Written by Bonnie Shively
Several years ago I started “The Sunrise Giving Circle”. It is a group of women who come together once a month to support local charities in the desert. As we know, there is a lot of wealth in the desert, but also a lot of poverty.
This is how it works…we meet once a month during the season. A hostess volunteers to find a local charity, provide a dessert and beverage, invite a guest speaker and the group to learn about the charity. We each bring $25 or more to donate. Through the years, we have donated more than $50,000 to local charities and learned a lot about the community we live in!
In addition to the above, we have partnered with SHOES THAT FIT and Hoover Elementary School to raise funds to outfit all 335 students with new shoes and socks by Christmas. We have reached our goal! We also raised funds this summer for art supplies, outdoor games, and many items on the school’s teachers wish lists. We have learned that Hoover elementary is one of the poorest schools in the valley and they greatly appreciate the help that our small group can provide to the students.
My wish is to encourage other desert communities to start a “Giving Circle”. It is very simple, worthwhile, fun and social. I Invite anyone who is interested in starting a group to attend our first meeting of the season on December 9th. Our other monthly meetings will be held on January 27, 2025, February 24, 2025, March 31 2025 and April 28, 2025.
For more information please contact Bonnie Shively at [email protected]
