A total of 90 men will be responsible for donating funds to three South Okanagan-based charities on May 10 at Penticton’s Match Eatery.
For over 12 years, the Community Foundation of the South Okanagan Similkameen has organized 100 Men Who Care Events, a night dedicated to learning more about those who make a difference in the region and rewarding them with funds.
Three charities will make pitches to the 100 Men members on May 10 in a “Dragons’ Den-style” gathering.
Each organization will receive funds no matter what — who receives the most, however, depends on each of the presentations.
“Charities are randomly selected to present and then at the end, the guys will vote on which one they want to support the most,” said Aaron McRann, the executive director of the Community Foundation of the South Okanagan Similkameen.
“The winner will get 60 per cent of the total funds and the other two will get 20 per cent.”
Each 100 Men member will give $100 to the donation pool prior to the start of the gathering.
Since the event’s inception in 2009, over $132,000 has been donated to 62 different charities, including the South Okanagan Brain Injury Society, the South Okanagan Women in Need Society and Penticton and District Arts Council at a recent gathering in February.
“In this situation, the guys are going to donate $100 each and the top charity will get five or six thousand dollars,” McRann said.
“That’s a significant amount of money. It feels really good to be able to have a part in that.”
The event may be headlined by the charity pitches but it also serves as a networking opportunity for many in the community as well.
“It would be great to have even more guys come out and meet other people with an interest in giving back to our community,” said Blake Crocker, who has been going to the events for six years. “Until I heard the pitches (in the past), I had no idea just how many local organizations are doing positive work in our community.”
Organizers say that if every 100 Men member shows up to Match Eatery on May 10, over $10,000 can be donated collectively to each of the three local charities.
The event will run from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., with the doors set to open half an hour earlier for further networking opportunities.
People interested in getting involved are asked to visit the event’s website.
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