Philanthropy 101: One Hundred Women Who Care – Estes Park makes giving fun and easy

No galas. No bake sales. No silent auctions. Just networking and a pledge to pony up $100 three times a year to support local nonprofits. That is the secret sauce that has allowed the Estes Park One Hundred Women Who Care group to raise $127,125 over the course of 14 meetings across the past five years.

As the organization that has no dues and no bank account rounds out 2025, its success lies in its simplicity: there are no fancy themed balls, no extravagant parties requiring costumes or formal dress. The loosely organized organization has four steering committee members: Mary Liz Adair, Lisa Zahn, Sue McDermott, and Janet Collison.

Various local venues are booked for a simple dinner, and everyone pays for their own meal.

Every member gets to put a favorite local charity’s name on a three-by-five card. Those cards are put in a basket, and three cards are drawn.

The members whose cards are drawn get to give a five-minute pitch to the group about why their chosen charity should be the recipient of the funds. The members present at the meeting then vote on which local nonprofit will receive the donations, and everyone agrees to write a check not to 100 Women Who Care, but directly to the organization voted on at each meeting by the members attending that meeting. Members are also free to write a check to the other two organizations that did not receive the group’s majority vote.

The philanthropy effort has been impressive.

In 2021:

• August: $5,650 – Estes Valley Recreation and Park District Foundation.
• November: $6,200 – Estes Valley Investment in Childhood Success (EVICS).

In 2022:

• February: $5,700 – Estes Valley Crisis Advocates, $1,150 to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Larimer County, and $200 to the Stanley Home Museum and Education Center.
• June: $6,550 – Habitat for Humanity and $100 to the American Legion in Estes Park.
• September: $8000 – Crossroads Ministry, $400 to the Estes Valley Volunteer Fire District, and $100 to the Rocky Mountain Conservancy.

In 2023:

• February: $8350 – the Boys and Girls Club of Larimer County – Estes Park, $100 to the Senior Citizens’ Center, and $100 to The Learning Center.
• June: $9000 – Estes Park Senior Citizens Center, $200 to the Cycling Coalition.
• September: $8000 – Stanley Home Museum for roof repair.

In 2024:

• February: $8525 – The American Legion Post #119, $100 to the Pet Association, and $200 to the Estes Park Education Foundation.
• June: $9,700 – Estes Valley Crisis Advocates, $ 1,150 to The Bridge of Estes, and $200 to the daycare program at the YMCA of the Rockies.
• September: $10,000 – The Bridge of Estes, $650 to the Estes Park Art Center, and $200 to Crossroads Ministries.

In 2025

• January: $13,700 – Estes Park Salud Foundation, $700 to the Memory Cafe at St. Barts, $450 to the Estes Nonprofit Network, and $100 to The Bridge of Estes.
• June: $9,450 –Estes Park Health Foundation, $1,200 to the Art Center of Estes Park, and $50 to the Kahuna Project.
• September: $10,600 – Estes Park Dementia Day Care Center and $350 to the Kahuna Project.

The group will meet again on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026. Details on the time and location will be announced after the New Year. Click here to email Janet Collison for more information.