Volunteers in Action : GFWC Potpourri Club of Glenwood (Minnesota), GFWC Ossoli Circle (Tennessee), GFWC Georgia North West District

December 10, 2019

GFWC Potpourri Club of Glenwood (Minnesota) assisted GFWC Minnesota State President Jean Walker carry out her project, “GFWC Minnesota Supports Our Stars.” The stars are our Veterans, their families, and our Military. This entails raising money for a veteran to go on an honor flight and supporting the Eagle’s Healing Nest in Sauk Centre and Anoka. For four years, clubwomen donated items to help meet housing and clothing needs for the veterans’ home.

As a part of GFWC International President Mary Ellen Brock’s 7 Grand Initiatives, club members raised money and send it to the Armed Forces Service for women in the military. The Center serves as an oasis for active duty military personnel, reservists, National Guard, and dependents as they travel through the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport. It is a one-of-a-kind facility and unique to Minnesota.

Club members attended the Veterans’ Day program at MAHS as a group. Thanks to school children, musical groups, program speakers, and organizations for a moving program and refreshments! The club’s fall efforts have been enlightening and gratifying

Pictured is Dee Hanson, member of GFWC Potpourri Club of Glenwood (Minnesota), with bags of items for the veterans at Sauk Centre’s Healing Eagle’s Nest.  

GFWC Ossoli Circle (Tennessee) held their annual Founders’ Recognition Day on Monday, November 18, 2019. In preparation for the program, President Janie Bitner gathered 100th Anniversary Suffrage items from the local Suffrage Coalition Director Wanda Sobieski, Suffrage Coalition Board members, and artist Mary Ruden. Members used the suffrage items to decorate the tree in the foyer of the clubhouse, and GFWC Ossoli Circle plans to leave this festive tree up through August 26, 2020. Member Lou MuNutt’s program focused on the founder of GFWC Ossoli Circle, Lizzie Crozier French. She was a self-described suffragist. Member Renee Hamilton presented a Power Point, “Women’s Suffrage Movement 1780’s-1920”. This was a great way to celebrate the wonderful history in the struggle for women’s right to vote!

GFWC Georgia North West District hosted its Fall District meeting and like all District meetings the goal was to promote and meet the challenges set forth by our International President and GFWC Georgia’s State President, Tina Daniel. During the beginning of Tina Daniel’s term, she challenged Georgia clubs to grow by 10% and the North West District leaders are doing their best to meet that challenge as well as the challenge of collecting items for the 7 Grand Initiatives established by International President, Mary Ellen Brock.

As a way to promote and encourage support to the 7 Grand Initiatives, the District created one of a kind centerpieces that highlighted each of the 7 Grand Initiatives. These centerpieces were built with each learning style in mind. Some people are visual and remember things better when seeing them in person. Some members are tactical and remember things through physical movement. By having something our members can physically see, touch and feel definitely helps them remember and underscores the importance of meeting these grand initiatives in addition to giving them something to discuss. Handouts were placed with each centerpiece and members were encouraged to visit each table to take a handout while visiting with friends at each table.

One response to “Volunteers in Action : GFWC Potpourri Club of Glenwood (Minnesota), GFWC Ossoli Circle (Tennessee), GFWC Georgia North West District”

1. Kathy Hanna says:

   December 18, 2019 at 3:31 pm

   Everyone of the centerpieces was beautifully done by our host clubs, Atlanta Woman’s Club took on the job of Centerpieces and I was fortunate enough to sit at he Conservation Table, which promoted the planting of trees….