CENTRE WELLINGTON – Curt Hammond wants to form a CW Men Who Care group and work with the Centre Wellington Community Foundation (CWCF) to benefit their COVID relief fund.
Hammond said he was inspired by the great work done by the Guelph Men Who Give a Damn group and felt energized by the idea of growing a community. He had been working on creating a similar group in Centre Wellington before the pandemic.
“I originally had planned to get this up and running late last year and I got sidetracked,” Hammond said. “When Giving Tuesday came up I thought ‘No more excuses.’”
Hammond has been emailing his network of contacts and posting to social media, encouraging donations to the CWCF’s COVID relief fund. He has put out a challenge that if they can get to 50 donors by Noon Friday, he will be doubling his own donation.
“Regardless of if we get to 50 or not … any new donors to the foundation will be good news,” Hammond said.
When lockdown measures are eased by the province, Hammond said he looks forward to hosting in-person meetings to support local charities. Most people who care organizations work by hearing three pitches from charities with a majority vote choosing one to donate to.
Hammond explained this organization will have all donations will go through CWCF first.
“We’ll still listen to three pitches and we’ll identify a winner with 75 per cent of the money going directly to the charity,” Hammond said. “Twenty-five per cent is going to stay at the community foundation and grow. We’re going to leave it up to the discretion of the board of directors there.”
To donate and participate in the challenge, go to: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/5305#8 and in the message box add “Pass my name onto Curt.” This will send your name and email to Hammond so he can reach you when they are ready to have an in-person meeting.
