Bradford’s S.W.A.N. – Successful Women Always Networking, an organization for women business owners, entrepreneurs and professionals – has always made fund-raising for a local charity part of its program, choosing a different cause every year since it was launched in 2011.
Past recipients have included the Helping Hand Food Bank in Bradford, and the BWG Community Initiatives.
This year, S.W.A.N. chose CrossTrainers Canada, which operates A Hand-Up Clothing Room and The Hub youth drop-in centre in Bradford, as its charity of choice - collecting donations of used clothing, and raising over $7,000 in cash.
The funds will go to cover CrossTrainers’ basic expenses, and its upcoming Christmas Wish party for clients of the clothing room.
One of the reasons the cheque was so big, said President Natasha Leskiw, was because of the generosity of the Bradford Legion.
The Legion has welcomed the ladies of S.W.A.N., and donated space for the networking group to meet in its club room every month. “That has allowed us to focus on growing our membership,” said S.W.A.N. President Natasha Leskiw.
S.W.A.N. held its final meeting of 2019 at the Legion on Tuesday night, thanking Legion president Tammy Paglia for the support for local business women and entrepreneurs.
On behalf of the group, Doreen Johnson, S.W.A.N. member, presented the Legion with the book First In Last Out about the RCAF Women’s Division and Nursing Sisters in World War II, signed by author Gladys Bryce.
