Womenade Board Members are pictured clockwise from top left: Debbie Vair, Carla Kenny, Sharon Kollmar, Donna Scott, Jamie Kimbrouogh. Photo by Elean Gersack.

by Elean Gersack

It is simple enough – women gather for a potluck meal and offer a small donation to help a family or individual in need. From single parents with serious illnesses to families trying to rebuild, Womenade offers help at a time when people need it most.

In 2003, five women from Castle Rock, including two from Castle Pines North (CPN), came together to create Womenade of Castle Rock. Originally started in Washington D.C. in 2001, Womenade groups have now cropped up all across the county.

In late February, the group met at Carla Kenny’s home. More than 30 women attended the potluck gathering and offered donations to provide financial support to a family losing a young son to a terminal illness. This family, like all others, was nominated by a friend far removed and was selected by the Womenade board as the recipient for the first quarter of 2007.

“These people are in such need and when we show up with a check in hand, they are so very grateful,” said Jamie Kimbrough, Womenade of Castle Rock board member. “The simplicity of what we do and the connections we make with those we help make this an overwhelmingly positive program. There is no downside.”

The group gathers quarterly and selects a new family or individual to help each time. Since Womenade is not a formal non-profit organization, 100 percent of the donations go to recipients. There is no membership and the meetings are open to those interested in helping random people with life struggles. To learn more about Womenade of Castle Rock, visit
www.womanadecastlerock.com.