December 3, 1998 | Read Time: 1 minute
Behind every charity is “at least one persuasive woman,” declares Town & Country magazine (December), and the publication profiles seven of them.
All are well-known members of the social set, women whom Town & Country calls some of “the nation’s most effective volunteer fund raisers.”
The issue also includes a “Guide to Volunteerism” that offers a checklist to help readers know whether volunteerism fits their approach to life and their personality, a list of charities that use volunteers, and a list of corporations that support volunteer work by their employees.
The seven women profiled in the magazine include Nancy Davis, a Los Angeles resident who suffers from multiple sclerosis. She established a research program on the disease called the Center Without Walls and organized five events, including ski races in Colorado, that have raised nearly $9-million.
Ms. Davis tells the magazine that she always writes “a personal note thanking everyone who does anything for us.” She says she will not “ask anybody to give something he can’t. I never want to make somebody uncomfortable. And I don’t overask.”
Also included is Yasmin Aga Khan, daughter of the late actress Rita Hayworth, who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease, and the late Muslim leader Aly Aga Khan. Ms. Khan, who raises money for the Alzheimer’s Association, has raised more than $23-million over 14 years from benefit parties for the association.
Part of Ms. Khan’s fund-raising strategy is to “thank people profusely, and immediately” for their donations, the magazine says. “I never take it personally when people say No,” Ms. Khan also says. “There are so many charities, so much to do.”
