FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT

As we gather this Memorial Day, may we pause to remember and honor the brave men and women who gave their lives in service to our country. Their sacrifice is the foundation of the freedoms we cherish each day, and we are truly forever grateful.

This Memorial Day also finds me reflecting with gratitude on my journey as your California Federation of Women’s Clubs President. Serving alongside such dedicated, compassionate, and hardworking members has been one of the greatest honors of my life. Together, we have strengthened communities, lifted others through service, and carried forward the proud traditions of our Federation.

Thank you for your friendship, support, and commitment to making a difference. As my administration comes to a close, I leave with a full heart and tremendous confidence in the future of CFWC.

May your Memorial Day be filled with remembrance, gratitude, and time with your families and loved ones.

Sonya Matthies

CFWC President 2024-2026

PARLIAMENTARIAN - CHRIS HERZOG

Parliamentary Brain Teaser 

Must a member be nominated to be elected? (Roberts Rules 12^th Ed. 46:2)

Not unless it is required by the bylaws. Nominations simply serve the practical purpose of informing members which individuals are interested in running, which can expedite the election process.

Without nominations, voting might have to be repeated many times before a candidate achieved the required majority.

CFWC bylaws require we elect a Nominating Committee, consisting of one member and two alternates from each Area; the Parliamentarian is the chairman. This shall be done at the non-election year convention.

LEADERSHIP - VICKI HOLDEN, Chair

As this administration comes to a close, I’d like to thank each of you for your role in the development of our emerging leaders. And yes, EACH of you no matter your position in our Federation influences our leaders with your support, mentoring, and setting a good example for them to follow. Please continue with your involvement so that our line of succession remains strong, which is the main reason that CFWC continues to be the BEST in GFWC!!

The final issue of “The Many Facets of Leadership” has been sent to those who subscribed. Upon request, we have combined the 12 issues into a book format and it will be available on the CFWC Website in the Resources section along with two great sources of leadership information, Federation at a Glance and The Art of Leadership.

One more detail, the email account for cfwcleadership@gmail.com will be retired as of June 1st so as not to confuse it with that of any to be designated by our new CFWC Leadership Chair, Martha Pritchard. We’re very fortunate that Martha accepted the Leadership Chair position. She is quite well qualified and is a very dedicated clubwoman. We wish her all the best.

Thanks again for the privilege of serving as your CFWC Leadership Chair for this administration – it was indeed my pleasure.

NEW PERSONAL FEDERATION EMAIL:  cfwcvicki@gmail.com

Text/phone remains the same  562-305-5759

LEGISLATION & PUBLIC POLICY - KATHY HOLM, Chair

Legislation, the passing of a bill, and changes in public policy often result from a resolution. The following resolution from the Coalinga Woman’s Club was submitted to GFWC as the top state project in the legislation & public policy category and also won the state award for the best project of a small club. This resolution was presented at the State Convention in Ontario, CA and passed! Congratulations Coalinga Woman’s Club!

Coalinga Woman’s Club (CA) – “Domestic Violence Hotline Awareness Resolution”

This project was inspired by a presentation by the GFWC President Elect on ways to advocate and help victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. It inspired the club president to write a resolution: “Support for Voluntary Inclusion of the National Domestic Hotline on Single-Use Feminine Hygiene Product Packaging” to increase awareness of the number and have it more readily available to victims. She followed the steps in adopting a resolution from her club to district and to state. The resolution journeyed to another organization, Central Union Grange, who adopted it and then submitted it to the California State Grange where it was adopted at the 150^th annual meeting in October, and continued going up the ladder until it was adopted by the 159th National Grange Meeting in November 2025. This resolution will be proposed at the CFWC State Convention in May, 2026.

ENVIRONMENT - NANCY B. JONES, Chair

It was my pleasure to serve as CFWC Environment Chair for 2024-2026 with the theme of “Sunflowers and Sustainability.” I enjoyed sharing what other clubs across the state are doing, as published here in Quick Bytes, thanks to Debbie Pietraszko! I hope you and your club were inspired to pursue new Environment projects. Thank you for making a difference!

Congratulations to the 2025 Winners for GFWC California in the Environment Community Service Program! These winners were announced at the GFWC California Convention on May 15^th.

SMALL Club   San Clemente Junior Woman’s Club

MEDIUM Club  Women’s Improvement Club of Roseville

INTERMEDIATE Club  Sierra Madre Woman’s Club

LARGE Club   Covina Woman’s Club

CLUB CREATIVITY AWARD   Lemon Grove Forward Club

SMALL District   Tierra Adorada District  

MEDIUM District  De Anza District 

LARGE District   Loma Prieta District

If you want to see a short description of what these clubs submitted, click HERE.

Just a thought ......

"Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth."

--Buddha