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Women Of Wisdom And Sweet Charity Hit Milestone

photo by provided Sweet Charity in Vergennes.

photo by provided Members of Women of Wisdom.

Tuesday September 12, 2017

By Cookie Steponaitis

It was September 20, 2006 when seven local women gathered at the offices of Mueller, Ryan and Associates located in the Basin Block on Main Street, Vergennes. Present were Liz Ryan, Lynn Donnelly, Patty Paul, Liz Markowski, Liz’s mom, Ann McGrath and Rosemary Mueller. Ryan’s sons had departed for college and prep school that year and she called the gathering with the plan of creating good works of service. “The fledgling idea driving me was giving back to the community focusing on women, children and families,” shared Liz Ryan. “I/we had NO idea how we were going to support this idea.” From that first meeting came the name of the group ‘Women of Wisdom’ (WOW) and the plan to meet every two weeks to formulate their mission statement and bylaws.
    WOW is based on the concept of embracing friendships and the political, ideological, socio-economic, ethnic and backgrounds of each group member and the mission to do good works of service. WOW’s focus would be on the arts, education, health, social services, women’s issues and the environment within the five towns of Addison, Ferrisburgh, Panton, Vergennes and Waltham. By November 2006, the concept of Sweet Charity was born and the decision made that Hospice Volunteer Services would be a 50% recipient of Sweet Charity’s quarterly funding and Women of Wisdom would receive the other 50% of the net quarterly income from the shop. In December 2006 members Mary McKinnon, Martha Redpath, Liz Bicknell and Candy Vincent joined the board and plans moved forward for the construction and opening of the shop.
    The New Year of 2007 saw the beginning of construction of Sweet Charity in the Ryan Block and during the upcoming months the group focused on the business plan development, 501c3 Application, Hospice Volunteer Services joining in as Sweet Charity partners and the move for completing the space. 2007 turned out to be a monumental year for WOW when Sweet Charity opened its doors for business and the group received IRS approval of non-profits status and their 501c3 rating.
    In the following years new members to WOW included Joyce Hawes (2008), Nancy Klopfenstein (2008), Jeannie Pelsue (2010), Julie Basol (2010), Meg Brash (2014) and Mary Beth Hamilton (2015) and the doors of Sweet Charity have seen thousands of people come in and numerous people donate.
    The celebration of reaching the milestone of ten years of service work in early August commemorated the original goals of the group with a look to the future. With a decade total of contributing $250,000 to the community and Hospice Volunteer Services, Ryan is focused on the future and the same goals that were set in motion a decade before. “For me, my goal was to create a loving, safe, supportive and nurturing environment for WOW. As that supportive and nurturing environment grew and solidified so would the business and its’ success in generating a steady income stream to support Hospice Volunteer Services and WOW. Not only do I, a WOW, find this work exactly what I want to be doing, I find such joy in working with our volunteers and meeting the amazing individuals who donate their household treasures to Sweet Charity. And the customers that enter Sweet Charity have shared some of the most remarkable stories I have heard in my lifetime.”
    Shopping at Sweet Charity is a delight to the purse and senses. Artistically displayed and ever changing, offerings help people looking for a birthday gift, a new decorative piece or a vintage piece for their home. The volunteer staff is helpful and focused in the service of others while enjoying wonderful relationships. The Valley Voice salutes Women of Wisdom and Sweet Charity for a decade of service and like so many people in the valley cannot wait to see what appears in the windows next to draw in local and visitors alike.

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