The Episcopal Church Women (ECW) of St. Mary’s parish annually holds fundraisers including bake sales, bingo, bazaars, and chili cook-offs to contribute philanthropic causes locally and around the world. The pandemic quarantine made all those events unsafe and unworkable at a time when the need was the greatest, the group said in a press release
Last summer, ECW started a series of five small, socially-distanced concerts held at the parish’s ocean view terrace. Every event was sold out and the group far exceeded its fundraising goals.
“It is that effort and community support that has made this year’s donations possible,” ECW’s leadership said in a press release.
Past recipients of the grants included the youth program at an Alaskan church north of the Arctic Circle and a rural church in Muhangi, Uganda, to assist in the building of their church.
“This year the ECW chose to focus its support closer to home for those organizations shouldering the burdens of the pandemic challenges in our community,” ECW’s leadership said in a press release.
The grants distributed by ECW this year totaled $6,000. The recipients were Laguna Beach Community Foundation – COVID-19 Relief Fund, Laguna Beach Community Clinic, Sally’s Fund, St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, Food for Feeding Ministry of Riverside, Pacific Marine Mammal Center’s educational programs, and the Blue Bell Foundation for Cats’ educational programs.
ECW plans to continue its summer series this year and has commitments from local favorites Gary Shapiro (Shap), Jason Feddy along with Fr. Lester MacKenzie, and others. Plans include wine tasting and a Shakespeare event.
For more information on ECW, contact St. Mary’s Episcopal Church by visiting stmaryslagunabeach.org email or ECW President Linda Bratcher at [email protected].
