Episode Six: Robin Wonnell discusses Stability First’s win at our first 100+ Women Who Care

Transcription:
Kim Cole
Hi everyone, welcome to our podcast today. I’m Kim Cole, President of the Community Foundation of Morgan County, and I am here again today with Robin Wonnell from Stability First. We are going to talk about their big win from our Thursday night event, our first quarterly meeting with 100+ Women Who Care. So, Robin, welcome again. 

Robin Wonnell
Thank you so much for having me. 

Kim Cole
And it was just a few months ago that you were here talking about Stability First, and now you’re the first winner of the quarterly grant from 100+ Women Who Care. Congratulations! 

Robin Wonnell
Thank you. Thank you. It was what a blessing. What a blessing. 

Kim Cole
It was really exciting. And I want you to tell the viewers all about your experience from hearing about 100+ Women Who Care to preparing. Deciding to join as a member and preparing your sales pitch. So just kind of start at the beginning, if you would.

Robin Wonnell
Okay. So yes, so I believe I heard about the 100 women from you, matter of fact, in a meeting. And I knew at that time that that was something I wanted to be a part of. I love our community, our county. And I just think that the more that we as community members come together to support and provide. The better and the more buy-in we have as to what’s happening in our community. So, to be a part of the inaugural group, right? The very first group, and to be able to sit at the table with those the other ladies that are there. What so much excitement! Truly, the meeting itself, which is so much excitement, and to look around the room and see true change agents at the table. I mean, we there were women from every capacity in our county. Sitting in that room. And to think that they all came together for the good of the county and our community. So that’s just strength in numbers. 

Kim Cole
Quite a draw on membership. And, you know, for me, in trying to get the founding members, I was going to be happy with 40, maybe 50. You know, we had been designing our program after Johnson County. They had 47 founding members, so I was going to be happy with those numbers. When 81 members showed up on Thursday night. I was in awe and truly, as you said, the excitement of the evening. For those viewers who don’t know anything about 100+ Women Who Care, this is, the membership is; they gather four times a year. They throw in $100, and then we throw in-members nominate, and vote is taken on which not-for-profit is going to earn the grant money. With 81 members, we, of course, raised over $8,300, and then that money is actually tripled by Lilly Endowment this time. So, Stability First won over $24,000. 

 

Robin Wonnell
It was just phenomenal. I mean, our folks are just so excited. 

Kim Cole
Tell me about that. So, when you went back to work the next day, how did you tell them the news? 

Robin Wonnell
I showed nothing. I gathered all of our staff in a room, in our conference room, and I just told them they knew that I was going the night before because I was really pumped about the meeting itself. And just being a part of that community, the 100 women. And so, we sat, and we kind of went through a couple of other things that were happening. And then I said, well, let me tell you about the meeting last night. Oh, yeah, why don’t you? You know. So, we went through the steps of how, you know, and I’d like to do that now, right? So, we do the nomination. People come in to the meeting. You nominate. You fill out a little slip for a non-profit. And then we get at our tables. We have something to eat and drink, right? And then we. Or you’ve come up in front, and you’re really having a meeting. You open the meeting. And I’m talking to our staff about how that went and how you pulled three non-profits, one at a time, to come up and speak and to give their sales pitch. And, of course, we were the last one picked. So, I told them that. And they were, you know. And then, of course, I got to tell them that at the end, everyone in the room nominated for the three who would they like to be the winner? And, and Stability First was chosen. The ruckus in the room was fantastic. Yeah. Our staff was elated. Yeah. 

Kim Cole
Yes. So, yeah. I think the way the business model is with pulling the nominations right on the spot during the meeting, no one knows who it’s going to be. We pull them right there in front of the whole room. It really builds the suspense. 

Robin Wonnell
It does. 

Kim Cole
And then, of course, everyone takes a break, goes and gets another drink. Or more snacks while the votes are being counted. And, like you said, with the other two nonprofits having gone first, I’m sure you felt even more suspenseful. 

Robin Wonnell
I did. I did.

Kim Cole
When you’re the last one pulled. So, and I know that you are an incredible advocate for Stability First. But your sales pitch, as we call it, the five-minute speech that you were allowed to make was very impressive. Not unlike the others, but definitely very impactful. And we really appreciated it. So, what can you tell other nonprofits that have maybe not joined the group? What words of advice can you give them? Because now, of course, Stability First having been a winner, they cannot win for another two years. So, you’ll stand back and be a part of watching. You’ll be watching others go forward and win. So, what advice can you give them? 

Robin Wonnell
I think one of the things is I’ve always believed that everything is in the cell. Everything. Every job I’ve had. Everything. It’s all in the cell. And so, when I read on that, yeah, you told us you’re going to do a sales pitch. And I was like, okay. So, right. And it’s knowing your nonprofit. But even aside from knowing, knowing your nonprofit is something that can get their attention. Something that gets the group’s attention and draws them in. I think for me; I use the same hook as one of my friends in the room said to me afterwards. She said, ‘You should always use that as your hook.’ And I always have. And it was just kind of validating, to be honest, you know, for her to say, ‘you should always use that.’ Because people at her own table were like, ‘Wow, I never knew that.’ So, I think for any nonprofit coming and with the anticipation that you might be drawn. I think it’s having that. Having that hook, if you will, as a part of your sales pitch that can make people really see what you do and how you do it. 

Kim Cole
And what do you feel? I mean, I think about what your presentation and I feel like there were a lot of hooks. But what was the hook that you think? 

Robin Wonnell
The. I believe the hook is no one wakes up one day and says, ‘Hmmm, I think I’ll use some meth today.’ No one. That just doesn’t happen in life. And so then, you know, I went on to talk about how we-and when I say we, I mean, everyone in the room, everyone watching this podcast. We’re all pulling something hidden luggage, invisible, but it’s full of things that we, unless we unpack them, we will never move. We will never move forward, and they’re always going to raise their head. And that’s what we do. We try to do it. Stability versus we try to help our residents unpack these things so that they can move on to have a stable life. And then they’re not drawn toward that waking up one day and using their drug of choice. Houses burn, parents die, children… When you have some sort of traumatic event, and you don’t know what to do and you haven’t dealt with this stuff back here. You’re going to use more than likely. Right. And so that’s what pushes people. 

Kim Cole
Sure. Yeah. 

Robin Wonnell
But that’s my I believe that’s it. 

Kim Cole
Yes. So now you all have won. We’re going to be presenting you with a check here in the next week or so. So, tell our viewers what you’re going to spend the money on.

Robin Wonnell
Well, honestly, I went there that night. Of course, I didn’t expect to be drawn. Right. I just was there attending and supporting. And someone asked me afterwards, what are you going to use the money on? And I just said a van. And I think I know that we need transportation. We transport our clients, our residents to court, out of our county even. Case managers have to go with them to stand in front of the judge. We transport them to other meetings outside of our county and outside of our city. And there are things called. Recovery therapy that an adventure therapy, we would love to take them to things like hiking state parks where they can recognize that there are things that are fun to do without using, so it’s building that camaraderie among them. 

Kim Cole
Sure. 

Robin Wonnell
But transportation is a key for us. Yeah, we need that. 

Kim Cole
And twenty-four thousand dollars seems like a doable budget for that budget.

Robin Wonnell
It does. It does. 

Kim Cole
We are very thrilled that you are the winner and we know that you will put the money to good use and we just really appreciate your support. 

Robin Wonnell
Thank you so much. 

Kim Cole
Thank you again, Robin.