Volunteers in Action: Woman’s Club of Coconut Grove, GFWC Seward Woman’s Club, Madison Study Club, Naperville Woman’s Club, GFWC West Side Woman’s Club, and Woman’s Club of Fairfax

December 15, 2020

PRESIDENT’S PICK: Woman’s Club of Coconut Grove (Florida) 

The Plastics-Free Initiative Coalition, also known as the Florida Plastic Free Coalition, now has a website: www.plasticsfreeinitiative.org. The Woman’s Club of Coconut Grove established the Florida Plastic Free Coalition to minimize the amount of plastics collecting on Florida’s shores. This website is part of an awareness campaign to educate the public, provide information on environmental news, upcoming events, outreach, and committees. The Woman’s Club of Coconut Grove founded this program 2018-2019 to encourage businesses, organizations, and concerned Floridians to:

(1) reduce or ban, where possible, the use of single-use plastics.

(2) organize a grassroots coalition to develop educational programs and materials for Miami elementary and secondary students, as well as other community members.

(3) implement Surfrider’s Ocean Friendly Restaurants Program as a grassroots business approach to reduce pollution and to promote goodwill with our merchants to use eco-friendly alternatives.

 

GFWC Seward Woman’s Club (Nebraska) 

GFWC Nebraska’s 17^th annual “Girl’s Only” Quiz Bowl was held at the Seward Civic Center in October, an all-day general knowledge tourney involving 27 school teams from high schools across the state.

The event featured a round robin “practice rotation” in the morning. The morning contest featured three divisions: large, medium, and small school. In the afternoon, a single-elimination tourney was held, with the schools seeded by the three sizes and seeded based on number of winning rounds in the morning, point total, and highest individual score. The two top winning teams each received a trophy with the champion team members each receiving a special individual medal. GFWC Seward Woman’s Club hosted a pizza lunch.

Schools competing in the contest included Bennington, Norris, Grand Island Northwest, Gretna, Seward, and York in the Large School Division. The Medium School Division included Centennial High in Utica, Central City, Kearney Catholic, Milford, and Oakland Craig. The Small School Division included schools from Cross County, Dorchester, Exeter-Milligan, Friend, Hampton, Heartland-Henderson, Howells/Dodge and McCool Junction, with many of the schools sending two teams.

The tourney was coordinated by Jean Kolterman, assisted by members of the GFWC Seward Woman’s Club and areal volunteers. Volunteer readers included Sue Imig, Pat Ohlmann, Dr. Louis Reith, Joanna Treas –all from Seward, Jenni Erhart from Osceola, Kathy Wilcox from Crete, Joe Hornung-Scheer of Norris High, Rebecca Pair from Centennial High in Utica, and Melissa Pohl of Seward High.

 

Madison Study Club (Minnesota)

Members of the Madison Study Club met at the Lac Qui Parle County Museum for a recent meeting.

As an employee at the museum, club member Rachel Croatt worked with other museum staff to put together an exhibit highlighting women’s suffrage, the 19^th Amendment, the temperance movement, and stories of local women. Rachel gave the program presentation about the history of various women’s clubs in the county. She also had a scavenger hunt to aid club members in exploring the exhibit. Members also each received an “I Will Vote!” pin.

For the 2020-2021 club year, the club’s program committee selected the theme “I am woman, hear me roar!”

 

Naperville Woman’s Club (Illinois) 

In November, nine energetic NWC members met at Operation Support Our Troops in Lisle, Illinois to pack Christmas stockings for active military worldwide. Stockings were packed to the brim with playing cards, candy, hygiene products, and crackers and other treats. Everyone left with a smile on her face, including Geri Armitage, Anita Danza, Sarah Dore, Judi Gawlik, Jennifer Kashur, Paulette Goodman, Maryanne Greif, Sandy McKeon, and Donna Shaw.

 

GFWC West Side Woman’s Club (Pennsylvania) 

The GFWC West Side Woman’s Club (Pennsylvania) sponsored a Christmas tree for the Dinner for Kids program as a part of the annual Parade of Trees at Grotto Pizza at Harvey’s Lake. Dinners for Kids, was established to fight childhood hunger and food insecurity throughout the Wyoming Valley of Northeastern Pennsylvania.

This Parade of Trees will be on display through December 31 for visitors to vote! The club’s tree is decorated with handmade items—paper snowflakes and salt clay- molded ornaments of food (pizza, turkey legs, watermelon, spaghetti, and gingerbread men), along with pictures of children enjoying a meal.  The tree is topped with a Chef’s Hat and sign depicting that many community helping hands make the program possible.

Seated left to right are club members Deidre Kaminski (GFWC – West Side Education Chairman) and Gina Rushkowski (Club President).

Standing left to right are club members Christina Kinsman, Tina Stella, Becky McCuen, Eileen Gallagher (Club Secretary), Mary Ladish and Rosemary Luksha

 

Woman’s Club of Fairfax (Virginia) 

Connections to those serving with us is more important than ever during the pandemic. The Woman’s Club of Fairfax has instituted a gal pal program to give members “a buddette” to provide thoughtful encouragement, as well as make sure the club’s Sunshine Committee keeps the cards and notes flowing. The club also organized a “Drive-By Dues” event at a local restaurant, Dolce Vita, the perfect opportunity for ladies to get a thoughtful little gift bag of kindness and to drop off supplies and donations for various upcoming club projects.

In addition, the club presented gift bags to the Fairfax City Police Department in appreciation of their service to the community. Cards were collected for the Salvation Army, hats for Ellie’s Hats, items for stress kits for PRS, Inc, and more. Yvonne Sening was presented the Volunteer of the Year award at the event.