Category: Uncategorized

GFWC Mesquite Club of Las Vegas (Nevada)

Members of the GFWC Mesquite Club of Las Vegas (Nevada) brought in more than 500 pieces of winter clothing to be donated to people in need. Clothing included hats, socks, sweatshirts, and coats, most of which had hardly been worn and was in good condition.

The coats were taken to The Catholic Worker, an organization that helps feed people without homes in downtown Las Vegas. The organization had been distributing coats this winter, but ran out, and expressed an ongoing need. Fortunately, club members were able to fulfill that need. Organizers with The Catholic Worker have expressed their gratitude for the donations. The Catholic Worker will distribute these coats to people in need of warm attire as they line up for food.

Another recipient of the coat and winter clothing drive is The Embracing Project (TEP). January was National Human Trafficking Awareness Month and TEP is a Rite of Passage program, which advocates peace and healing for youth survivors of violence, sexual exploitation, and trafficking, through the development of specialized programs, trauma-informed care, and unconditional support. This is in line with GFWC Nevada State President Cherie Lee Williams-Dewitt’s Signature Project. Some of the coats also were donated to the Faith Lutheran Thrift Store.

These nonprofit organizations each serve the community in different ways. Overall, this project was devised and completed in two weeks.

GFWC Battle Ground (Washington)

GFWC Battle Ground (Washington) hosted its own “Souper Bowl” this year with a fun twist to bring in nonperishable items to be donated to local food banks. Points were scored according to the number of food items, mainly soups, credited to each team that was brought in by club members. Clubwomen Valerie Huey and Ginger Crabtree served as referees to help keep the record straight. After the game was over, 230 pounds of food was taken to the North Country Community Food Bank.

GFWC Woman’s Club of South County (Rhode Island)

Through the Community Outreach Team of GFWC Woman’s Club of South County (Rhode Island), club members Maggie Hayes-Cote and Jane Tutko made their idea of collecting items for elder adults in nursing homes a success. Due to the generosity of club members, along with their friends and families, residents of 12 nursing homes in Washington County, Rhode Island, were provided with fun activities and gifts. Items including music, games, coloring books, puzzles, and magazines were provided to more than 400 residents to wish them a happy holiday and remind them they are in the club members’ thoughts. Maggie also offered a special “thank you” to club members Pam McCullum, Mary Logan, Peg Schembre, and Deb Brown for collecting and putting the packages together.

“We leave you with a thought that drives our group: Kindness is a bridge between all people. If you are ever down and want to lift yourself, then do something kind for somebody,” Jane said.

GFWC Millville Woman’s Club (New Jersey)

While the GFWC Millville Woman’s Club (New Jersey) has been supportive of the New Jersey Department of Child Protection and Permanency (DCP&P) through their involvement with Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) and by donating books and duffel bags, the club’s Creative Arts Committee has been contributing in another way. EllenBeth Nappen, the chairperson of this committee, has been busy making blankets for children in need. Crocheting the squares and then sewing them together is a time-consuming endeavor, but she said it is more than worth her while.

EllenBeth made seven colorful blankets last summer that were picked up by a representative from the DCP&P. Nancy Booz, another club member, joined EllenBeth in the fall and they made 13 more blankets. These went to the DCP&P during the holiday season. With the help of club member Nuha Hababo, the three clubwomen all are continuing to make blankets for children.

DCP&P is New Jersey’s child protection and child welfare agency within the state’s Department of Children and Families, and CASA is a national association that supports and promotes court-appointed advocates for abused or neglected children.

GFWC Cosmopolitan Club of Petal (Mississippi)

Members of the Education and Libraries Committee with the GFWC Cosmopolitan Club of Petal (Mississippi) helped develop a lending library called “Rinse and Read” at a local laundromat in Petal. The library was made out of a re-purposed newspaper dispenser, which was purchased from a vintage store and transformed by the Petal School District maintenance department. A shelf was added to fit inside and it was filled with children’s books. The collection includes both Spanish and English books to reach the growing Hispanic communities in the area and school district. Club members began collecting the books early last year.

Children are encouraged to return the books to the lending library, and books will be replenished or repaired each month as needed. A sticker also will be adhered inside each book with information about the importance of reading and visiting the public library for more books.

The “Rinse and Read” project was made possible by a partnership between the GFWC Cosmopolitan Club of Petal and Excel By 5, an early education program that promotes early childhood education, resources, and parent education.

GFWC Valamont Woman’s Club (Tennessee)

On Martin Luther King Junior Day, GFWC Valamont Woman’s Club (Tennessee) hosted an outdoor, socially distanced, and masked event to try to bring joy to residents of a local care facility. During the event, members assembled packets for a coloring contest for residents of the facility. The judges for the contest will be a class of kindergartners, and the winner will receive a framed cross stitch design that was created by a past member who passed away last year. Clubwomen also made kits for other members to make tray favors for the residents of the care facility and planned treats for the kindergartners.

GFWC Woman’s Club of Arlington (Virginia)

The GFWC Woman’s Club of Arlington (Virginia) provided free handmade scarves, hats, gloves, and face masks to families assembled for food donations at the club’s parking lot on December 10, and January 14. The monthly Mobile Market of fruits, vegetables, and other groceries began taking place at the club in October, and is a collaboration between Barcroft Elementary School, Communities in Schools of Northern Virginia, and the Capital Area Food Bank. When a club member had the idea of placing hand knitted items in convenient areas for those in need, the food donation event seemed like the perfect opportunity, and the idea took off! The items were hung on trees near the parking lot during the Mobile Market with a card attached which read, “I am not lost. I was handmade for you. If you are cold or need me, please take me.”

During the second event in January, the club expanded their “Chase the Chill” project and offered new socks, small new blankets, and some used clothing in addition to the handmade scarves, hats, and gloves. In both December and January, club members gave out more than 100 scarves, hats, face masks, and more. Ten club members participated by knitting, crocheting, or sewing items, and working the day of the event. The members said they hope to continue this project in February, weather permitting.

GFWC Woman’s Club of Paramus

The GFWC Woman’s Club of Paramus (New Jersey) has made more than 18,000 masks since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Masks have been donated to 15 hospitals, 15 nursing homes, more than 20 elder adult care centers, two veteran’s homes, special education students in Paramus, homeless veteran’s through GFWC New Jersey State President Jan Hansen’s special project Operation Chillout, and more than 40 sister clubs. The sewing brigade has been Paramus’ own “Rosie the Riveters” on the war against COVID-19.

The sewing brigade was started by New Jersey State Federation of Women’s Clubs District Vice President Marie Sullivan, and includes club members Loretta Bayarski, Anna Perrone, Linda Buccino, Stacey Bukowski, Carol Cameron, Lisa Corrado, AnaLiza DeLeon, Pam Duke, Joyce Geils, Peggy Hickey, Dana Powers, Palisades District Vice President Debbie Cibelli, and GFWC Woman’s Club of Paramus President Shelley Rothstein.

“We will continue sewing until there is no longer a need; and unfortunately, there is no end in sight. I haven’t stopped sewing since March,” Marie Sullivan said. “We will do all in our power to help.”

The Woman’s Club of Paramus is also now selling masks to the general public for $10 each so it can continue to donate masks to those in need.

Village Improvement Association of Rehoboth Beach (Delaware)

Plastic bags are non-biodegradable and can take hundreds of years to decompose, which poses a threat to animals and other wildlife. To combat this problem, the Delaware state legislature passed a bill to ban single-use plastic bags starting January 1, 2021. The Environment Committee of the Village Improvement Association of Rehoboth Beach (Delaware) spent 2020 getting the word out to members to encourage the use of reusable totes.

As a result of the bill, the Village Improvement Association took on another major project in 2020. Club members signed up for the Trex Furniture Recycling Challenge, during which participants were tasked with collecting a total of 500 pounds of unwanted plastic materials in a six-month period. The list of collectable plastics included items that are not permitted in curbside recycling, such as plastic grocery bags, newspaper bags, case plastic wrap, bubble wrap, and more. Seventy-three club members logged 91 hours gathering plastic from their homes and from friends and family. The plastic was then collected, sorted, weighed, and dropped off to participating grocery stores. The Village Improvement Association completed this challenge in 10 weeks during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Trex awarded the club with a bench made from recycled plastic for reaching their goal, and club members volunteered again to create a new memorial garden featuring the bench, a steppingstone walkway, and butterfly bushes.

GFWC Millville Woman’s Club (New Jersey)

Life has not been normal for the GFWC Millville Woman’s Club (New Jersey) throughout the past year, but their giving spirit has remained alive. Since many of the club’s members are retirees from the Millville Board of Education, the club invited board members to use the club’s parking lot to gather donations during their December meeting. Contributions including pillows and pillow cases, towels, body wash, shampoo, and more were collected and donated to the Cumberland County Shelter for the Homeless. Donations of underwear, Snack Packs, and other non-perishable food items also were given to Code Blue, a local “warming center” which provides overnight shelter to homeless individuals in the community. Due to COVID-19, all the donated items were purchased new. Club members said the donation event was a good opportunity to work together for the benefit of the community.

GFWC Stella Research Club (Nebraska)

Although hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic, the GFWC Stella Research Club (Nebraska) continued their community service efforts in December with a variety of projects. One of the projects club members participated in was a food collection drive to donate to a local food bank. Members were provided a list of suggestions for collecting food items for each day of the month of December. Each box of food weighed more than 30 pounds and contained non-perishable boxed and canned items. Total, the club collected 275 pounds of food, which was given to Southeast Nebraska Community Action on December 21.

GFWC Woman’s Club of Dunbar (West Virginia)

The GFWC Woman’s Club of Dunbar (West Virginia) has been working hard since September 2020, to make local nursing home residents feel loved. With most things shut down due to COVID-19, it is hard for residents to feel as if they have anyone thinking about them. To help remedy this issue, one of the club member’s daughters started making homemade greeting cards with hand-written messages for the nursing home residents with her Girl Scout troop. When she asked if the clubwomen would like to help, the ladies jumped into action. Between September and the end of December 2020, club members made more than 1,500 cards to be distributed to 14 different nursing homes throughout the area. The cards include birthday, holiday, and “pick-me-up” cards. Club members have decided to continue this project throughout 2021.

GFWC Woman’s Citizenship Club in Alamosa (Colorado)

The GFWC Woman’s Citizenship Club in Alamosa (Colorado) surprised more than 800 employees of the local hospital and health clinics with San Luis Valley Health and 20 employees of the DaVita Dialysis Center by creating and donating 21 “Gratitude Boards” as a way to thank healthcare workers for their dedication this year. The boards were placed in the breakrooms of every department. Each board included a variety of snacks and a pair of scissors to snip each snack free when needed.

GFWC Santa Rosa Woman’s Club (Florida)

When COVID-19 forced the town’s library to close for browsing, the GFWC Santa Rosa Woman’s Club (Florida) devised a way for area readers to continue to enjoy looking for books. The Education and Libraries Community Service Program set out to locate every neighborhood Free Little Library book box along the 16-mile stretch from Gulf Breeze to Navarre, Florida, with the goal of making a map. As each little library was located, members photographed the book boxes and posted the photo and description on the club’s Facebook page.

After locating and photographing 30 small libraries, they created and launched a Google Map of neighborhood book boxes and little libraries. The map includes a pop-up photo of each little library with tips on finding it.

In addition to creating the map, club members involved with the community service project donned Santa hats and protective masks and visited the small libraries before Christmas, donating more than 50 sanitized children’s books to encourage reading during the school holidays. They also organized a personal library book drive of specific genres for an elder woman leaving an assisted living facility due to a COVID-19 outbreaks.

GFWC Helena Woman’s Club (Montana)

The GFWC Helena Woman’s Club (Montana) has been working on initiatives to support the local Veteran’s Association at Fort Harrison in Helena, Montana, including easing the transition of some of the homeless veterans into redeveloped housing at the fort. During a recent visit to drop off some pantry and toiletry items, members learned there are 11 children living in the housing units, and decided they wanted to provide them with Christmas gifts. The children ranged in age from eight months to 15 years old. In days, the club members rallied to provide toys, games, puzzles, baked goods, gift cards, hats, and mittens to each child, along with some additional goodies for their parents. The Helena Woman’s Club dropped the gifts off on December 22, in time for the children to have presents under a tree. Club members said it was a very rewarding experience.

GFWC Shorewood Woman’s Club (Wisconsin)

Although still operating remotely, the GFWC Shorewood Woman’s Club (Wisconsin) is continuing efforts to raise funds for charity and be a positive force in the community, including hosting two recent fundraisers. The first project involved selling t-shirts, sweatshirts, and tote bags featuring artwork by a club member. The sales resulted in a $175 contribution to the USO for their “Call Home” program for the military.

GFWC Affiliate Organization Heifer International was the recipient of the money raised during the club’s second fundraiser. Members raised more than $800 for the nonprofit organization, which works to eradicate poverty and hunger, through their annual coffee sale along with personal contributions. The club also took advantage of a matching grant opportunity online to partially double some of the contributions.

PRESIDENT’S PICK: Heritage League of Lincoln (Nebraska)

The Heritage League of Lincoln’s (Nebraska) The Holiday of Trees is now available. This year, the event was remote. It’s a once-in-a-century chance to see a part of what the club does, and has done for 48 years! Gather a small group of socially distanced and masked individuals and enjoy it together.

Proceeds for the 2019 Holiday of Trees went to the LMTA Music Outreach Program offered through the Lincoln Music Teachers Association. The program offers low-cost music lessons to students who are at risk or in need. A maximum of 50 students receive lessons in piano, organ, percussion, violin, viola, voice, guitar, woodwinds, theory, and composition. Each student must be recommended by an adult who is familiar with the child’s talent and interest.

GFWC Stuttgart Junior Woman’s Club (Arkansas) 

The GFWC Stuttgart Junior Woman’s Club (Arkansas) hosted their annual Baggo Tournament benefitting Restoration of Hope and Domestic Violence Awareness on November 11 in Stuttgart, Arkansas. Fifteen teams participated in the event and raised more than $1,600. This year, the club decided to focus on the specific needs of the local women’s shelter, in addition to giving them a $500 cash donation. The club purchased more than $500 in bathroom, kitchen, and household essentials. The remaining money raised was donated to the GFWC Success for Survivors Scholarships, benefitting those impacted by partner violence.

GFWC Lowell Woman’s Club (Indiana) 

The Lowell Woman’s Club (Indiana) was happy to end their holiday season with gifting the Lowell Trustee’s Office Food Bank with nine complete baking baskets.

Volunteer members donated time and purchases to make the baskets available to nine families in need with the help of trustee Alice Dahl.

Club President Sara Sizemore and her mother, member Kathleen Sizemore, accepted all the supplies while being conscious of social distancing and maintaining safety to assemble.

The baskets were assembled with every ingredient to make several types of cookies and included gift cards for eggs and butter, cookie sheets, and recipe cards. Then they were bagged and bowed.

Members of the Lowell Woman’s Club said they have been proud of their club’s actions during the pandemic, including hosting a Zoom meeting at the end of November, keeping up with monthly donations to the Lowell Trustees Food Bank and donating to the Coat Drive held at local Tri-Creek Lumber.

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.

PRESIDENT’S PICK: Woman’s Club of Coconut Grove (Florida) 

The Plastics-Free Initiative Coalition, also known as the Florida Plastic Free Coalition, now has a website: www.plasticsfreeinitiative.org. The Woman’s Club of Coconut Grove established the Florida Plastic Free Coalition to minimize the amount of plastics collecting on Florida’s shores. This website is part of an awareness campaign to educate the public, provide information on environmental news, upcoming events, outreach, and committees. The Woman’s Club of Coconut Grove founded this program 2018-2019 to encourage businesses, organizations, and concerned Floridians to:

(1) reduce or ban, where possible, the use of single-use plastics.

(2) organize a grassroots coalition to develop educational programs and materials for Miami elementary and secondary students, as well as other community members.

(3) implement Surfrider’s Ocean Friendly Restaurants Program as a grassroots business approach to reduce pollution and to promote goodwill with our merchants to use eco-friendly alternatives.

GFWC Seward Woman’s Club (Nebraska) 

GFWC Nebraska’s 17^th annual “Girl’s Only” Quiz Bowl was held at the Seward Civic Center in October, an all-day general knowledge tourney involving 27 school teams from high schools across the state.

The event featured a round robin “practice rotation” in the morning. The morning contest featured three divisions: large, medium, and small school. In the afternoon, a single-elimination tourney was held, with the schools seeded by the three sizes and seeded based on number of winning rounds in the morning, point total, and highest individual score. The two top winning teams each received a trophy with the champion team members each receiving a special individual medal. GFWC Seward Woman’s Club hosted a pizza lunch.

Schools competing in the contest included Bennington, Norris, Grand Island Northwest, Gretna, Seward, and York in the Large School Division. The Medium School Division included Centennial High in Utica, Central City, Kearney Catholic, Milford, and Oakland Craig. The Small School Division included schools from Cross County, Dorchester, Exeter-Milligan, Friend, Hampton, Heartland-Henderson, Howells/Dodge and McCool Junction, with many of the schools sending two teams.

The tourney was coordinated by Jean Kolterman, assisted by members of the GFWC Seward Woman’s Club and areal volunteers. Volunteer readers included Sue Imig, Pat Ohlmann, Dr. Louis Reith, Joanna Treas –all from Seward, Jenni Erhart from Osceola, Kathy Wilcox from Crete, Joe Hornung-Scheer of Norris High, Rebecca Pair from Centennial High in Utica, and Melissa Pohl of Seward High.

Madison Study Club (Minnesota)

Members of the Madison Study Club met at the Lac Qui Parle County Museum for a recent meeting.

As an employee at the museum, club member Rachel Croatt worked with other museum staff to put together an exhibit highlighting women’s suffrage, the 19^th Amendment, the temperance movement, and stories of local women. Rachel gave the program presentation about the history of various women’s clubs in the county. She also had a scavenger hunt to aid club members in exploring the exhibit. Members also each received an “I Will Vote!” pin.

For the 2020-2021 club year, the club’s program committee selected the theme “I am woman, hear me roar!”

Naperville Woman’s Club (Illinois) 

In November, nine energetic NWC members met at Operation Support Our Troops in Lisle, Illinois to pack Christmas stockings for active military worldwide. Stockings were packed to the brim with playing cards, candy, hygiene products, and crackers and other treats. Everyone left with a smile on her face, including Geri Armitage, Anita Danza, Sarah Dore, Judi Gawlik, Jennifer Kashur, Paulette Goodman, Maryanne Greif, Sandy McKeon, and Donna Shaw.

GFWC West Side Woman’s Club (Pennsylvania) 

The GFWC West Side Woman’s Club (Pennsylvania) sponsored a Christmas tree for the Dinner for Kids program as a part of the annual Parade of Trees at Grotto Pizza at Harvey’s Lake. Dinners for Kids, was established to fight childhood hunger and food insecurity throughout the Wyoming Valley of Northeastern Pennsylvania.

This Parade of Trees will be on display through December 31 for visitors to vote! The club’s tree is decorated with handmade items—paper snowflakes and salt clay- molded ornaments of food (pizza, turkey legs, watermelon, spaghetti, and gingerbread men), along with pictures of children enjoying a meal.  The tree is topped with a Chef’s Hat and sign depicting that many community helping hands make the program possible.

Seated left to right are club members Deidre Kaminski (GFWC – West Side Education Chairman) and Gina Rushkowski (Club President).

Standing left to right are club members Christina Kinsman, Tina Stella, Becky McCuen, Eileen Gallagher (Club Secretary), Mary Ladish and Rosemary Luksha

Woman’s Club of Fairfax (Virginia) 

Connections to those serving with us is more important than ever during the pandemic. The Woman’s Club of Fairfax has instituted a gal pal program to give members “a buddette” to provide thoughtful encouragement, as well as make sure the club’s Sunshine Committee keeps the cards and notes flowing. The club also organized a “Drive-By Dues” event at a local restaurant, Dolce Vita, the perfect opportunity for ladies to get a thoughtful little gift bag of kindness and to drop off supplies and donations for various upcoming club projects.

In addition, the club presented gift bags to the Fairfax City Police Department in appreciation of their service to the community. Cards were collected for the Salvation Army, hats for Ellie’s Hats, items for stress kits for PRS, Inc, and more. Yvonne Sening was presented the Volunteer of the Year award at the event.

Wake Forest Woman’s Club (North Carolina)

The Wake Forest Woman’s Club (North Carolina) supported local care facilities by making and donating 110 Alzheimer’s Sensory “Shake and Search” Bottles to them.  Led by the club’s Arts and Culture Co-chairs, club members worked together to collect and clean empty Gatorade and Tropicana Bottles and caps, which were then partially filled with dry rice. Various interesting small items were placed inside the bottles. An attractive and original label was created and affixed to each bottle that listed the various items contained inside each bottle, along with a message: “Made for You by the Wake Forest Woman’s Club.”  The caps were securely hot glued onto each bottle, and the bottles were again sanitized and boxed for hand delivery to each facility.

These bottles will provide a fun, sensory activity for the local residents of Alzheimer’s Units at the Brookdale Assisted Living Facility and Hillside Assisted Living Facility, as well as residents of the nearby Murdoch Developmental Center. Caregivers were enthusiastic and appreciative to receive these gifts for their clients.

GFWC Tremonton Women’s Civic League (Utah) 

Under those masks are smiles of joy! The GFWC Tremonton Women’s Civic League (Utah) donated poinsettias for each of the residents in the Our House Assisted Living Complex. Two members of the club are shown presenting the poinsettias to the facility manager. The residents were thrilled to receive a beautiful poinsettia for their room. The club is generating funds for community projects through their poinsettia sale.

GFWC of Holden Beach (North Carolina) 

GFWC of Holden Beach members decided to Break the Silence Against Domestic Violence at the November virtual club meeting. By making as much noise as they could, the club encouraged everyone to do the same thing and post their video on YouTube and Facebook. The members in hats are Past Club and State Presidents who dressed in white for a presentation on the 100th Anniversary of the Passage of the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote.

GFWC Progress Club of Las Cruces (New Mexico) 

GFWC Progess Club of Las Cruces (New Mexico) donated cleaning supplies to Veterans who have been able to move out of homeless into apartments. The generosity of club members was awesome, and the opportunity to give back during these times was heartwarming! 

Exeter Area GFWC (New Hampshire) 

The Exeter Area GFWC (New Hampshire) organized an 11-basket snack drop off event to local health care workers, thanks Amy Hammershoy, the club’s newest member. The club had GFWC Logo inscribed thank you notes fixed to the baskets and included GFWC Membership Brochures.

The day of delivery Amy, Carol Waters  and Barbara Fittro helped with deliveries with representatives from Assisted Living Locators. Deliveries were made to care givers at: Clear Choice MD, Rockingham County Nursing Home, NH Convenient MD, Exeter Hospital, The Exeter Center Nursing Home, and Langdon Place of Exeter Assisted Living.

Healthcare workers are having a difficult time right now with the COVID increase and they were so very appreciative of the snack gifts.

Riverside Woman’s Club (California)

On November 9, members of the Riverside Womans’ Club (California) helped Northgate Market distribute 880 meals. As each car drove through the La Sierra Park driveway, members helped bag and load approximately 30 lbs of food into car trunks. Food items were: peanut butter, cereal, spaghetti sauce, noodles, rice, corn, tortillas, tomato sauce, frozen chicken, milk, bread, cheese, eggs, and fresh produce. Riverside Police were onsite to assist with traffic control.

Madison Valley Women’s Club (Montana)

Mary Sedwick, former president of the Madison Valley Women’s Club (MVWC), was named as one of the 2020 Top 100 Volunteers for U.S. towns with a population of less than 5,000. She was selected by the Ennis Chamber of Commerce and her name was submitted to the Small Town America Civic Volunteer Award.

In a statement from Sedwick: “I am honored to have been selected for this award. Recognition should also be given to the many excellent and hardworking volunteers who make the town of Ennis such a wonderful place to live. In these difficult times, volunteerism is desperately needed. Hopefully, this national recognition will encourage others to get involved in the community.”

The Ennis Chamber of Commerce selected Sedwick after receiving nominations from several organizations and individuals from within the Ennis community. Sedwick was first nominated by the Madison Valley Women’s Club Board of Directors. In a statement from Ennis Chamber of Commerce Board President Danica Lewis said: “Within our small community, there are many citizens who provide much needed volunteer hours and generous commitment to the town. Mary’s leadership is undeniable, especially during this year of uncertainty. We are delighted to see one of our own receive this well-deserved national recognition.”

Sedwick will receive a Top 100 Certificate and will be able to select one of Ennis’s nonprofit organizations to receive a free website and educational tools to help facilitate its mission. First to third place selections won cash and prizes to support the retention of public service volunteers.

Norwalk Woman’s Club (California) 

In celebration of America Recycles Day (November 15), Norwalk Woman’s Club Past Presidents Kathy Cook and Linda Kelly presented Ronald McDonald House Orange County with eight pounds of recyclable aluminum pop tabs, plus 90 beautiful hand-knit beanie caps and blankets, and a monetary donation. To date, the Ronald McDonald House has received more than $77,000 toward operating costs from groups such as women’s clubs, scouts, and other non-profits who save and donate pop tabs.

GFWC Walsenburg Woman’s Club (Colorado) 

On November 9, GFWC Walsenburg Woman’s Club (Colorado) members were Advocates for Children. The club collected 140 lbs of food items for a Thanksgiving dinner: turkey and all the trimmings, plus additional pantry food supplies for a single dad with four children under the age of five! Jennifer Sanchez McDonald of Huerfano-Las Animas Counties Early Childhood Advisory Council (HULA) delivered the brimming full baskets to the family. In appreciation, HULA gave each clubwoman an adorable stuffed giraffe for “Sticking Out Our Necks for Children!” The club also received the gift of a new member as a result of the project, Jennifer!

GFWC du Midi Woman’s Club (Alabama) 

GFWC du Midi Woman’s Club (Alabama) volunteers aided the Veteran’s Memorial Foundation as hosts at the unveiling of the Gold Star Families Monument event at the end of October. GFWC du Midi contributed thousands of dollars for the building of this now historical memorial and is acknowledged with an inscription in marble. For a video of the tribute, visit www.hmcvm.org.

In November, 500 Christmas wreaths, ribbons and name cards were placed on the graves of veterans during the club’s annual tribute to Veterans at the Huntsville Memorial Gardens Cemetery. The club remembered its three retired U.S. Military Club Members and the 37 spouses of members on November 11, who have served, with a postcard made by one of our three Civic Engagement and Outreach Chairmen. The club also keeps a “Book of Honor,” an up-to-date listing of club members, military spouses, and member’s children who are serving or have served in the U.S. Military.

The Haddon Fortnightly (New Jersey) 

The Haddon Fortnightly (New Jersey) has connected with programs in other New Jersey counties to continue serving the community during the pandemic. The club has a long history of supporting a local domestic violent shelter and other programs for mothers and children.

The club donated new hardcover storybooks to be used at an intake center as incentives for the children to enjoy after completing their appointments. Some members have also made donations to a domestic violence prevention program in a second county for a 50/50 raffle to raise funds for survivors’ services.

GFWC Belpre Woman’s Club (Ohio) 

Some communities that have operational domestic violence shelters displayed shirts of different colors on clotheslines to observe Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October. GFWC Belpre Woman’s Club created their own “Clothesline of Awareness” project to display at a local business.

The colors had different meanings: white represented those who lost their lives from domestic violence; yellow or beige those who have been assaulted; red, pink, or orange survivors of sexual violence; blue and green survivors of incest and childhood abuse; and, purple or lavender those who have been attacked because of their gender identity. Club members followed social distancing guidelines while working on the project.

Club President Brenda Dennis is holding the poster.

Service Woman’s Club (Florida) 

The GFWC sisters of Service Woman’s Club, Inc. in Tallahassee, Florida hosted a donation collection drive in recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month for the local violence shelter, The Refuge House for Women and Children. The club collected cosmetics, toiletries, clothes, children’s items, and numerous other requested items that the Refuge House needs more of since their client base has increased because of COVID-19.

On Facebook, the club and its members shared daily statistics and facts pertaining to domestic violence. On Domestic Violence Awareness Day, October 22, 2018 the Club President, Vanessa J. Moore, who is a survivor of domestic violence held a “Survivor Speaks” Zoom/Facebook Live event to reach out to others who may be in an abusive situation and feel hopeless. The purpose was to raise awareness about the resources that are available to women, men, and children who need help.

Village Improvement Association of Rehoboth Beach (Delaware) 

The Village Improvement Association of Rehoboth Beach recently completed their drive for items for stockings for soldiers. Stockings for Soldiers–Delaware, Inc. has been making stockings for troops deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2004 and the Village Improvement Association has been a participant every year. Seven shopping carts of items were delivered to the headquarters in Wilmington. Bonnie Burslem, Susie Dominguez, and Mary Ann Warner chaired this event. Pictured in the photo on collection day are L to R:  Karen Dettwyler, Mary Beth Dockety, and Carol Kless.

Fairmont Woman’s Club (Nebraska) 

As a member of the Fairmont Woman’s Club of Nebraska, Donna Lefler distributed almost 60 blue and silver pinwheels to local businesses in Fairmont, Nebraska.  The businesses displayed these pinwheels in their windows to help raise awareness for Advocates for Children Week.