Military Mommy Bags
Monday is Labor Day, a day to celebrate the contributions workers have made to our country. While it’s an opportunity to sit back and relax if you have the day off, it’s also a great time to give back to those who have made sacrifices for their jobs, like women in the military.
Military Mommy Bags are a perfect way to support women in the military who are starting or growing a family. Care packages provide them with beneficial materials, as well as a sense of being appreciated. Items that moms have raved about include ChapStick, lotion, Tic Tacs, small packages of Kleenex, granola bars, and small bottles of water. A personal note for the new mom is a nice touch too!
You can also support GFWC Partner March of Dimes through: Healthy Baby ®, which helps moms-to-be who either serve in the military or has a partner who does. High stress levels can contribute to premature or low-birth babies, and March of Dimes recognizes that those who serve face even higher levels of stress. To give back to those who have given so much, they created the program to provide free information and support services for military families. Additionally, the program offers baby showers for the families with donated essentials for raising a baby.
So enjoy your Labor Day with friends and family but start planning a Military Mommy Bag project in time for Veterans Day this November!
September Is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
The day a family gets the dreaded news that their child has cancer can make them feel hopeless and helpless. Luckily there are researchers, like GFWC Partner St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, who work to make progress on treatments. Every September, St. Jude holds walk/run events throughout the month to raise funds to advance cures and provide free treatment to families in need. Support St. Jude’s commitment to ending childhood cancer by starting a team with your club!
Cares and Concerns
GFWC extends its condolences to the family and friends of Polly Williams who passed away on August 27. Among her many accomplishments, she was the first Jennie Award recipient of GFWC Louisiana and the 1978-1980 State President of GFWC Louisiana. If you wish to send a card, please direct it to: Amy W. Stokes 1472 Sycamore Place, Mandeville, LA 70448.
Tomorrow Is Opioid Misuse Prevention Day
August 31 was deemed Opioid Misuse Prevention Day to address the prescription painkiller abuse epidemic that has taken over the U.S. in recent years. Prescription opioids can be addictive if consumers aren’t careful. Don’t take more opioids than prescribed or for longer than prescribed. If you have unused opioids at the end of your treatment, dispose of them through a drug-take back program so they can never be shared or used by someone, including yourself. Work with your doctor from the beginning of pain treatment until the end and communicate any concerns you might have. Spread awareness of the opioid abuse epidemic and what steps your community can take.
WHRC Call for Articles
The General Federation of Women’s Clubs has a long history of supporting woman in the military. During both World Wars, GFWC helped to train and recruit nurses to send to the battle lines, and we even sent our own overseas units to recreation areas where American troops were stationed. GFWC supported the opening of, and continues to support, the Women in Military Service For America Memorial in Washington, D.C. Most recently, we have announced the Military Women Initiative as part of this administration’s Seven Grand Initiatives. For this fall’s upcoming WHRC Newsletter, we invite you to submit articles detailing a program, an act of kindness, or an anecdote that demonstrates how your club has supported women in the military. Submissions must be no more than 500 words and can include a picture, although a picture is not required. Please send all questions, concerns, and submissions to WHRC Manager Alyssa Constad at aconstad@gfwc.org by September 6.
MLK Day of Service Ideas
One of the Grand Initiatives for the 2018-2020 Administration is to have 1,000 clubs participate in the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service on January 21, 2019 and January 20, 2020. Each week in News & Notes we will share a new project idea for how you can contribute to your community that day. Take notes on the ideas you like and present them at your club meeting!
Make Weighted Blankets
Weighted blankets are a common way to make individuals with autism feel calm and safe. The GFWC Library Club (Minnesota) partnered with a local Autistic Program to provide blankets for students with beans as stuffing. Their project was listed in the 2018 Top GFWC Projects. Take a page from their book and make blankets that will soothe students with autism.
Volunteers in Action
This week’s Volunteer in Action photo is of the GFWC Western Fairfax County Woman’s Club (Virginia). To learn about their recent project and see another picture, check out their new club profile on the GFWC website!
Have a story you want to share? Send your photos and a description of the project to PR@GFWC.org to be considered for our next Volunteers in Action member profile.
GFWC Marketplace: Labor Day Sale
Celebrate Labor Day Weekend at the GFWC Marketplace! All orders are 25% off when placed September 1-3!
Be the Hero
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Subscribe to News & Notes
Signing up for News & Notes is easy! Simply provide your name, mailing address, email, and club name to gfwc@gfwc.org.
