River City Cares                                                       

The members of River City Express Network are committed to giving back to their community. Individually, they are active in such organizations as Junior Achievement, Meals on Wheels, the American Red Cross, the Boys & Girls Clubs, Make-A-Wish Foundation, American Heart Association, Hayes Hitzeman Foundation, Virginia Supportive Housing, Friends of Mathews County Public Library and Girl Scouts.

As a group, the members work on several community-based projects each year. Most recently, these have included the RCEN teams pictured to the right.

Since its chartering in 2001, RCEN has participated in five building projects for Richmond Habitat for Humanity.  In 2008, RCEN partnered with the Network of Enterprising Women to help raise $65,000 for the Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity Women Build project. In honor of Women's History Month, the Women Build project began on March 1 and the dedication event took place on September 9. The photo of Cindy Mims presenting the keys to the Finney family is at the top right.

RCEN members have volunteered at the Central Virginia Food Bank for several years. Participating in the annual Pack-A-Thon, the members of the 2007 team (pictured at right) were: Vickie Griffith, Sarah Harvey, Shirley Husz, Connie Maier, Dhia Marcavage, Alison Meyer, Lisa Ritchie, Donna Rominiecki, Smokie Sizemore, Robin Smith, Julie Tidovsky-James, Annie Tobey and Christie Tripp. The event was coordinated by Robin Smith and Tena Krouse.

In 2008 more than a dozen members came together to help out the Community Kitchen (a joint effort between the Central Virginia Food Bank and Meals on Wheels). Pictured at right, after a long afternoon of assembling hundreds of meals, are: Virginia McConnell, Barbara Levine, Laura Pence, Marcia Robertson, Sharon LaRoe, Donna Rominiecki, Ashly Stefanko, Brenda Miller, Mereme Martin, Sarah Harvey, Cindy Mims, Marianne Lawrence, Robin Smith and Mary Foley.

The buzz about the Community Kitchen project was so great, we decided to do it again! The 2009 team is pictured at bottom right: Susan Banton, Paige Ellwanger, Mary Foley, Phoenecia Hill, Karen Houghton, Cindy Mims, Judith O'Brien, Laura Pence, Marcia Robertson, Roxi Saultz-Dikteruk and Ashley Stefanko.

In December 2009 RCEN members helped with sorting and packing children's gifts for the Salvation Army's Angel Tree Program. The program provides new clothing and/or toys for children. After three hours of hard work, the team relaxed for happy hour at Firebirds!