Keeping Our Neighbors a Top Priority

Elizabeth Vaughan

It goes without saying that cash is king. With the dawning of a new year, Neighbors Who Care received many donations from supporters in the community. Our heartfelt thanks go out to all who made a financial gift to NWC in 2019.

Many of us aren’t sitting on large reserves of cash, but that doesn’t stand in the way of NWC’s supporters! Indeed, many local community groups have found opportunities to give in non-traditional ways while simultaneously lending meaning and purpose to the organization’s events. We’d like to share some examples of creative fundraising.

*On Dec. 1, the Chandler Symphony Orchestra delighted a packed house at Sun Lakes United Methodist Church with holiday music in a joint fundraiser for Neighbors Who Care and the Chandler Symphony Orchestra. Many of you have attended this holiday concert over the years, and the whole thing started with one man and an idea.

Sun Lakes resident Alan Wilkie joined the symphony as a violinist in 2001, and he had an idea for a fundraising concert to benefit both the Chandler Symphony and Neighbors Who Care. He took the idea to Sun Lakes United Methodist Church, and when the staff and board of directors agreed, this Sun Lakes holiday tradition was born! Al coordinated this concert for 15 years, retiring from the symphony in 2017. Mr. Wilkie passed away on Aug. 27, 2019, at the age of 90. We salute his great idea and will be forever grateful for his dedication to both CSO and NWC. It just wouldn’t feel like Christmas without this annual celebration of music.

*Sun Lakes resident and Realtor at WestUSA Realty Terri McStocker brought a truly unique event to Sun Lakes on Dec. 7 when she invited the community to a glass blowing demonstration featuring her son Dan McStocker! Dan heated blobs of glass to over 2000 degrees and dazzled the crowd by forming them into beautiful pieces. He brought holiday ornaments, large handcrafted bowls, and many other fabulous pieces to display and sell. Terri and Dan generously made a point of supporting Neighbors Who Care, donating 10% of all proceeds to NWC. Check out DanMcStockerGlass.com to see his amazing work.

Larger, well-known organizations have made donations to Neighbors Who Care, and we rely on these funds plus grants throughout the year to do our work. But it’s equally important to recognize organizations right here in our community who have thought of NWC when they had the funds to donate. Groups like IronOaks Tennis Club, The Sun Lakes Lions, the Sun Lakes Duplicate Bridge Club, Sun Lakes Lady Putters, Cottonwood Couples Golf Club… just to name a few.

Neighbors Who Care is proud of the support we get from our community and salute all who have gone to great lengths to ensure that our work continues through donations as well as those who volunteer. Without both, hundreds of our neighbors would not be able to remain in their homes for as long as they would like. We look forward to more creativity in 2020! @