Annual Report - General Federation of Women's Clubs

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International Outreach Community Service ProgramYear in ReviewThe GFWC International Outreach Community Service Program promotes advocacy, education, and action tobetter the quality of life in communities around the world. Below are several examples of international outreachprojects led by GFWC clubs.GFWC Las Noches Woman’s Club (Arizona) providedmuch-needed supplies and monetary support to a clinic inMexico where Dr. Kent Allen provides medical services tounderprivileged men, women, and children. Dr. Allen was afeatured speaker at a club meeting where the women assembledand donated 50 hygiene bags to aid in his cause to give adequatemedical services to the clinic patients in Mexico. In addition tothis donation, a member of GFWC Las Noches Woman’s Clubwent above and beyond by volunteering to travel to the cliniconce a month and donate interpreter services to the doctors whoare working in the triage unit.GFWC Lagniappe Woman’s Club(Louisiana) donated $100 for solarcookers to aid women refugees whowere forced to flee Darfur, Sudan.The GFWC Lagniappe Woman’s Clubworked to ensure these female refugees were able to use solarcookers to sterilize water, allowing them to avoid venturing outfor firewood where they are vulnerable to attack and rape in thewar-torn area of Darfur.The members of GFWC Aiken Woman’s Club (SouthCarolina) found a special place in their hearts for the plightof human trafficking victims. In Nepal, girls from poor familiesare often sold into slavery and exploited by those who are meantto protect them. The clubwomen donated $100 in order to buya young girl out of slavery and give her the life of freedom shedeserves.GFWC Ossoli Circle (Tennessee) participated in Penniesfor Peace in order to raise money to build schools for girls inPakistan and Afghanistan. They were inspired by the speaker,Dr. Gregg Mortenson, who numerous members traveled to hearspeak on the need for schools for young girls. The club created alarge container to be kept at the clubhouse where they collectedpennies to send to the Asia Institute in Montana. The membersalso purchased two of Dr. Mortenson’s children’s books to give tothe schools they adopted. The club shares Dr. Mortenson’s beliefthat education for young women all over the world is a priorityand should be emphasized in all countries.The GFWC Woman’s Club of Smithfield (Virginia) wastouched by a local man’s story of the need in Africa. MagamboInternational Outreach by the NumbersDollars Donated $1,765,686Hours Volunteered 150,919Projects Completed 6,755MeKango was a refugee from the Congo and was able to give backto his local village with the help of The GFWC Woman’s Club ofSmithfield. They donated almost all of the clothing left over fromtheir annual flea market to the men, women, and children of thisvillage. Approximately 100 pieces of clothing were sent to theCongo.The GFWC Woman’s Club of Vinton (Virginia) invited alocal resident, Nancy Strachan, to speak about her mission workin Rwanda. Nancy was inspired to begin work there after hearinga survivor of a Rwandan genocidespeak at a book signing. She gave abrief history about the genocide whichoccurred in Rwanda and explained howthe people there are moving forwardto build a stronger nation. Nancy’smission is to empower the Rwandans,especially women, to rebuild their country’s infrastructureby improving educational opportunities and trade programs.She introduced the club to several campaigns used to fund herprograms in Rwanda. Club members were so moved by herefforts that they donated more than $100 towards the purchaseof 60 pairs of shoes, $25 to help send one child to school, $60 forthe purchase of handcrafted goods from local Rwandan women,and $62 towards handkerchief and coffee sales which benefitedthe Rwandan people.GFWC Florida raised over $300,000 for Heifer Internationalduring the 2008-2010 GFWC Administration. The donationhelped purchase farm animals that assist in the growth of foodfor Third World countries. In 2009, Heifer invited 14 GFWCFlorida members to Peru as part of a Heifer International StudyGroup to see first-hand how their donations were benefitingPeruvian citizens. During the visit, club members witnessedHeifer members teach local citizens how to breed the animalsand utilize them as a food source. They also met with a women’shandcraft association that was struggling to meet the demand forhand-knit sweaters, scarves, and other textiles made from alpacahair. GFWC Florida supported their efforts by purchasing a loomand two knitting machines for the women, which helped themmake and sell larger quantities of textiles. This project was sosuccessful that Heifer posted it as a success story on its websiteat www.Heifer.org/GFWC.8 2009-2010 GFWC ANNUAL REPORT
Public Issues Community Service ProgramYear in ReviewThe GFWC Public Issues Community Service Program promotes advocacy, education, and action related toveterans, citizenship, and safety. Below are several examples of public issues projects led by GFWC clubsGFWC South Fork Woman’s Club (California) focusedon community safety and preparation for natural disasters andunforseen accidents. The members accomplished the latter bystarting a new program to teach children how to swim. There is a wildriver and huge lake in the valley where GFWC South Fork Woman’sClub is located, and until it filled the void, there were no swimminglessons available. The club members worked to secure a grant for$10,000 for a period of two years. This money allowed them tocover the program’s cost and only charge a fee of $10 for swimminglessons. The valley will now have a swimming program for at leastthe next five years thanks to the hardwork of the club members. The valley isalso prone to fires and had a year that wasworse than most–with a fire every weekfor six weeks straight and a major firethat raged on for almost three weeks. Tohelp ensure safety of the community-atlarge,the club supported the firefightersby allowing them use of the club property for a staging area. Whilethe firefighters worked from the club, the members provided themwith food at least once a week and visited the hospital to attend tovictims of the tragic fire.GFWC Argo-Summit Bedford Park Woman’s Club (Illinois)worked in conjunction with the department of public health, IllinoisState Police, The Village of Bedford Park, and its police and firedepartments to sponsor “Touch-A-Truck and Safety Seat Check.”During this event, Illinois State Troopers checked car seats and 80car seats were corrected or replaced. The club members registeredevent participants and handed out children identification stickersfor the participants’ car seats. Over 250 children visited the “Touch-A-Truck” area, which included a Haz-Mat truck, fire engine, streetsweeper, front end loader, school bus, and a tow truck. Each truckhad a driver who was there to answer questions and educate kids onvehicle safety. The club members rented out tents for refreshments,and handed out safety pamphlets, balloons, gliders, stickers, andbubbles.Public Issues by the NumbersDollars Donated $5,586,716Hours Volunteered 788,618Projects Completed 13,654GFWC Murray Woman’s Club (Kentucky) participated incommunity safety activities in the newly formed drug court (analternative special court with jurisdiction over cases involving drugusingoffenders). A drug court member spoke to the club’s board;subsequently, a clubwoman decided to serve on the drug courtadvisory council. Several club members attended planning meetingsto strategize for future action and to voice their opinions, concerns,and ideas for the future safety of the community. Members alsohelped organize an open house to acquaint the community with thepurpose and activities of the drug court program and volunteered atthe open house by serving refreshments and donating supplies forthe occasion.GFWC Louisiana focused onemergency preparedness in an effort tocombat the damage done by hurricanes,which frequent the state. Clubs reportedmembers planning for hurricane seasonby collecting supplies, generators, andinformation to inform the public onhurricane safety. Many members assistedafter hurricanes Gustav and Ike, storms that caused severe damage tothe state and left many in need of assistance. Members housed thosewhose homes were damaged or left without water and electricity. Theclubs gave assistance by feeding and providing laundry assistance tovictims of the storm.GFWC Heritage League of Lincoln (Nebraska) donated$500 to the MAD DADS of Lincoln, a group of fathers working toprevent youth from joining gangs. They do this by collecting bikesand teaching youth how to repair them. They then sell the bikes tounderprivileged middle school children from low income families for$1 each. Additionally, they provide military families with some of therepaired bikes.GFWC St. Helen’s Woman’s Club (Oregon) club membersassist with local Minor in Possession and Adult/Purveyor Furnishingclasses. Judges are holding young people and their parentsaccountable for underage drinking charges by sending them to thesethree-hour classes, which address issues such as substance abuse,marijuana use, potential results from abuse, and the effects on thebrain. The club assists with the classes by coordinating court recordsand researching course material to keep the information up-todate.2009-2010 GFWC ANNUAL REPORT 9
Page 1 and 2: 2009-2010Annual Report2009-2010 GFW
Page 3 and 4: Year in Review(January 1-December 3
Page 5 and 6: Conservation Community Service Prog
Page 7: Home Life Community Service Program
Page 11 and 12: Juniors' Special Project: Advocates
Page 13 and 14: GFWC Haiti Disaster Relief Fund Don
Page 15 and 16: Friends of the WHRCFriends of the W

Annual Report - General Federation of Women's Clubs

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