Author: JChurch

Many clubs have enthusiastically joined with GFWC in our work with Secure the Call, a national 501(c)(3) organization that repurposes old cell phones and tablets into free emergency call phones, distributing them to local organizations that serve and assist victims of domestic violence. These live-saving devices can call 911 without a service contract, ensuring that help is in reach for individuals in abusive relationships. Just two examples are the Woman’s Club of Clayton (North Carolina), which placed their collection barrel in the local public library, and the Woman’s Citizenship Club of Alamosa (Colorado), which partnered with the Alamosa Senior Center to collect devices at the Center.

“I would venture to say that most people have old cell phones tucked away in their desk drawers because we don’t know where to get them recycled. The GFWC Woman’s Citizenship Club members are excited to bring this opportunity to [the community],” said Theresa Rudder, coordinator of this project in Alamosa. As the Woman’s Club of Clayton’s Civic Engagement and Outreach CSP noted in the club newsletter, “Your help is greatly needed and appreciated, and will go a long way to make sure that high-risk individuals always have access to emergency services.”

These drives end February 28, 2023, so you still have time to find a barrel (including one here at HQ) and donate your old devices! Our thanks to the many clubs who are participating, helping GFWC to reach its goal to collect 7500 phones and tablets.

Below: Lynette Cotton, Director of Alamosa Senior Citizens, Inc., and Theresa Rudder, member of GFWC Woman’s Citizenship Club are ready to fill up the barrel with used cell phones.

On January 16, 2023, GFWC clubs participated in a variety of fantastic community initiatives around the country in honor of Martin Luther King Day of Service. Here are just two of the many!

In New Jersey, the Millville Woman’s Club hosted clubs from across the NJSFWC Southern District to support the state Community Food Bank. Members of these clubs donated cans of tuna, chicken and vegetables; packages of fruit cups; oatmeal cups; granola bars; and cereal, along with bags of beans and of rice and more. Club volunteers then worked diligently to create Dinners in a Bag, College Meal Kits, Healthy Lifestyle Meal Kits, and Snowy Meal Kits. These were donated to the Community Food Bank of New Jersey, and distributed by Gateway Community Action Partnership. Pictured above are (left to right) Shirley Grygotis (Absecon); Carole Speechley, President (Cape May); Linda Green, District Chair for the Day of Service; Laura Badger, Southern District VP; and Barbara Heim (Cape May).

And in Colorado, the GFWC Southwest Region Woman’s Club partnered with local non-profit Benefits in Action to help those in the community experiencing food insecurity. Ten club members (pictured below) volunteered 30 hours to fill 251 boxes, all of which were delivered to Benefits in Action clients who are seniors, medically fragile, and do not have transportation to access local food banks.

On January 16, 2023, the GFWC Junior Woman’s Club of Westminster (MD) and the GFWC Woman’s Club of Westminster (MD) joined forces to honor Martin Luther King’s service to our nation through a “Day of Service” project. The team collected donated snacks, consolidated them into three boxes of goodies, and delivered a box each to the Carroll County Sherriff’s Department, Westminster City Police, and the Maryland State Police. This GFWC project has become an annual event to show our appreciate for the service of our front-line workers.

“Be the change in your community, Be a Butterfly”

From left: GFWC-OK Waurika Sorosis Club President, Lisa Adkins; Waurika City Manager, Kyote Dunn; Waurika Development Trust Chairman, Roy Bartling; Sorosis Club Co-Vice President, Jennifer Aldridge; Martin Villarreal, ODOT; City of Waurika Street Dept. Supervisor, Chad Dodson; ODOT Jefferson County Superintendent, Billy Martin, and ODOT employee, Blake Latta, meet with ODOT about this year’s wildflower plantings.

Spring is a few months away, but several groups gathered on Monday, December 12, 2022 to watch the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) plant wildflower seeds that will color the entrances to Waurika with beautiful flowers in late April and continue through July. The Waurika wildflower project is in its fifth year and is a collaborative project with the GFWC-OK Waurika Sorosis Club, Color Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Department of Transportation with cooperation from the City of Waurika and Jefferson County.

One hundred forty five pounds of wildflower seeds were donated to the Waurika Sorosis Club with just over half coming from a grant from Color Oklahoma. The grant was matched by donations from the Waurika Sorosis Club, Bartling Ranch, Bentley Bartling Enterprises and Marketing Solutions Groups. Additional seeds were generously donated by Color Oklahoma Board Members Craig Williams, owner of Williams Landscape in Lawton, and Monica Bartling. Most of the seeds are perennials or seeds that re-seed themselves each year. “We add additional seeds each year to continually extend the area planted and also to keep the established areas blooming,” Craig Williams said. “My vision is to have wildflowers blooming each spring along U.S Highway 81 from the Red River to the Stephens County Line and beyond.”

“ODOT has a long standing Roadside Wildflower Program that has planted approximately 2,500 acres of wildflowers since the program’s inception in 1990,” according to Billy Martin, ODOT County Superintendent for Jefferson County. “This year we are planting 15.8 acres of seeds along the entrances to Waurika.” Kyote Dunn, Waurika City Manager, added, “We are pleased to assist with this project and support the plantings along the entrances to our city. We thank the individuals and organizations who donate to this project. There are no city funds used on the wildflower project and it actually saves us a little on mowing expenses.”

Elizabeth Scott, GFWC-OK Waurika Sorosis Club Environmental Chairperson for 2022-2024, stated, “The Wildflower Project is one of our club’s signature programs. Since 2018, with our first planting of seven acres north and south of the U.S. 70 and U.S 81 intersections, we continue to grow the area planted. We are grateful for Color Oklahoma working with us each year and that our club members are so supportive of this project. This year’s planting includes seeds for Indian Blanket, Lance Tickseed, Showy Primrose, Plains Coreopsis, Red Corn and California Poppies, and Bishop’s Flower.”

Left to right: Debbi Permito, Donna Pio, and Diane Alcantara of MWC, and Raquel Matis of Holly City Family Success Center

In 2020, Millville Woman’s Club (New Jersey) member Diane Alcantara suggested that the Club spread the joy of the holiday season in the form of gift bags for children. The Holly City Family Success Center, a community-based, family-centered organization offering a multitude of services to children and families, was selected as the beneficiary, as a way to thank them for the services they provide. The project went so well that the Club kept the tradition going in 2021 and 2022. MWC members donated bags with toys, books, games, coloring books and crayons, puzzles, gloves, and more for the children’s Christmas party. On December 13th, 2022, Donna Pio and Debbi Permito joined Diane to deliver over fifty gift bags to Raquel Matis at the Success Center.