GOOD MORNING GFWC FLORIDA,

The Executive Committee is making arrangements for our next time to be with you. That next time is Fall Board meetings scheduled at The Rosen Plaza Hotel, Orlando. Dates are September 22, 23 and 24^th. 

I look forward to attending JASM June 2, 3 and 4^th in Lakeland, FL. Many activities are planned as well as election of new officers. Make sure you are registered.

           Nominations for the Jennie June Award are due June 1^st and the committee is looking forward to reading about your remarkable candidates. Please see more information about the award nominations in our newsletters.

           GFWC Florida Executive and Junior Executive Committees have signed up for the GFWC National Day of Service, September 30, 2023. Look for additional information in this issue. Your club can sign up at GFWC for this event today even if you don’t have a complete plan in place. And, by the way, Florida clubs are leading in the number of clubs registered!             

 Please remember to send the President and Treasurer’s update form to Julia George, Corresponding Secretary and to Chrissy Fry at our headquarters. This is the only way in which we can keep up to date and in touch.

Take care and be safe as you go about Living the Volunteer Spirit.

Yours in Federation,

Linda O’Toole, GFWC FL President

Since May is Cystic Fibrosis Awareness month, I wanted to share a video that my nephew, Caden, created to show his daily routine. He and the 40,000 people in the United States with CF are my "WHY" behind Breathe.

#CFAwarenessMonth #gfwcflbreathe

Link featuring Caden: GFWC Florida Advocacy for Children with Cystic Fibrosis

Breathe 🦋

Christa

GFWC Florida

Treasurer

GFWC Florida

Jennie Award

GFWC Health & Wellness

GFWC Webinar Series

In early 2023, GFWC created a webinar series entitled The Power of You: A GFWC Advocacy Training Series dedicated to creating an arena for advocating in communities large or small. These remote webinars were presented live and also recorded for later viewing . With this survey we’re looking to find out more about what you and your fellow clubwomen liked or disliked about this series, and how we can continue to serve you moving forward. We appreciate how precious your time is. That’s why we’ve included just a few essential questions that should take you no more than a few minutes in total to complete.

You can access links to the recorded webinars here:

https://www.gfwc.org/what-we-do/webinars/the-power-of-you-a-gfwc-advocacy-training-series/

Complete Survey 

GFWC & GFWC Florida

Important Due Dates

GFWC Florida Clubs

Living The Volunteer Spirit

The Juniorette Club of Jupiter-Tequesta held their Installation of Officers this month who were installed by GFWC Past Junior Director of Clubs Sheryl Molter! Congratulations to President Makayla Miller, Vice President Anabelle White, Treasurer Lily Warren, Secretary Kaylie Boeck, Membership Director Arianna Hoffman, Member at Large Lily Slutak, Historian/Marketing Manager Julia Ray, and (not pictured) Parliamentarian Freya Anderson. The Club is looking forward to another wonderful year of community service projects with their Advisor Stephanie Vasbinder.

The Miami Woman's Club asked members to bring in a Mother's Day Gift to our May meeting for delivery to Lotus House. Representatives from the Club delivered the gifts and met with staff about future volunteer opportunities for the largest shelter for women and children in the country. So much more than a meal, a bed and a shower, Lotus House provides sanctuary, resources, and multi-faceted, comprehensive supportive services to help their guests successfully exit the shelter system and lead lives of greater opportunity.

The Naples Woman's Club recently held an "Author Talk" with 3 well known authors. The recipient of the funds raised is “Habitat for Humanity". Shown here left to right: Andrea McKena, donor relations, Patti Taylor, President of NWC and Pam Wendell the Chair of this amazing event.

District 9 Junior District Director Joanne Schiefer, along with Lake Placid Junior Woman’s Club members, Michelle Peragine, and Cathye Cerchio, visited the GFWC Lakeland Junior Woman’s Club to show their support for their club‘s annual Spaghetti Dinner fundraiser. This was a great event with the members serving over 100 meals!

The retiring President, Sue Dwyer and incoming President of the GFWC Woman’s Club of Fernandina Beach, Ronda Carney are delighted to announce that the Women’s Club has awarded six worthy high school young women $1000 scholarships each towards their upcoming freshmen year at college. Five of the recipients are from Fernandina Beach High School and one from Yulee High School.  

Bradenton Woman's Club was invited by the Bradenton Marauders to celebrate Women in Sports Night at LECOM Park on May 12th. Members told guests about the history of the club, which is celebrating its 110th Year Anniversary this year. Club brochures and membership applications were close at hand and everyone was invited to tour the 102 year old Clubhouse which is available for rent.

The GFWC Woman's Club of Ocala helped to celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week at New Leaf Center, a school for troubled kids. Each day we did something. On Monday we delivered donuts, Tuesday each teacher received a flower and a $25 gift card to a restaurant, Wednesday there were grab and go snacks and candy, Thursday was Inspirational notepads and pens and Friday there was pizza for the staff and 8 of our ladies went to the school to present Charlie Stinnet a plaque for Teacher of the Year. We served cake, chicken wings, french fries, and sodas to him and his 5 graduating seniors. We gave the seniors a card and a Gift card.

GFWC Clearwater Community Woman's Club presented a $40,000 check to Created Women, Inc in support of safe housing for survivors of Human Trafficking in Tampa Bay. This is in addition to the $10,000 donation in December 2022. Thank you to all who supported our Champa Bay Elimination Dinner fundraiser and survivors of Human Trafficking!

GFWC Rotonda West Woman's Club had the opportunity to practice for the Sept. 30th GFWC National Day of Service by providing volunteers with lunch at the National Association of Letter Carriers "Stamp Out Hunger" Drive on Saturday, May 13th.

President Gwen Grace and club members are thanked by St. David's Jubilee Center Coordinator, Laura Fink.

The Coral Springs Woman's Club made Mother's Day crafts with 49 children at the Northwest Regional Library. Each child had an opportunity to take home a Mother's Day Beanie or make a craft. The crafts included picture frames, silver charger plates and cutting boards. This particular craft was the featured article in the Northwest Regional Library's web site. Due to the number of children involved, several library volunteers were needed. 

The GFWC Viera Woman's Club, Inc. was pleased to present a donation of $400 to John Adams from Streetside Showers. This is a program that provides hot showers and necessities to the homeless in Brevard County. Pictured is the Bunco Brunch fundraiser committee which organized the event to raise funds for Civic Engagement & Outreach Community Service Program. From left to right are Jo Nance, Helen Giles, John Adams, Joanne Roche, Cary Giesler, and Cindi Kolic. (not pictured, Joan Baron)

GFWC Milton Woman's Club members presented their annual $100 Leadership Scholarship, engraved medal, and flower bouquet to Cadet Emma Carlson, member of the Pace High School NJROTC at Awards Day May 9, 2023. Pace High School NJROTC, located in Pace, Florida, was voted for the second year in a row "The Most Outstanding High School NJROTC Program" in the United States.

GFWC Lutz-Land O'Lakes Woman's Club members attended the ribbon cutting ceremony at the newly dedicated home for a seriously wounded and disabled veteran, Sualauvi Tuimaleali' Ifano III, and his family in the new Tunnels to Towers Community in Land O'Lakes. This newly developed subdivision is constructing brand new, mortgage free and handicap accessible homes for disabled veterans and first responders. Woman's Club members Nancy Taylor, her veteran husband, Ed Garver, Dee Knerr and Beth-Nevel Rader were present at the dedication ceremony to welcome the new family and to present them with housewarming gifts and fire extinguishers to keep them safe.

GFWC Santa Rosa Woman's Club was honored to participate in the Military Appreciation Picnic at Navarre Park. We gave out halos, headbands, bracelets, and candy to the children. Our 3 women veterans gave out "Stars for Troops", U.S. Flag pins and thanked the hundreds of veterans, active and retired for their service. It was a beautiful clear, hot day on the water. Our Civic Engagement CSP was thanked for arranging this volunteering opportunity. We had 2 youth "boosters" who were great greeters.

Palm Beach Gardens Woman’s Club members baked treats and delivered them to the library to show appreciation to the library staff. Denise Hensel, Carol Renick, and Carolyn Vickey presented the baked goods and a thank you note to the library Director.

Lady Wanderers from the Woman's Club of Plant City had an outing to go see the Royal Lipizzan Stallions in Myakka City. This is an historical farm dedicated to exhibiting and promoting the Lipizzan breed of horses, one of the rarest horse breeds in the world. The members agreed it was an amazing experience!

Easy links to GFWC Florida Social Media