COEUR d'ALENE - In the past year, members of the Cancer and Community Charities (3Cs) raised $100,014.

That year of hard work and fundraising culminated Friday at the 3Cs Appreciation Brunch when 32 local nonprofit organizations received a portion of those funds to support their programs and help continue the good work they do in the community.

And it was a good year - the 3Cs 2015 charitable funds beat the group's 2014 amount of $88,000 by more than $12,000.

"It's just wonderful that this group does what they do," said Lake City Center director Rick Currie, who accepted a check for Meals on Wheels. Meals on Wheels is a volunteer-run home delivery program that serves fresh meals to qualifying individuals ages 60 or older who are frail or homebound by illnesses or incapacitating disabilities.

"There are so many things that make (3Cs) great, but one of the things is all the money they raise goes back into the community," Currie said. "There's no administrative costs, no nothing. When you donate or do anything for this organization, all of it, 100 percent, goes back, and that's fantastic. And they have fun doing it."

The Appreciation Brunch was held in the convention center of The Coeur d'Alene Resort, where numerous 3Cs members, funds recipients and guests enjoyed socializing over lunch and beverages. Entertainment was provided by the Sweet Adelines Coeur d'Alene Chorus, who sweetly serenaded the room with harmonious numbers such as Duke Ellington's "Mood Indigo" and the swinging "Jazz Came up the River."

"As far as we're concerned, this is the cherry on the sundae because this is the time that we give our money away," said 3Cs President Judy Gardner.

A big part of how 3Cs members raise funds is through 11 different activity groups, which include a book club, the music-loving Coeur d'Aleers, a gourmet cooking club, a golfing team for members of all abilities and the Twisted Stitchers knitting group. Several of the groups' chairs attended the Appreciation Brunch to recruit and provide information to interested parties. Once a person becomes a member of the 3Cs and pays the annual dues of $15, that member can join any group.

Gardner said she is incredibly proud to be the president of such a giving, fun-loving group of people.

"It's such a wonderful organization," she said. "It's unbelievable to be with a group that has fun making money to just give it away."

Recipients of 3Cs 2015 charitable funds: Alzheimer's Association North Idaho Branch; Anna Schindler Foundation; Birthright of Coeur d'Alene; The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks; Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA); Children's Village; The Coeur d'Alene Press Christmas for All; Community Action Partnership Food Bank; ElderHelp of North Idaho; Family Promise of North Idaho; Fresh Start; Harmony Ranch; Hayden Senior Center; Heritage Health Center; Hospice of North Idaho; Idaho Drug Free Youth; Kootenai Health Foundation (Cancer Patient Care); Lake City Center (Meals on Wheels); National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI); Newby Ginnings; North Idaho Violence Prevention Center; North Idaho Project Linus; On Site for Seniors; Post Falls Food Bank; Rathdrum Food Bank; St. Vincent de Paul; TESH Inc.; The Village at Orchard Ridge; Trinity Group Homes; Turkeys for All; Union Gospel Mission; and Walden House.