PO Box 1903, Fairhope, Alabama 36533

Impact 100 Baldwin County

MEMBERSHIP MATTERS July-August 2017

From our President Summertime and the living is easy… Yes, for

many of us, this is a fabulous time of year! Life can seem more relaxed than other seasons. We travel or emerge into the pure beauty of Baldwin County. We visit with friends and family. We enjoy the fruits of the season, including the vitamin D of sunshine, the healing powers of water, and the exquisite bounty of produce.

But for many, summer brings on new challenges and pressures. Many of these challenges and pressures occur directly within the focus areas of Impact 100.

Consider the family, health, or wellness: Working parents with children at home must shift to new arrangements for their children, often without additional or sufficient resources. Domestic pressures may inflame situations where individuals are already at risk. Health issues may intensify.

Consider arts and culture, or education: Summer is frequently the season of planning for the structure of education or the provision of opportunities in arts and culture. For those planning those opportunities that we all enjoy, there is the nagging concern of how to adequately fund the creative ideas.

Consider the environment, its preservation and our recreation: In Baldwin County we enjoy bountiful land and water, yet the intense summer season can stress these resources. We encounter special challenges to our gulf coast waters, whether it be environmental concerns or protection within the activities we choose to do.

As we take in the summer for all its beauty, let us also consider the special challenges that summer can present. Many thanks to those of you working within the focus groups to evaluate where funding may be most beneficial. And as always, thanks to all members for providing the funding necessary to meet the needs of those we have, and will, support.

Calendar

Impact Events

August 2 Just for Fun Social 4:30 p.m.

Cybele’s 382 Fairhope Avenue, Fairhope

August 23 Just for Fun Lunch 12:00 noon

Ginny Lane 4851 Wharf Parkway, Orange Beach

November 1 Annual Meeting 4:30 p.m.

Daphne Civic Center 2603 U.S. Highway 98, Daphne

Grantee Events

September 28 Family Center Open House

5:00 p.m. Details forthcoming

Let’s be Friends!

Mission Statement Impact 100 Baldwin County is a community of

women seeking to transform lives in Baldwin

County by awarding high impact grants to

nonprofits in the areas of Arts and Culture •

Education • Environment, Preservation and

Recreation • Family • Health and Wellness.

IN THIS ISSUE PAGE President’s Letter 1 Celebrating Women Who Make A Difference: Becky Sappington 2 Celebrating 10 Years of Grantmaking: South Baldwin Community

Theatre 3 Recognition of Our Founding Members 3 Just for Fun Calendar 4 In the News 4

Susan Lovelady

Membership Matters – July-August 2017 Page 2

Celebrating Ten Years of Women Making an Impact!

Becky Sappington This 10th Anniversary year affords us the opportunity to look back, as well as ahead. This month, we feature Becky Sappington, a Fairhope resident who has been involved with Impact 100 since its earliest days. Her personal history of community involvement and volunteer leadership date back to high school, where “even though I’m not a pageant girl,” she was selected as Livestock Queen of Southern Mississippi after being nominated

for the leadership competition by her FFA Chapter. As an Impact member, Becky has served on the Impact board, in multiple leadership positions, and as Impact president.

She may not have known exactly how she was going to do it, but Becky Sappington knew exactly what she was going to do: She was going to make a real, and personal, difference in people’s lives. And Impact 100 is her way of fulfilling the promise she made to herself years ago…

After graduating from the University of Southern Mississippi, Becky taught special needs children. She loved them and she loved her job. “I was born to be a teacher,” she says. But when Becky suddenly became a single mother with no child support, “It was very hard financially. I was netting a very small salary as a teacher – I didn’t even have enough money for gas, so had to carpool to school.” Nor did she have money to buy Christmas presents for her 2-year-old daughter.

It was a very difficult situation, so, at a friend’s urging, Becky applied for food stamps to help feed her daughter. “But when they called me back in, they said you don’t have enough in medical bills to check the box. So I didn’t qualify for food stamps.”

That experience helped shape the way Becky looked at things. Though it was very difficult, she says the experience “probably was a good thing, because at the end of the day, I realized I had to make a change. While food is important, education is everything to me and I knew that I would be the one to send my daughter to college. So I knew I needed to do something different with my life. I had to make more money for my daughter and me – even though I was born to be a teacher and I loved it.”

Someone Becky knew from church suggested she consider becoming an insurance agent, a career just opening up to women. “That conversation changed my life forever. I was able to not worry about putting food on my table. I was able to buy Christmas presents for my daughter. My life changed because this one person saw something in ME and gave me an opportunity. I promised myself then that I would look for a way to help other people… The whole time I was working, I was thinking, when I retire I want to get involved in something where I can really make a difference in people’s lives.”

Years later, “when Frances Holk Jones told me about Impact, I had no idea what it was, but what I saw and heard at the membership social – it changed me. I knew this is where I was meant to be. What I was supposed to do. It was so profound.” “When they explained the concept to me, I immediately thought, ’I’m in!’ I didn’t have to go home and think about it. And I knew I’d always be a member.”

“There are two things I love about Impact 100 that sold me on the concept: #1, every penny we give goes to the grant recipient. There is no overheard. Everything is done on a volunteer basis. The second thing I was completely sold on was that all the money takes care of residents of Baldwin County. That’s so important to me.”

Becky’s experience as a working single mom gave her a unique perspective about the agencies Impact supports. “Prodisee Pantry is ever so dear to me – because they provide food for those single women or those single men or those couples who have hit on hard times. It’s not because they are sorry or too lazy to work. That’s not it. A lot of it is because they have hit on hard times and they don’t fit that block that needs to be checked to get government assistance. “

Her experiences also help explain her philosophy and passion for Impact and her personal involvement. She’s served on the Membership Committee, as both chair and co-chair; on focus groups, as chair and co-chair; on the board; and as Impact president. She was also responsible for developing Impact’s initial corporate support program.

Becky and her husband, Mike, live in Fairhope. They gather their three grown children and nine grandchildren together as often as possible for special family time at their condo in Orange Beach.

She realizes how blessed she is. “I moved to Fairhope and you see all this wealth around you, but if you step over one street or start going around the county and take a real look, you see all the people who have real needs. We have people who are underserved. We have people who are unserved.” Serving on a focus group “really opened my eyes. It touched my heartstrings. I’ve always given to other nonprofits, but THIS – I am able to have a part in the decision-making process and I love that.” Plus, “when we give our $1,000 collectively, we can make a big impact, when, if I give $1,000 to a nonprofit, it’s just $1,000. They may never get to $100,000. Here, my $1,000 makes a big, big impact and I love that.”

Becky Sappington

“When we give our $1,000 collectively, we can make a big impact, when, if I give $1,000 to a nonprofit, it’s just $1,000. They may never get to $100,000. Here, my $1,000 makes a big, big impact and I love that.”

Membership Matters – July-August 2017 Page 3

In grateful acknowledgement of our Founding

Members

As we celebrate ten years of successful and IMPACTful grantmaking, we want to acknowledge and thank the women who made Impact 100 Baldwin County possible, our Founding Members. We are so grateful for your leadership, your vision, and for your dedication to build a strong, solid base for the future. Impact 100 would not be here were it not for your foresight, so, in behalf of the community as well as all of the Impact members who have since followed your example, we want to offer a very grateful, heartfelt “Thank you!” Laura Armstrong Ashley Baker Pamela Baschab Lynn Biles Susie Bridges Nancy Browning Alison Brumfield Kim Campbell Katchie Cane Nancy Carr Barbara Casey Marsha Cole Nancy Corte Cathy Crosby Judi Darnell Naomi Drake Darrelyn Dunmore Kim Enikeieff Ann Faulkner Kay Friedlander Jerry Lynn Graham

Margery Griffith Vivien Harmon Melanie Harris Valerie Head Sheila Hodges Carol Hodgson Lolly Holk Frances Holk-Jones Janie Houser Diane Ireland Georgia Jacobson Julie Johnson Rose Keel Alice Kenan Rebecca King Judy Kirkland Ann Klumb Jenny Kramer Caroline Lamberth Anne Loudermilch Anne Low

Liz Lowery Sue Lyons Virginia Macpherson Kim Matthews Betty Sue McGilberry Irene Meehan Ann Miller Carol Miller Lee Mitchell Katherine Monroe Susan Morrow Deborah Newberry Judy Newcomb Claudene Nichols Judy Niemeyer Sue Ellen Oberg Wanda Ogletree Ann Pearce Mary Ann Peters Debbie Quinn Betty Riley

Mickie Russell Jamie Saad Miranda Schrubbe Teresa Smith Linda Lee Smith Monica Smith Annette Stevens Sandy Stewart Susan Terrell Pam Turner Donna Walker Susie Wallace Kathryn Ward Savan Wilson Tamara Wintzell Noelle Wojciehowski Nancye Wolf

Celebrating 10 years of Grantmaking with 2016 Grantee, South Baldwin Community Theatre

In 2016, Impact 100 awarded a $93,000 grant to the South Baldwin Community Theater to upgrade their lighting system, thereby enhancing their productions and the theater experience for performers and guests. Here’s an update on the project.

The South Baldwin Community Theatre lighting project made possible by a 2016 Impact 100 grant is over 90%

complete. According to Director Jan Hinnen, the system is installed and finishing touches will be completed when SummerTide finishes their summer production.

The 2017-2018 schedule, under the new lighting, begins with Shrek begins August 4. Join them for a show when you have an opportunity. The new lighting should help create some amazing performances!

Our Town September 8-17 Little Shop of Horrors October 13-22 Halloween Zombie Festival October 27-18 A Christmas Story December 1-10 Some Enchanted Evening January 4-14 Nana’s Naughty Knickers February 7-18 Sealed for Freshness March 8-18 The Snow White April 13-22 The Lion King Junior August 3-12

IMPACT 100 Baldwin County PO Drawer 1903 Fairhope, AL 36533 Email: Impact100BaldwinCounty@gmail.com Visit our website at www.Impact100BaldwinCounty.org

Women Together Making a Difference

In the News!

In case you missed it, the Baldwin Times recently ran an article on Susie Wallace, a founding member of Impact 100 Baldwin County, and her efforts at establishing a community garden. You can view the article here: article on Susie Wallace Don’t forget, if you or an Impact member you know has been in the news recently, received a promotion, etc., we want to know! Email us at Impact100BaldwinCountyNews@gmail.com so we can share the good news. Include the member’s name, city and the accomplishment(s) that should be celebrated. If you have related news clip or link, feel free to send that along, too.

Mark your calendar now!

IMPORTANT DATES

Annual Meeting November 1

4:30 – Daphne Civic Center

Membership Kick-Off November 15

at the beautiful, new Bella Sera Gardens (You won’t want to miss this!)

JUST FOR FUN REMAINING SCHEDULE Just for Fun events are for current members, prospective members, and company. No rules, no agenda. Just fun! Hope you can join us at one of our remaining JFF events.

Cybele's Wednesday, August 2 – 4:30-6:30 382 Fairhope Avenue, Fairhope

Please join us on August 2nd at Cybele's owned by Impact 100 member Jean Clarkson. Jean will be providing complimentary nibbles and beverage and a great discount on any purchases made during our social. No need to RSVP. Feel free to bring a friend or two!

Lunch at Ginny Lane Wednesday, August 23 – Noon The Wharf- Suite 106, Orange Beach

Please RSVP by Monday, August 21st, if possible to ensure seating and waitstaff for our group. We will accommodate a few last minute guests. RSVP to pudo251@yahoo.com or jerryann470@gmail.com

Lunch at Guido’s Wednesday, September 13 – Noon 1709 Main Street, Daphne

Please RSVP by Monday, September 11, if possible to ensure seating and waitstaff for our group. We will accommodate a few last minute guests. RSVP to pudo251@yahoo.com or jerryann470@gmail.com

Fall Social with Husbands or Guests Wednesday, September 27 – 4:30-6:30 Fairhope Yacht Club 101 Volanta Avenue, Fairhope

Cash Bar with complimentary snacks. The evening will be a great opportunity for us to share Impact with our husbands or significant others, so make sure you mark your calendar for this fun evening!

Green Gates Market Wednesday, October 11 – 4:30-6:30 p.m. 801 North Section Street, Fairhope

Enjoy munchies, wine and shopping at the Green Gates Market as we wrap up our Just for Fun events for 2017. No need to RSVP. Bring a friend or two!