Arts Community Service

Arts Community Service Program

Musical Petting Zoo

GFWC Woman’s Club of Manassas, Inc. (VA) sponsored a musical presentation of “Peter and the Wolf” for third graders. Members provided the teachers with a CD and after learning the story and characters of the symphony, the club arranged a musical petting zoo with sixteen high school band members with instruments. Students visited each station where band members played their instrument and talked about their involvement with music.

Art History Teachers

GFWC Zehlians of Thief River Falls (MN) worked with elementary schools to teach art history. Members divided fourth and fifth grade classes (five to six classes per grade with 25 to 30 students each) and taught four to five lessons throughout the year about well-known and modern artists. Students also had hands-on sculpting with Play-Doh or made chalk murals. Members coordinated lessons to prevent repetition, so every student studied eight to 10 artists.

Monetary Donations Create Music for Many

GFWC Fort Benton Woman’s Club (MT) donated $1,500 to the high school band program for the repair of instruments.  The new band director inherited many school-owned instruments that required repair before they could be used by students.

Fire Hydrant Make-Over

GFWC Reynolds Woman’s Club (GA) painted rusty-looking fire hydrants along the main streets like strawberries since Reynolds is the home of the Georgia Strawberry Festival. After discussing the project with the Mayor and Fire Chief, four designs were approved: Strawberry, Dalmatian, Bubble Gum Machine, and a Bookworm. Members scraped off old paint, cleaned and prepped with red base paint, and artistic members created the hydrants’ new designs.

Decorating the Dog

GFWC Woman’s Club of Clayton (NC) members transformed the community garden into Snoopy’s Playground for holiday celebrations. Lights and holiday decorations surrounded the three-foot Snoopy flying his airplane (10 feet high with 20 feet wingspan) centerpiece, created from materials members had. The garden shed became Snoopy’s doghouse with fire hydrants created from large garbage cans. The gazebo became a sleigh and cutouts of Snoopy and dog bones lined the fence surrounding the garden.

Designing Silk Scarves

GFWC Twentieth Century Study Club of Midland (TX) members designed scarves for the women at Fairhaven, a center for survivors of abuse. White silk scarves were placed in plastic bags, water and various colored dyes were added to the bag, which were squeezed repeatedly. The scarves were removed and ironed resulting in a variety of beautiful, multi-colored scarves. When the scarves were delivered to Fairhaven, members also provided free manicures and pedicures for the women.

Theatre Performances for Pre-Schoolers

GFWC Woman’s Club of Colorado Springs (CO) partnered with the local theatre to provide theatrical performances for low income pre-school children. Members welcomed children, parents, and siblings and ushered them to their seats. For many children, it was their first theatre experience. Over 150 children enjoyed the summer and fall performances. After the show, the children were taken on-stage to meet the actors and ask questions.

Special Arts Festival

GFWC Aiken Woman’s Club (SC) has coordinated a Special Arts Festival in conjunction with South Carolina’s Special Olympics Spring Games for 33 years. The festival offers hands-on art experiences for approximately 650 students with disabilities. Many of the participants are unable to compete in the Special Olympics games due to the nature of their disability. The club and three other organizations fund the festival, and over 20 organizations provide volunteer workers.

National Youth Art Month

GFWC Stone’s River Woman’s Club (TN) commemorated National Youth Art Month with a variety of activities, including “Storybook Art,” a crayon art show for second grade students who create covers of their favorite books; “Self Portraits,” with fourth graders depicting themselves as animals; and “Picture This,” a photography contest for eighth grade students. Entries were displayed at a club meeting, the local library, and with photographs in the local newspaper.