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AFWC NEWS & NOTES
AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2023
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GFWC Alabama wins national awards at convention | |
AFWC members attending the national GFWC Convention, included first row, from left: GFWC President-elect Suellen Brazil; AFWC President Jan Greer; GFWC President Deb Strahanoski; GFWC Junior Director Katie Moydell; AFWC President-elect Becky Vansant; and AFWC First Vice president, Caroline Hollowell; second row, from left: Greg Geis, Booster; Cynthia Geis; Nancy Messer; Kim Cato; Patty Cato; Billy Brazil, Booster; AFWC Second Vice President, Jennifer Robertson; Cynthia Hopkins; Geneva Messer; Betty Wellborn; AFWC Secretary Lois Roberts; AFWC Parliamentarian Roberta Atkinson; and Cathy Barker.
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By Jan Greer
AFWC President
What a great GFWC International Convention that was held in Louisville, Kentucky. Alabama was well represented with 15 clubwomen along with two guests. It was an absolutely wonderful experience. The speakers and workshops were fantastic! Visiting with clubwomen from around the nation and cheering on our award recipients was one of the best parts of attending this convention. Our Alabama clubwomen felt so inspired by everything that they learned. From beginning to end, the convention was full of energy and featured interesting events for all to enjoy.
GFWC Alabama proudly claimed the following awards at the 2023 GFWC International Convention:
Fundraising and Development
- GFWC Alabama – Category 2
Juniorettes
- Juniorette Participation Award-GFWC Serentity Juniorette Club
- Juniorette Participation Award-GFWC Alabama Les Belles Juniorette
- Juniorette Participation Award-GFWC Hoover Juniorettes
- Juniorette Participation Award-GFWC Randolph County High School Juniorettes
- Special Program Awards
- Domestic and Sexual Violence Awareness and Prevention Fund Award
- Fifth Place: Sherry Stutts and Christine Steele
We have a great year ahead of us and some new programs on the horizon. A big focus is the very first GFWC National Day of Service on September 30 to combat food insecurity. GFWC is asking every club to participate in this event. Many AFWC clubs have already registered, and I hope your club will consider being part of this great day of service. So far, more than 600 clubs across the nation have joined to fight food insecurity. This fall, we are also implementing a new project under the Arts and Culture CSP to encourage our creative side. A Signature Program project will be coming in the spring. Stay tuned for information about both great projects.
It is always good to have the new year begin with travel to our districts and local clubs, encouraging them to grow their membership and celebrate our first responders. I cannot wait to see how our clubs plan and execute ways to help their communities. To top off this year, we will select scholarship winners from our first responders to help “Celebrate Our Everyday Heroes.” It’s great to be a GFWC clubwoman!
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SAVE THE DATE for the Inaugural GFWC National Day of Service
Saturday, September 30, 2023
Help Us to End Hunger in the United States By
Volunteering or Organizing a Community Service Project
GFWC Clubs can plan to:
· Volunteer at a local food bank
· Organize a food drive
· Raise awareness about hunger issues in the United States
· Advocate to end food insecurity in America
Look in GFWC News & Notes, GFWC’s Facebook page and website for information and updates. To participate please email Melanie Gisler, Membership Director, at mgisler@gfwc.org and copy Deb Strahanoski, International President, at dstrahanoski@gfwc.org
Living the Volunteer Spirit ● www.GFWC.org ● #GFWC23NDS
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From left, Nancy Messer, Jennifer Robertson and Geneva Messer work on a project during the National Convention. | |
District meetings kick off busy fall | |
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Fall district meetings kick off this coming weekend with North District, followed by Central District in September and South District in October.
You will want to attend these gatherings that are chock-full of information, fellowship, fun, and a great opportunity to learn from and share with club members from across the state.
The North District meeting is August 26, Wesley Hall, Trinity Methodist Church, 607 Airport Road, Huntsville. Cost of the meeting is $25 and includes lunch.
Registration is from 9 to 10 a.m. and a North District Board meeting will be from 9:15 to 10 a.m. The general meeting begins at 10 a.m.
The program will be about Sleep in Heavenly Peace, an organization that supplies bunk beds and bedding to families in need. Attendees are asked to bring standard size pillows, twin-size bedding, or twin-size sheets to donate to the group.
For more information, contact North District Director Christi Robinson at jcg.robinson@gmail.com.
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Central District's fall meeting is set for September 9 at Ashland First Methodist Church, 83192 Hwy 9, Ashland.
Registration is from 9 to 10 am. and there is a Central District Board meeting from 9:15 to 10 a.m. The program will be about the Children's Policy Council, and the project will focus on Celebrate Recovery, a 12-step program for people struggling with pain, addiction, or hurt. Attendees are asked to bring nonperishable food items that can be used to make meals.
Attendees are also asked to bring two baked good to donate to a silent auction. Registration is $25 per person and includes lunch. The registration deadline is Aug. 31. For more information, contact Central District Director Betty Wellborn at bwellborn@wellborn.com.
South District's fall meeting will be October 7 at the First Methodist Church in Bay Minette, 120 W. Second Street. Registration will be from 9:15 to 10 a.m. and the meeting will commence at 10 a.m. Cost for the meeting will be $25. More details will be available in the Call to the Meeting. For more information, contact South District Director Cindy Walker at cindywalker3@gmail.com.
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AFWC Clubwomen gathering for an event at the 2021 Southern Region Conference in Orlando include, from left: Sherri Killam-Albee, Betty Wellborn, Jennifer Robertson, Karol Kapustka, Jan Greer, Becky Vansant, Geneva Messer, Gail Guice, Gloria Stevens, and Adelaide Cape. | |
Get ready for Southern Region Conference
Come enjoy "Magic in Mississippi" at the the 2023 Southern Region Conference Oct. 26 to 29 in Biloxi, Miss. The annual conference, which rotates its place among the states in our region, will be at the IP Hotel in Biloxi and encompasses three days of workshops, fun, and fellowship with other clubwomen.
Friday night is State Night, and a fun-packed evening is planned with a special children’s author speaker and musical entertainment. Mississippi’s special project for this administration is supporting libraries and literacy. Several of their libraries were badly damaged during the storms and tornadoes that recently plagued Mississippi. Please help support this project by bringing new and/or gently used children’s books to be donated to school libraries.
Saturday is the business session and in addition to all the great workshop presentations, there will be another author who will speak about friendships. GFWC President-elect Suellen Brazil will speak at our Saturday luncheon, and GFWC President Deb Strahanoski will share her ideas with convention-goers at the Saturday dinner. Sunday morning, the invitation to the 2024 Southern Region Annual Meeting in South Carolina will be given.
There will be several shopping opportunities including vendors and our state and GFWC tables. Everyone loves taking a chance on baskets, so we are asking each state (and anyone else who wants to) to donate a basket or purse for an opportunity drawing.
Mode of dress for this conference is:
- Tours: Tropical casual (closed-toe shoes must be worn if you are climbing to the top of the lighthouse)
- Meetings: Tropical business casual
- Friday evening: Business casual in black and white (to represent the pages of a book)
- Saturday evening: Tropical business casual
- Junior Fun Night: Dr. Seuss theme
For more information, click on the link below.
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Members of GFWC du Midi Woman's Club present a check to four organizations that assist adults with special needs. (Photo by Greg Geis) | |
Du-ing good in their community
Debra Hallmark, President
GFWC Alabama du Midi Woman’s Club
Four organizations in the Huntsville and Madison County area received $20,400 from GFWC du Midi Woman's Club members.
The GFWC Alabama du Midi Woman's Club President's Project for 2022-2024 is “The Flowers of Tomorrow are from the Seeds We Plant Today. Creating a Better Tomorrow for Our Special Friends.” Special friends are adults with disabilities and special needs.
The funds donated were raised during the organization's Garden Party Fashion Show and Silent Auction held April 25.a
More than 300 people attended the event, an overwhelming response. Attendees, including GFWC Alabama President Jan Greer and Federation sisters from across the state.
The day was filled with excitement as Miss Alabama 2022 Lindsay Patterson was present to share her welcome and journey. Local icon, Liz Hurley, news anchor at channel WAFF-TV in Huntsville was the mistress of ceremony.
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Club members Nancy Grubbs, left, and Karol Kapustka, right, chaired the event. They are shown with du Midi President Debra Hallmark. | |
The grand finale was the presentation of a ceremonial check for $20,400. This amount was shared equally by the four organizations.
The four local organizations that received the donation were chosen for their dedication, opportunities, and range of assistance provided to our special friends. The four organizations include:
ESG/Special Camps
https://www.specialcamps.com/
305 8th Street Community
https://www.3058thstreet.org/
Next Step Farms
https://nextstepfarms.org/
Inside Out Studio at Lowe Mill
https://www.insideoutstudio.org/
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Sign up for the GFWC Arts & Crafts Contest
GFWC Alabama ARTS & CULTURE CSP
Brigiete Carey, Chairman 2022 – 2024
812 Giles Drive, Huntsville, AL 35801-1540
(256) 797-0505
bscarey70@gmail.com
August 2023 Newsletter
“Thank You HEROES” Card Contests
Goals:
1) promote the creative arts talents of club members
2) provide a fundraiser for the GFWC Alabama General Fund
3) encourage club member participation in GFWC Alabama President’s Project, write Thank You Cards for “Our Everyday Heroes,” and promote GFWC Alabama in our communities
Description:
1) Fall 2023, an art contest will be held for club members across the state to create art based on the President’s Project “Thanking our Everyday Heroes.” The winning entry will be printed on 4x5 cards and distributed to those who pre-order.
2) During Fall 2023, pre-orders and payments will be taken for packs of 10 cards as a fundraiser for GFWC Alabama’s General Fund.
3) Early 2024, the cards will be printed and delivered to those who placed pre-orders. Clubs will have the opportunity to participate in a thank you card writing contest. The club that delivers the most thank you cards to “Our Everyday Heroes” with the most member participation will receive recognition at GFWC Alabama 2024 State Convention.
Guidelines:
1) Artwork can be in any medium. Deadline for submission of artwork to GFWC AL Arts & Culture Chairman is 1st December 2023. Scan or photograph your artwork and send a jpeg, jpg, or png file via email. Resolution must be at least 300 dpi.
2) At Fall 2023 District Meetings, there will be an opportunity to pre-order packs of 10 cards with envelopes for $15 each. Pre-orders and payments must be received by 1st December 2023. Once the artwork has been judged, winning artwork will be printed on cards, and pre-ordered packs will be delivered by 3 February 2024.
3) Clubs participating in the thank you card writing contest must submit a report to GFWC AL Arts & Culture Chairman by 31 March 2024. Reports need to include: the number of delivered thank you cards written on the purchased “Thank You Heroes” cards, where the cards were delivered, the number of members that participated, and the total number of members in the club.
Awards:
1) The winner of the “Thank You Heroes” Card artwork contest will receive a pack of cards.
2) Fundraising results will be announced at GFWC Alabama 2024 State Convention.
3) At GFWC Alabama 2024 State Convention, the winning club will receive a special Heroes Hat and an award certificate. There are two factors that will determine the winning club:
a) The number of cards delivered by the club divided by the total overall number of cards delivered by clubs reporting (50%)
b) The number of club members participating divided by their total number of club members (50%)
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Writing Contest Winners Announced
Winners of the 2023 AFWC Writing Contests were inadvertently omitted from the last Alabama Clubwoman. We salute these clubwomen who shared their work with us and congratulate them on their awards.
Writing Contest: Member Poetry
Name: Barbara O. Saunders
Club: GFWC duMidi Women’s Club
Project: “Time”
Writing Contest: Member Short Story
Name: Ann S. Towry
Club: GFWC duMidi Women’s Club
Project: “The Dime”
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Ring in the holidays with Tablescapes
by Becky Vansant
AFWC President-Elect
GFWC Alabama’s biennial Tablescapes event is Saturday, December 2 at the AFWC headquarters in Birmingham. Tickets, which are $35, are available, but usually sell out fast, according to President-elect Becky Vansant.
Five members are needed to work as volunteer servers. Servers may purchase a discounted meal because they will not be seated at a table and eating at the same time as the rest of the guests. Servers will be encouraged to wear a Christmas apron-- some aprons will be available, but there will not be enough for all servers. Servers will be assigned to a table and responsible for plating the food for that table.
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Above, Members of Serenity Juniorettes work on making Teddy bears. | |
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Serenity Juniorettes fashion bears, blankets, & fellowship
by Becky Vansant
AFWC President-Elect
Prospective and former GFWC Serenity Juniorettes, sponsored by GFWC Legacy Club, met this summer in informal settings to learn more about the club and serve their community prior to the start of the official club year in August.
In June, the young women met at a Get Acquainted Swim Party where they enjoyed fellowship, pizza, and making a no-sew fleece blanket for the March of Dimes Military Blankets program.
In July, they learned more about one another with a fun beach ball game where they answered questions about themselves. Then, they made more than 40 Teddy bears from washcloths and hand towels for Lifeline Children's Services. Lifeline serves women in unexpected pregnancies across the United States by connecting them to resources, providing options counseling, and assisting them with an adoption plan if they desire. These Teddy bears will be given to the birth mothers to send with their babies and the adoptive parents.
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Above and below, the Teddy bears made from washcloths. |
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By Becky Vansant
AFWC President-Elect
AFWC Foster House is taking orders for HoneyBaked Ham gift cards. Gift cards can be used for turkey or ham at the holidays or anytime. You may want to give them as gifts. Denominations include: $10, $25, $50 and $100.
The cards have no expiration date and no fees. The gift cards may be used on store orders, catalog orders, and website orders. Also, they may be used for entrees, sides, box lunches, desserts and party platters.
Orders are due no later than November 1. All gift cards will be mailed no later than November 14, in plenty of time for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
All checks should be made payable to AFWC Foster House. Mail order forms with checks to Becky Vansant, 11333 Chicamauga Trail SE, Huntsville, AL 35803.
AFWC Foster House receives 20% of all gift card sales, and proceeds will be used to benefit our beautiful, historic AFWC Headquarters.
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Visit the GFWC International Headquarters | |
Consider being part of the 2024-2026 AFWC Board | | | | |
