PHOTO CAPTION: Front Row: Cyndi Doragh, Betty Parker and Sarah Owen; Back Row: Gay Thompson, Carolyn Conant and Dawn-Marie Driscoll
FORT MYERS, Fla. (Jan. 21, 2013) – The Southwest Florida Community Foundation Women’s Legacy Fund’s “Prima Donors” gathered on Tuesday, Jan. 15, at the Veranda Restaurant in Downtown Fort Myers for dinner and conversation with Foundation President and CEO Sarah Owen and Betty Parker, political columnist for The News-Press.
The group discussed the impact of the election on local and state politics and issues that will be addressed in the upcoming legislative session in Tallahassee. Prima Donors meet twice a year for intimate dinners with good food and great conversation about issues that affect Southwest Florida.
The dinner marks the second of an ongoing educational dinner series the SWFLCF is providing for Prima Donors who are local women who have contributed $10,000 or more to the Women’s Legacy Fund and are committed to making an impact in their community through charitable giving.
The WLF was established in 2007 by the SWFLCF to enable women in Southwest Florida to direct their giving in focused, strategic ways. The Fund’s mission is to engage women in effecting change in our community through collective philanthropy. In just five years of existence, the WLF has been able to provide nearly $75,000 in grants to benefit people and communities in Southwest Florida. Additionally, the Fund has more than $225,000 in endowed funds that will help fund local issues now and in the future.
The SWFLCF is celebrating its 36th year of supporting the communities of Lee, Charlotte, Collier, Glades and Hendry counties by connecting donors and their philanthropic aspirations with evolving community needs. With assets of more than $64 million, the Community Foundation has provided more than $52 million in grants and scholarships to the communities it serves. During its 2012 fiscal year, the SWFLCF granted more than $3 million to more than 100 different organizations supporting education, animal welfare, arts and human services.
For more information about the WLF or becoming a Prima Donor, please call 239-274-5900 or visit the Community Foundation’s website at www.floridacommunity.com.
