EDITORIAL: Ladies, have fun while helping others

Time out.

In this space today, politics is off limits. Controversy is cringe-worthy. Divisiveness exists, but for the next few hundred words it’s wholly irrelevant. 

Today’s Press editorial is about helping each other, which not so coincidentally is precisely what 3Cs is about.

3Cs — Cancer and Community Charities — was founded in 1962 by Ellen Walden and received nonprofit status in 1975. What began as a small bowling team dedicated to raising money for a friend with cancer, the group has grown to more than 500 members. It’s a community within the community.

Since Walden’s inspiration took root, 3Cs has donated more than $2.6 million to local organizations that help thousands of Kootenai County residents. All that inbound money flows through several streams: member dues ($25 per member per year), small fees to participate in some 3Cs group activities, and public fundraisers large and small.

The largest fundraiser will be here soon: the 25th annual 3Cs Spring Fashion Show May 16 at The Coeur d’Alene Resort. If you missed the story about it, here you go: https://shorturl.at/pwIJQ

For an organization that has been around so long and done so much good for so many, 3Cs still might not be top-of-mind to the general public.

“A lot of people don’t really know what we do,” fashion show co-chair Ruth Runkle told Press reporter Devin Weeks. 

The first sentence of their mission statement pretty much says it all: Cancer & Community Charities (3Cs) is an organization of women volunteers committed to having fun and raising funds to support local Kootenai County charities in fighting cancer and assisting those who are in immediate need in our community.

Note that beautiful little three-letter word in there: fun. Over many years, we at The Press have witnessed the benevolent ladies of 3Cs having fun every step of the way, from enjoying their many group activities with strangers who have become close friends to distributing tens of thousands of dollars to important local charities every summer.

It’s hard to imagine that after doing so much good for so long, a lot of people don’t know what 3Cs does. But what’s harder to fathom is where this community would be without 3Cs.

Women reading this editorial, consider joining up and pitching in — and, yes, having fun. Visit 3cscda.com to learn more.