Kaneohe Officers’ Spouses’ Club raises $15,000

After a year of gathering donations, the Kaneohe Officers’ Spouses’ Club recently announced they raised $15,000 for 18 local nonprofit organizations. The announcement was made at the club’s annual charities luncheon, May 15, at the Officers’ Club on Marine Corps Base Hawaii. The funds were distributed to the nonprofit organizations, which all support service members and their families.

During the luncheon, officers’ spouses and spokesmen and women for the nonprofit organizations mingled while they waited for the last of the guests to arrive.

Once everyone was seated, Julia Miller, KOSC charities chairperson, and Natalie Ealy, KOSC president, spoke. Miller called each organization to the front, presenting the representatives with a portion of the total funds collected this year.

A lunch followed the presentation, and the spouses had the opportunity to chat with organization representatives to learn about their nonprofit work.

The club chose the 18 local nonprofit organizations based on their applications. To qualify for the club’s funds, the organization has to be nonprofit, benefit service members and their families, and list what percent of the military receive or use the organization or its benefits. Applying organizations must explain who they are and what they do. Applicants also note how much funding they need and justification for it.

The KOSC reviews the organizations and divides the money according to the needs of the organization and to how much was raised. Without the club’s fundraising efforts, some organizations would be put in a hard position.

“We appreciate this a lot because the Joint Spouses’ Conference is for every military spouse, no matter what rank or branch of service their spouse is in,” said Winnie

Pigott, recording secretary for the conference, one of the nonprofit organizations that received a donation. “We hold an annual conference, and this donation can help us make that happen.”

The KOSC is a club for active duty, reservist or retired officers’ spouses and features events from August through May. The club hosts monthly fundraisers like art auctions to aid the local organizations.