Local residents hope to raise $10,000 for charity in one hour through a new group called “100 Who Care Barton County.” The plan is to find at least 100 people willing to donate $100 to a worthy cause, and to repeat the process every quarter in 2017.
A kickoff will be held from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 24, at the Best Western Angus Inn Courtyard, 2920 10th St. All are welcome and there is no obligation for attending. This will be a chance to learn more and to nominate the first charities that will benefit from the donations.
Julie Mazouch at Landmark National Bank in Great Bend is leading the charge as chairman of a volunteer steering committee.
“The concept is simple – if 100 or more people meet four times a year and each commits to a donation of $100, we can raise at least $10,000 every quarter for a local charity,” she said. “The best part is a large amount of money is raised in just one hour, which is a small time commitment each quarter.”

The simplicity of “100 Who Care” also appealed to Great Bend accountant Barry Bowers, with Spectrum CPA Partners. He became part of the six-person steering committee.
“It’s kind of grass-roots,” Bowers said. There are more than 400 “100 Who Care” groups worldwide, but there is no charge to be listed as an affiliate at 100WhoCareAlliance.org.
“This is the perfect fit for people who don’t have a lot of time but can write a check,” Mazouch said. She envisions a fun, relaxed atmosphere for networking where members can hear about nonprofit organizations in the community and learn where the greatest needs are.

At each meeting, members can nominate local tax-deductible charitable organizations. The three charities with the most nominations will be asked to send a representative to give a five-minute presentation at the next meeting. Once all three charities have given their presentations, members will vote. Votes are counted on the spot, and members are told who to make their checks out to.
Gifts are given directly to the charity, eliminating overhead expenses and administrative costs.
This and other information can be found on the 100+ Who Care Barton County website, www.100bartoncounty.org. Membership requirements are:
• Commit to attending four quarterly meetings, held on the first Tuesdays of February, May, August, and November at the Best Western Courtyard in Great Bend, from 5:30-6:30 p.m.
• Pledge to write a check for $100 at each meeting to a tax deductible charitable organization, which the group will choose through a majority vote during the meeting.
There is no limit to how many can join. 100 Who Care Barton County is administered by a volunteer steering committee: Julie Mazouch, chair; Erika Brining, membership coordinator; Rachel Mawhirter, public relations; and Barry Bowers, Sue Cooper and Ron Koelsch.