Feb 03, 2011


Photo: some members of Sharbot Lakes Friday Night Ladies group at their January meeting

For over a decade a group of women from the Sharbot Lake area have been gathering regularly on the last Friday of the month in each other’s homes as a way to share fellowship, a sense of community and information gathering.

The meetings were the brain child of Alison Robinson and Susan Wing, who one quiet Friday night in 1998 decided that there was a definite void that needed filling in the community. Hence, the Friday Night Ladies group was born. After a number of phone calls word spread fast and now the group, with over 40 members, has become not only a source for good eating, conversation, and information sharing but also an important means of supporting community projects. Members who attend meetings make a $5 contribution and with 42 members those donations add up. To date the group has donated a total of $8,500 to various community projects.

Former chair Pearl Robinson, who has been in the group since its beginning, said, “Its really amazing how we can get together just once a month and in doing so are able to contribute to the local community in so many different ways.” 

The first project the ladies undertook was in March 1999 to support the Elizabeth Cottage Retirement Home in Kingston, which at that time was in dire need of renovations. That same year after the tragic death of a Sharbot Lake resident on the winter ice, the ladies unanimously decided to aid the local fire department in purchasing the necessary equipment to improve their ability to perform ice rescues. Pearl recalled, “After that tragedy we felt the need for improved ice rescue equipment to increase the safety of residents and of the local fire fighters.” Member Ann Walsh added, ”It was pre-amalgamation so the Sharbot Lake department was on its own and had very little funds available for purchasing equipment.” It was during that time also that the group organized a fundraising dance at Oso Hall, which together with their monthly donations raised close to $2300 for that cause alone.

Former chair Pat Kelman was the member of the group who many years ago strove to encourage the ladies to use cloth grocery bags instead of plastic ones. It was under her direction that the group purchased and then sold over 100 blue cotton cloth bags to members and friends, which they used themselves, hoping to encourage others to follow suit.

Other past donations have been made to a number of other community projects including the Sharbot Lake Community Garden, the Blue Skies Fiddle Orchestra, the Northern School of Art, the Silver Birch Fund Reading Project, the construction of the washroom facilities at Oso Beach and much more.

Members are invited to suggest where in the local community they would like their donations to be directed and current chair Linda West explained, “We are not in the business of accumulating money so members are free at anytime to suggest where our donations can go and we will then discuss it and vote on it.”

The group is admittedly a casual one. At the most recent meeting there was not a single objection to the fact that Treasurer Ann Howitt presented her financial report on a post-it note. In fact the overall feel of the meetings tends to be of one of relaxed sharing and friendly camaraderie. Chair Linda West took time out to read two recent letters addressed to the group thanking them for their most recent donations to the NFCS Food Bank and to the breakfast program at Sharbot Lake Public School. Member Sally Angle, who volunteers with the breakfast program at that school, also answered specific questions about how the program is helping students at the school get enough to eat.

Speaking of food - as is usually the case whenever women gather, food is front and centre and members often bring either a simple snack, or something special they have prepared.

The group is open to all women in and around the community who are looking for a social networking opportunity and members are always also encouraged to bring along a friend who might be interested in joining.

Anyone who would like to join the Friday Night Ladies can contact Linda West at 613-279-2576. The group does not meet in December, June, July or August.

 

 

 

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