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Woodbridge Woman's Club |
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Service and Friendship |
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History - Achievements |
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WOODBRIDGE WOMAN’S CLUB HISTORY 2008
Our Club had a successful year observing our motto “Service and Friendship”.
Our service to the GFWC committed us to Appleby Restaurant “Dining to Donate” project and our Club gave $125.00 to Virginia Tech’s fund for an ambulance for the student operated rescue squad. On Sunday, February 17, a group of our members had tea and a tour of the GFWC headquarters and reported on the artwork and history of the building. At the GFWC Virginia Northern District spring meeting our Club received a certificate for best project/ small club for leadership based on our guest speaker from Maine. Our president won the 50/50 drawing ($100.00) and gave half to the Fisher House and with the other $50.00, bought the GFWC DVD and the GFWC flag which is displayed at all our functions.
Our service to the community included donations of money to local organizations: American Red Cross, OWL Rescue Squad, New Dominion Choraliers, Prince William Library, Prince William County Historic Preservation, Potomac News Christmas Basket, Prince William Symphony Orchestra, Hilda Barg Homeless shelter and ACTS (Action in Community through service, donations also included food for the food bank). Our board meetings are held in the Woodbridge Senior Center to which we gave books, books on tape, magazines, craft kits, yarn, fabric, pattern books and a cash donation. We filled 73 Christmas stockings for the Salvation Army.
Most of our community service has been to education and local students. The “Be Cool after School” program at Rippon Middle School was given snacks and drinks during the school year. We collect pennies, box tops and labels and traded used ink cartridges for money for schools. One donation was for “Clifford” books for the ESOL program for kindergarten children. Our greatest effort is in our scholarship program for high school seniors. This year the following were given $1000.00 scholarships: Ashliegh Nicol Petty, Gar-Field High School; Jun Vhang, Potomac High School and Juan Arenalo, Freedom High School. This year’s fashion show netted $5,029.00 from ticket sales, program ads, basket raffle and corporate donations.
As for friendship, our president’s goal was to increase our membership ad to make being a member more meaningful. We gained eight new members: Sunni Abrahamson, Diane Brooks, Elaine McCarthy, Doreen Deitle, Bettejane Grey, Karen Heerman’s, Phyllis Zimmerman, and Becky Hornyak. New members are given a rose, GFWC pin and a notebook with a roster, by-laws, programs, etc. In an effort to reach new members, our president appointed a communications and public relations chairman. Our club then joined the Prince William County Regional Chamber of Commerce hoping to raise our visibility and to allow our Club to interact with local businesses. Newsletters are sent to members periodically and a calling committee notifies members of meetings. Birthday and other and other cards are sent to members. One member made Heart Health month bookmarks for all members. We were encouraged to wear red at that month’s meeting. Favors and centerpieces were made for luncheons. We were given new report forms to tally volunteer hours served for club approved projects. Members were encouraged to enter arts and crafts for judging in February. Twenty-five year pins were awarded to tem members and two charter members were recognized.
Programs at meetings included: January – Tabatha Mullen, Executive Director PWC and Manassas Convention and Visitor’s Bureau showed the DVD “History Loves Company”.
February – Brenda Kelley-Nelum , PWC volunteer liaison to AARP spoke on investment fraud and showed the film “The Lure of Money, Save it, Invest it, Protect it.”
March – Discussion of GFWC Virginia District Meeting.
April – Annual luncheon and induction of officers by Joan Morton, GFWC Virginia Northern District, President, at Kilroy’s Restaurant.
May – International luncheon.
September – Annual Membership Tea. Sherry Smith spoke on the new Workhouse Arts Center, Lorton.
October - Kenneth Bartee spoke about his business career. In 1979 he had been given a WWC scholarship of $300.00. In appreciation he gave our Club $1500.00 in September.
November – Annual Fashion Show.
December – New Dominion Choraliers preformed a medley of Christmas songs at the Christmas luncheon.
Our Club recesses after the May meeting and does not meet again until the last Monday in August, (Board only). We keep busy, however. This year we held a flea market in June and had a planned discussion session that month. The president called for that session so that members could discuss the kinds of subjects and programs members would like to have next year.
To fund our many projects we raised our dues to $35.00, held a silent auction, raffles, flea market, fashion show and collected money in lieu of sending Christmas Cards to members. For the first time we had a contribution from a former scholarship winner and two corporate gifts.
“SERVICE AND FRIENDSHIP” |
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HISTORY OF THE WOODBRIDGE WOMAN’S CLUB |