Doses of good fortune

'Womanade' helps make small changes in people's lives

Article by Charles A. Peterson, reproduced from The Granville Sentinel, Vol. 33, No. 34, Thursday, Feb. 13, 2003

“Never underestimate the power of a woman,” says Susan Walker.

Two Sundays ago, nearly 30 Granville-area women gathered together for the second time as Womenade of Licking County, a new organization with the aim if providing “good fortune to medical patients who could use some good luck.”

“I stole the idea,” confesses Walker, a co-founder of the organization.  Reading in Real Simple magazine about a similar organization in the Washington, D.C. area, the attorney thought, “We could do this.  We have all these women with unbelievable resources.”

“Our idea is simple,” Walker, an attorney, said.  “We can never change the world.  But we can make small changes in people’s lives.”

Members of Womenade do so by congregating four times a year for a “girls-night-out” potluck meal, each contributing $35 into a kitty.

“That’s what we’d spend if we went out to dinner at Brio or the Granville Inn,” Walker explained.

She met last summer with fellow co-founders Emily Rutherford, Nellie Pallagi, Dr. Tracee Karaffa, Chris Shaffer, and Elaine Kent to get the organization going.  Each decided to invite 25 friends.

“We have a mailing list of about 100,” Rutherford said.  At the last meeting at the Pallagi home, everyone was urged to give their email addresses to cut down on mailing expenses.  Any other administrative costs incurred are handled by the volunteers.  One hundred percent of the money collected goes to either the Community Health Clinic in Newark or Healing Art Missions, an organization aiding the people of Haiti started by Karaffa.

The health clinic, started in 1992 by Granville physician Patrick Scarpitti, provides medical attention for those who can’t afford it or who are uninsured.

“People who fall between the cracks,” is how Shaffer, who helps run the clinic, describes its clientele, who number 250 to 300 per week.  “A lot of them put off medical and dental care because they feel it’s a luxury they can’t afford.”

Speaking of making small changes in people’s lives, Shaffer used as an example a man who needed medication costing approximately $70 a month, but couldn’t pay for it.

“Paying for his medication isn’t a very big thing,” Walker said.

Shaffer brought a chart outlining how funds the clinic received from the first potluck were used: $75 for transportation, $360.36 for an otoscope for the clinic, and $536.54 for patient medication.

“Transportation is a real issue for some of our folks,” she said.

Karaffa, who just returned from her annual trip to Haiti, updated Womanade members at their Feb. 1 gathering about how her organization is aided by their contributions.

“We’re very much in the same position,” she said following Shaffer’s presentation.  “Our budget us about $3,000 a month.  We’re just getting by with our regular expenses.”

Healing Art Missions deals with health, nutrition, education, and housing issues.  On this year’s trip to Haiti, a 5-year-old boy dehydrated due to an obstruction in his esophagus was treated.  Without the operation, he would have died.

Flo Gibson, a retired social worker who lives in St. Albans Township, has attended both of the potlucks held thus far.

“It’s such a simple idea,” she said.  “Why didn’t someone think of it sooner?”

Pat Armstrong of Granville, new to the community, attended her first meeting Feb. 2.  “Nellie invited me tonight,” she said.  “I’m interested in finding out what’s going on.  I try to be part of the community.  I think I’ll be a part of the world tonight.”

Kent praised Womenade’s social side.

“There aren’t a lot of opportunities for people to get outside their groups,” she said.  “This is a great opportunity.”

Connie Ray (foreground), a pharmacist who accompanied Tracee Karaffa to Haiti as part of Karaffa's Healing Art Missions, talks to a Womanade gathering Feb 2.  Womanade meets four times per year to raise money for Healing Art Missions and the Community Health Clinic in Newark. (Photo by Charles A. Peterson)

Flo Gibson reads information on a Community Health Clinic chart outlining how proceeds from the previous Womanade meeting were used at the clinic. (Photo by Charles A. Peterson)