Mother: Merle Brodie
Occupation: Gift Planning Officer, Girl Scouts; Instructor, at UCSD extension certificate in fundraising and development program
Notable achievement: Association of Fundraising Professional Development Executive of the Year 1994
Daughter: Courtney Brodie
Occupation: Leasing Manager for Centro Properties Group
Notable achievement: Girl Scouts Gold Award for developing a youth chapter of the Lions Club at the Braille Institute.
Merle Brodie lives in Scripps Ranch and her daughter, Courtney, lives in Pacific Beach. Merle moved to San Diego in 1979, got married and started a new career and a wonderful family. Merle and her husband have two daughters, Courtney, 24 and Blake, 20.
One of the Brodie family values Merle, 57, taught both daughters is volunteering together. This has opened Courtney’s eyes to the value of community work and created a unique bond between this mother-daughter team.
Merle began volunteering with her daughters when they were quite young. As members of the National Charity League, Merle and Courtney completed community service projects and were introduced to numerous causes throughout San Diego. Their activities ranged from making centerpieces for Rady Children’s Hospital events to serving as judges for the Special Olympics as well as helping students at the Braille Institute with art classes. They continue the tradition of volunteering together to this day.
Merle states:
“I feel fortunate to have been able to share my values and perspectives about life with my daughters. It is a source of happiness to have raised two strong and independent women who see community service as an important part of their lives.”
When Courtney graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in business, she decided to move back to San Diego. Her mother is thrilled about this unexpected outcome. “My goal is to spend quality time with Courtney…not just shopping and going out to dinner, but to continue to find volunteer opportunities and help those in needs throughout the community”, Merle stated recently.
Because Merle and Courtney wanted to spend time volunteering together, they are very excited to belong to Women Give San Diego. It offers them a unique opportunity to be involved through both financial contributions and ‘hands-on’ volunteering.
WGSD teaches women of all ages how to be effective philanthropists. Thanks to a tiered membership structure, WGSD allows mother-daughter teams like Merle and Courtney to be involved together. Courtney says, “The low financial threshold to join make participation more accessible to younger women just starting their careers. We would miss many great opportunities if we had to wait till we were 50 years old and could afford joining donor circles.”
Merle adds, “I think we’re both happy to share this new experience in Women Give San Diego. It adds another positive dimension to our adult relationship.”
They both feel that it is important to join groups like Women Give, where they are with other like-minded women who share their values. Merle’s past work in the nonprofit sector and local community make her very well suited for her active work on the Grants Committee and as the new liaison to the community and grantees on behalf of the organization.
Courtney recently joined the membership committee and hopes to recruit many more young people. In addition, she has stepped up to volunteer with one of WGSD’s 2010 grantees, Dress for Success. At this past January membership meeting, Silvia McKinney, executive director at Dress for Success, spoke about their work teaching disadvantaged women how to get back in the work force. Her talk struck a chord with Courtney who has signed up to help. She’s being matched with a woman client and will help her find job interview outfits at the Dress for Success Boutique and later will mentor her through the job interview process and during the rest of her career.
Courtney understands how important a professional appearance is for interviews. Just a few years ago, Merle took her shopping for her first suit. “The suit really made me feel good and it conveyed the right image” Courtney said. “A suit boosts your confidence level and gets your career started on the right note.”
This dynamic team is a strong model for how to be actively involved in the community as a family and as women. Merle is leading by example, grooming her daughters to be next generation of women philanthropists.
Welcome, Merle and Courtney! We are so glad to have you!
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