Woman’s Club of Abbeville (Louisiana) 
Pictured are members of the Christmas Committee with Amidie Shaw, Hearts for Hope Director of Volunteers & Community Engagement
The Woman’s Club of Abbeville (Louisiana) partnered with Hearts of Hope for their 2020 Christmas Project. The organization provides free and confidential individual therapy and support for survivors of sexual abuse in seven parishes, including the club’s parish of Vermilion. Members purchased teddy bears and other stuffed animals to be given to children who come into Hearts of Hope offices for interviews concerning sexual abuse cases. Donating these stuffed animals for these children make a difference by bringing smiles during a difficult time.
GFWC Needham Women’s Club (Massachusetts)
Watch this video, which features how the GFWC Needham Women’s Club of GFWC Massachusetts adapted a long-standing holiday house tour tradition for social-distancing guidelines. The club organized a drive-by tour of 34 homes and seven neighborhoods.
The tour began with a parade led by police, then a fire engine with Santa with 20 members and neighbors decked out in cars! Streets were lined with families eagerly anticipating the parade with happy faces behind their masks! People voted for their favorite home or neighborhood to fundraise for homeless and domestic violence shelters, food pantries, veterans, schools, first-responders and more.
Pines Lake Woman’s Club of Wayne (New Jersey)
Right before Thanksgiving, the Pines Lake Woman’s Club of Wayne (New Jersey) held its annual Turkey Drive in cooperation with the Community Food Bank of New Jersey for families in need. The club worked from 9 am to 2 pm in the Wayne Township municipal parking lot and collected 96 turkeys, 905 bags of groceries, and more than $1,300 in cash equaling a value of $13,740 food for the Community Food Bank of NJ. The Community Food Bank purchased additional food for those in need with the cash donated.
GFWC Dunwoody Woman’s Club (Georgia)
The GFWC Dunwoody Woman’s Club (Georgia) worked like elves to bring a Merry Christmas to families participating in the “Christmas for Kids” event hosted by the Dunwoody Police. Every family received a meal and gifts.
GFWC Junior Woman’s Club of Walpole (Massachusetts)
Working with the Walpole Council on Aging and Walpole Senior Center, the GFWC Junior Woman’s Club of Walpole brought Thanksgiving meals to more than 80 seniors! The idea to sponsor a meal began in collaboration with a local restaurant, to provide 40 hot Thanksgiving meals to be collected curbside.
The Walpole Council on Aging received double the number of requests! The club was so thankful to the Conrads Restaurant staff for cooking up 80+ delicious hot meals. The club also worked with a local baker to provide a sweet touch to each meal—individual pies.
Danbury/New Fairfield Woman’s Club (Connecticut)
The Danbury/New Fairfield Woman’s Club in Connecticut recently participated in a walking/exercise contest. Participants had the option of walking alone or with a group, socially-distanced. Those participating remotely could use a video or exercise website. They were asked to keep track of their mileage or hours of exercise for one week. Club Health and Wellness Chairman Sheila Macauley conducted this contest as a way for club members to have fun and maintain mental and physical health during the pandemic. All GFWC Connecticut clubs were invited to join in on the fun.
Kudos go to all 108 participants for doing all sorts of calorie-burning exercises: walking, Zumba, aerobic classes, tennis, pickle ball, Silver Sneakers classes online, and more. Each activity was converted to “equivalent miles walked” to provide a basis for choosing winning clubs.