b'6 CONCORD HOSPITAL TRUSTWomens embracing Giving CircleFor Diane Wilson, the opportunity to engage in vibrant discussions before evaluating and making decisions about how her money is spent was key to her decision to join the Womens Giving Circle (WGC). The cohort, which boasts nearly 40 members, gives the women involved a chance to determine where their collective contributions might have the most positive impact at Concord Hospital health system, with a primary focus on womens health issues. The women are mothers, healthcare workers, retired practitioners, and other community members who come together to improve the lives of others.The group as a whole embraces the idea of helping those in need, says Wilson, a former nurse and Concord Hospital Trust volunteer who joined the WGC about fi ve years ago and now serves as its chair. We embrace the passion of the ideas of people who come to us requesting funds, so they can try to make a diff erence in peoples lives, and we embrace each other in our common purpose.With a relatively low barrier to entry$500 to join the Circle and a donation of at least $1,000 in subsequent yearsthe WGC meets quarterly for informational purposes and accepts applications from departments requesting funding for special initiatives, with decisions made in June each year. Membership also comes with an educational component. Each fall, the Womens Giving Circle sponsors a community event, featuring experts in a highlighted fi eld. Among the proposed topics for next October are parentingthrough the stages, from toddlers to teenagers and beyond, and the health benefi ts of organic farming.In addition to deciding to which proposed needs the funds will be distributed, members of the WGC also hear back from the benefi ciaries about the impact of those gifts, which can range from a few hundred to thousands of dollars. Recent funding has supported a remembrance event for families who have lost a baby; purchase of a Draeger Jaundice Meter JM-105 to monitor and treat infants with hyperbilirubinemia (a buildup of bilirubin in the blood); and a congestive heart failure dietary control home program, to name a few.The Womens Giving Circle is a fabulous group of women with a common goal of making an impact, says Carol Cray, a Concord Hospital Trust philanthropy ocer who oversees the WGC. Theyre doing that by working with departments who need the funding and are reaching out for help. For the women in the group, its a chance to be part of seeing a gift through, from beginning to impact.Both Cray and Wilson speak of the inclusive nature of the Womens Giving Circle, and encourage anyone considering membership to attend an informational meeting. The Trust welcomes participants of all ages and makes it easy for new members to contribute their membership donation by off ering a variety of options, including quarterly and monthly payment plans. In addition to the satisfaction of making an impact, Cray and Wilson also laud the camaraderie that exists within the WGC.Were a pretty nice group of women, Wilson says, and we are ready to embrace all women who want to be part of this diverse, dynamic circle.'