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September 16, 2021
View our Important Dates page for upcoming events and milestones.
An Incredible Celebration of Culture and Cultivating Connections
“Hotlanta” was a little hotter than usual during the 2021 GFWC Annual Convention, when clubwomen throughout the Federation gathered at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis.
The long-awaited Installation Ceremony of the 2020-2022 Administration began the pre-Convention events, and Orchestra Noir created a lively atmosphere with its contemporary and classical jazz selections at the Gateway to the World Celebration Banquet. However, hearing equal pay advocate Lilly Ledbetter speak was the highlight of the evening. True to the title of her book, Ledbetter spoke with both “grace” and “grit” throughout her keynote address.
On the morning of August 28, it was a special moment when GFWC International President Marian St.Clair officially opened the first Convention of her Administration. John T. Broderick, Jr., Senior Director of External Affairs at Dartmouth-Hitchcock, spoke passionately from firsthand experience to the steps that everyone should take when observing any of the five signs of emotional suffering. His presentation ended with a powerful slide about the best way to react to signs of mental illness, which is available for your club to print and circulate.
Overall, the Business Sessions demonstrated members’ strong interest in the Resolutions process, which was evident from the overwhelming support of the delegates for the process put forth this year. The Convention body consistently supported the efforts to consolidate and broaden the Resolutions. Delegates actively participated in the consideration of Resolutions with questions, discussion, proposed amendments, vote(s) of opposition, and votes to refer back to committee.
The Give Kids the World Junior Banquet and Wonders of the World Gala Banquet both highlighted museums (as other meal functions did), and the decorations were inspired by the Madison Children’s Museum and the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy, respectively. Everyone in attendance had a wonderful time at both events, except for maybe Ms. Texas during Murder on N Street. A big hit of the weekend was the stunning cherub backdrop painted by Laura Toney, a member of the GFWC Four Corners Woman’s Club in Georgia.
The ESO Breakfast featured renowned humorist Jane Jenkins Herlong, author of Amazon Best-Sellers Rhinestones on My Flip-Flops: Choosing Extravagant Joy in the Midst of Everyday Mess-ups and Bury Me with My Pearls. Jane delighted attendees with her rousing and hilarious anecdotes!
We would like to congratulate all of our awardees again! View the complete listing.
Additionally, we hope that everyone who won prizes from the World of Opportunities Raffle are enjoying them. If you have any of the four raffle tickets below, please contact Nishu Raina to arrange to receive your prize.
Light Pink Ticket
Item 10, #041596
Item 37, #041615
Dark Pink Ticket
Item 27, #186849
Item 35, #186495
Photos and Videos
As a subscriber to News & Notes, you should have received four issues of the Convention Daily with additional details to read about for all these events. To view photos, visit the following links:
<<LEADS>>
<<Board of Directors Luncheon>>
<<August 27 >>
<<August 28>>
<<August 29>>
<<August 30>>
Click on the arrow in the lower right corner of each photo to download individual images. To download an entire folder, click the “Download All” arrow in the lower right corner of the photo at the top of the screen. You will be prompted to enter your email address, which you will need to verify by clicking on a link when receiving an email. After doing so, you will receive a second email with an option to download the entire photo album.
Shutterbooth Atlanta has made the photos taken in the Friday night photo booths available as well.
All of the photos show how much attendees enjoyed Convention, as do the videos within our YouTube 2021 GFWC Annual Convention playlist. In fact, a series of processional videos have just been added, courtesy of the GFWC Communications and Public Relations Committee.
We hope to see you in New Orleans June 25–28!
New GFWC Marketplace Items: Convention Pins
130th International Convention Pin
Celebrate your time at the first in-person Annual Convention after the COVID-19 pandemic with this gorgeous keepsake pin! This collectable pin is a wonderful way to remember the 2021 GFWC Annual Convention that took place in Atlanta, Georgia. Order yours today.
Maple Leaf Patron Pin
The stunning pin featuring a maple leaf design with a pearl and white crystals pays homage to Toronto, the intended host city of the 2021 GFWC Annual Convention, and the Woman’s Club of Toronto. This unique pin is sure to be a collector’s item for members! Order yours today.
There could be some mail service delays throughout the pandemic. To speed up processing of your order, we request that you pay for your order at time of purchase in the Member Portal. For information on mail service in your area, visit the USPS Service Alerts page.
Volunteers in Action
This week’s GFWC Blog features GFWC Woman’s Club of Denville Rockaway (New Jersey) and GFWC Women’s Civic League, Inc. (Utah). Read how clubwomen volunteered to help at a fundraiser event for a nonprofit that assists families in need of financial and emotional support, and opened a Little Free Library for people of all ages to enjoy.
Have a success story to tell? Email PR@GFWC.org to have your club project considered for the GFWC Blog.
Tomorrow: Soup Recipe Contest Deadline
Have an amazing, original culinary creation for our soup contest? Tomorrow, September 17, is the deadline for GFWC members to submit their healthy, original, best-kept secret soup recipes. These recipes can be for all kinds of soups—broths, creams, purees, bisques, and chowders.
International President Marian St.Clair will review all of the recipes and handpick six finalists to cook and be tasted at GFWC Headquarters. Four of these soups will be published in the Winter 2022 GFWC Clubwoman Magazine, one President’s Pick and three others selected by Headquarters judges. Each submission should include:
- How many servings the recipe makes.
- A list of ingredients with exact measurements.
- Preparation instructions in the order that they should be followed.
- The cooking time and temperature.
Join us in celebrating National Soup Month this January by submitting your recipe to PR@GFWC.org before the end of the day tomorrow. With your submission, please include your full name as you would like it to appear in print as well as your club’s name and state. High-resolution (300 DPI) photographs of your prepared soup are welcome but not required.
Canine Companions Honors GFWC International President Marian St.Clair
GFWC Affiliate Organization Canine Companions announced the birth of Sims, a female yellow Labrador named in honor of GFWC International President Marian Simmons-St.Clair. With the goal of becoming a highly trained service dog for a person with a disability, Sims is being raised by a long-time puppy raiser and Canine Companions supporter located in Virginia, with a second home in Washington D.C.– close enough for some visits to GFWC Headquarters. Her puppy raiser is tasked with teaching this adorable puppy basic obedience and socialization, while also giving her love and play time.
In addition to learning more than 30 obedience commands, Sims will learn to lay quietly in public places, ignore food and other distractions in the environment, and gain real-world experience with novel sights and sounds. After 18 months with her volunteer puppy raiser, Sims will return to Canine Companions for professional training in advanced commands such as picking up dropped items, turning on lights, and pulling a manual wheelchair. She will then hopefully graduate as a service dog and enhance the independence of a person with disabilities.
Puppies like Sims are on a very important journey to become a life-changing service dog for a person with a disability. Canine Companions service dogs are matched at no cost to recipients—adults, children, and veterans with disabilities—after an intensive two-week training class culminating in a joyous graduation ceremony that is open to the public.
To learn more about Canine Companions, visit canine.org.
Celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month
By Angela Cutrera, Arts and Culture Community Service Program Chairman
National Hispanic Heritage Month is observed annually from September 15 to October 15. This celebration honors Hispanic and Latino history, culture, and accomplishments. Hispanic heritage in the United States was first recognized in 1968 as National Hispanic Heritage Week and was then extended by Ronald Reagan to cover a 31-day period from September 15 to October 15 and enacted into law on August 17, 1988. President George H.W. Bush declared it as National Hispanic Heritage Month on September 14, 1989, and proclamations have been made by every sitting president of the United States since this date.
The dates of the annual celebration are significant; September 15 is the anniversary of independence for the Latin American countries of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, which declared their independence from Spain in 1821. Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence day on September 16 and September 18, respectively.
Events and activities recognizing the Hispanic and Latino culture include art, dancing, festivals, conferences, and community gatherings. Plan to participate in the celebration this year.
- Enjoy a meal or learn to prepare Latin American food.
- Make paletas—Mexican popsicles—made with fresh fruits, water, sugar, and lime juice.
- Study the culture of these Spanish-speaking countries.
- Explore your community to locate and support Hispanic- and Latino-owned businesses.
- Learn to dance the mambo, rumba, flamenco, or cha-cha.
- Read books by Hispanic and Latino authors and enjoy the Spanish language through films, TV shows, and Podcasts.
- Visit a museum highlighting Hispanic and Latino culture in person or online. The National Museum of Mexican Art and the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture are located in Chicago, and the Smithsonian Latino Center is in Washington, D.C.
Discover the unique traditions and history of Hispanic and Latino Americans and celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month.
Don’t Miss Upcoming 2021 GFWC Region Conferences
The 2021 GFWC Region Conferences are a great opportunity to reconnect with your fellow clubwomen in person and share success stories from the past year. Below are the dates and locations of the upcoming 2021 GFWC Region Conferences.
GFWC New England Region Conference
September 16-19
Westborough, Massachusetts
Region President JoAnn Calnen
GFWC Mississippi Valley Region Conference
September 23-26
Ottertail, Minnesota
Region President Sabra Clarke
In the September 9 edition of News & Notes, the GFWC Mississippi Valley Region Conference was incorrectly stated to be scheduled for September 19-22. The Conference will be taking place from September 23-26.
GFWC Middle Atlantic Region Conference
September 30-October 3
Wilmington, Delaware
Region President Sandra Roberts
GFWC Great Lakes Region Conference
October 7-10
Lisle/Naperville, Illinois
Region President Pat Heitman
GFWC South Central Region Conference
October 14-17
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Region President Cathie Ryan
GFWC Southern Region Conference
October 21-24
Orlando, Florida
Region President Cynthia Geis
GFWC Southeastern Region Conference
October 28-31
Flintstone, Maryland
Region President Peggy Barnes
For more information about the upcoming 2021 GFWC Region Conferences, contact your Region President or view the Important Dates Calendar.
State President’s Project: Deb Greer, Colorado
GFWC Colorado State President Deb Greer’s Special Project is to “Shine the Light” in communities by doing projects to help young adults experiencing homelessness. Deb chose this project because she has personal experience with trying to help her children’s friends who have faced homelessness. The goal of her special project is to provide support for agencies that assist these young adults by providing donations and in-kind contributions.
Deb arranged for a speaker from The Place in Colorado Springs, an organization that provides shelter and outreach support to young people, to speak at the 2020 Summer Board Meeting about young adult homelessness in Colorado and provided resources for clubs to use for projects. Many clubs took on projects, including members of GFWC Peaks District of Colorado, who collected backpacks, blankets, sleeping bags, and women’s socks for Movement 5280, an organization that provides meals, clothing, showers, and shelter to young people who are homeless in the area. Chalets Club members also donated hygiene items, food, and money to Movement 5280 to help young adults coming out of the foster care system.
The Woman’s Club of Colorado Springs donated to the Night out Project to raise awareness and funds for The Place and youth experiencing homelessness. Members held a drive-through event to drop off items for filling “first apartment baskets” for The Place, which included the basics for apartment living. Clubwomen also held an event called “A Fulfilling Luncheon” and collected basic necessities in backpacks to donate to Restore Innocence, and Walsenburg Woman’s Club members volunteered at a local homeless shelter.
Lastly, at the 2021 Colorado State Convention, a speaker from the Ministerial Alliance in Lamar gave a moving speech on the work he has done with the charitable organization. Colorado clubwomen provided $1,200 of in-kind donations of women’s and men’s socks, underwear, and blankets to donate to the Ministerial Alliance.
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