votes were counted, 94 men had committed to the donation of $100 to be divided between the top vote getters. The organization had decided that the most one group could ask for would be $5,000, with the top vote getter receiving their full ask and the remaining funds divided between the remaining top vote getters. On Wednesday evening, Oct. 22, that meant that Dundas County Hospice would receive their full $5,000 ask, while the Winchester District Memorial Hospital (WDMH) Foundation would receive $4,400 of their $5,000 ask.

Often additional donations trickle in, and if they do, WDMH could see their donation topped up to $5,000 with any surplus going to the third-place vote getter.

Voting ended up being very close with the top four organizations finishing within nine votes. Order of finish was confirmed by a recount and the top two, Dundas County Hospice and WDMH Foundation, were announced.

If there is a more efficient method of fundraising, it would be difficult to imagine. Eliminate the approximately one hour of time to socialize at the beginning, and in less than an hour you hear from all the groups presenting, vote for up to three that you think are most deserving, and then go on and make a difference. What could be easier?