'We Care' sets out to host first benefit

Last December, a group of residents from around Mineral County gathered together with the idea of organizing the Mineral County “We Care” Foundation of Montana. Just last week, the organization gathered together again only this time they were planning an event that would help benefit a father, James Hodge, and his son, Bryan.

“Sit back and think about a year ago and look how far we’ve come,” Gordon Hendrick said at the meeting. “We had one simple idea and look at where we are at.”

The idea actually goes back a few years when Carla Youngkin, who now serves as president, and Hendrick started discussing the idea of an organization that would reach out and help people in need.

“We thought it was a really great idea and finally we decided to go for it,” Youngkin said. “And so we contacted a few friends to see if there was any interest. 

There was. The organization has achieved non-profit status and is only waiting for final paperwork to be completed. Youngkin also said that by the end of September they should be writing grants for funding.

The organization has elected officers and appointed its board of directors.

The organization has also drawn up the purpose of the organization which states, “Mineral County ‘We Care’ is a non-profit corporation, governed by its own Board of Directors with recommendations from other community resources. It was established to coordinate the efforts of various social services agencies, community service organizations and local churches in providing assistance to people in need in Mineral County and to facilitate the rendering of such assistance in a unified and efficient manner. The corporation is organized exclusively for charitable purposes.”

Hendrick said last year that the goal of the organization is to be an “action committee.” And that’s exactly what the foundation is doing.

They are actively planning one of their first benefits. Entitled the We Care October Fest, the foundation will be hosting a fall festival on October 16 to benefit James Hodge and his son, Bryan. The event will feature a handful of activities including bingo for adults and several games for kids. Egg races, sack races, tug-of-war and pumpkin decorating contests are on the agenda as well as a possible hay ride. A raffle is being planned with three different prizes awarded for first, second and third place.

Members of the organization worked tirelessly on September 20 at a meeting to pin down details and finalize items on the agenda.

Youngkin said that the organization was approached by Hodge who had spoken with folks in the community and recommended the organization.

“At the time, we said we could do what we could do because we weren’t far enough along to do much,” Youngkin said. “But as we talked at our meetings, members really wanted to do something and it mushroomed and the situation became our first case.”

Youngkin said that from here she sees the organization moving forward and growing. She hopes that it becomes a resource center for the community and other agencies within the county.

“We’ve been adding more people to the group and there are new members each week,” Youngkin said. “This is moving forward. I’m just thrilled about the support from the members and the community. They’re embracing us.”

As the organization prepares for the benefit in October, they are also looking at other possibilities. At the meeting on Monday, Robert Lions spoke to them about a segment entitled Grumpy Old Men that would fit in with what the organization is about.

Returning from a conference, Lions said that the Grumpy Old Men is a group of retired men, or women, with time and skills to spare. He said that the group would serve to help those with needs—whether changing a smoke detector battery for an elderly individual or responding when someone has a flat tire. He said that the group is not intended to compete with local business, but to help a person through an emergency situation.

“Its neighbors helping neighbors in time of need,” Lions said.

Youngkin and the others at the meeting felt that it would fit in perfectly with what they’re trying to do. Hendrick said that at the core the organization is about getting back to basic roots.

“When somebodys house went down, people were there,” Hendrick said.

The We Care Foundation invited Lions to set up a booth during the Hodge Benefit to solicit membership to see if anyone would be interested in joining.