Volunteers in Action: GFWC Hudson Women’s Club (New Hampshire), GFWC Corralitos Woman’s Club (California), and GFWC Florida High Springs New Century Woman’s Club

August 4, 2020

          

Weeding the GFWC Hudson Women’s Club Butterfly Garden at Bensons Park in Hudson, New Hampshire is a project that isn’t stopped by social distancing. Members can stop, drop, and weed, anytime they are walking in the town park. Keeping gravel paths weed free and pulling out invasive bittersweet go much faster when you can talk to another gardener ten or fifteen feet away! The pergola, purchased with prize money won in the GFWC Community Improvement Contest (2012) and installed by Habitat for Humanity, finally has some plants thinking about climbing up the posts! Club members have heard several families explaining the butterfly life cycle to young children with the help of our signage. The garden is a certified Monarch Waystation.

Since the start of the shelter in place in California, members of GFWC Corralitos Woman’s Club have made more than 400 cloth masks, which were donated to three area hospitals, three animal hospitals, the local YMCA, independent visiting nurses, Salud Para La Gente community services, Pajaro Valley Prevention and Student Assistance, Community Action Board, local businesses, and the club’s general membership. More than $2,600 in donations were received as a result, and these funds were given to six local nonprofit organizations that all provide food and emergency assistance: Grey Bears, Meals on Wheels of Santa Cruz County, Pajaro Valley Loaves & Fishes, PV Prevention & Student Assistance, Second Harvest, and Teen Kitchen Project. Currently the club is busily knitting “mask extender” comfort straps for a local hospital.

    

Pictured is Lindsay Pavlovich, RN, modeling a mask and a sampling of the colorful assortment of masks.

The GFWC Florida High Springs New Century Woman’s Club provided a delicious pizza luncheon for residents at the Plantation Oaks Senior Living Residence located in High Springs. To bring a little cheer during these “trying times,” members donated the funds to have 22 pizzas delivered to the center. The staff was able to meet the members of the club outside and shared how excited the residents would be to receive this special treat. It really meant a lot to help make others smile!