STE. GENEVIEVE – The GFWC (General Federation of Women’s Clubs) Woman’s Club of Ste. Genevieve celebrated their 76th year of serving the community and beyond with a lively musical performance by the Blues Sisters, who are all members of the club. Also, in honor of our club’s birthday, 21 members participated in donating birthday gift bags for disadvantaged children that contained items for birthday parties with an in-kind value of $436. Last month, the club donated $200 cash and $450 of in-kind gifts for children in the Shop with a Cop project.
Blues Sisters – Elaine Mooney, Gloria Means, Diane Miller, Rose Hughey and Judy Gustafson
Club members were also recognized with certificates and roses for years of service: Betty Arnold 55 years, Shirley Gray, Geneva Melcher, Diane Miller and Annette Rolfe 15 years; Sandra Cabot, Dorcas Grass, Eileen Roth, Cathy Szwargulski and Vicki Wibbenmeyer 10 years. Club women reminisced about experiences and achievements of being members. The club has been recognized state and nationwide for its leadership and outreach.
In February 2024, member Iris Vincent, introduced and chaired a committee for the Water for Life project through Heifer International. Clean water is rare in many parts of the world such as Cambodia, Ecuador, India, Kenya, Nepal and Uganda. Women and girls walk miles to water sources to haul water back to their families. Sometimes the only water they find is unsafe and unsanitary. The Water for Life project is to provide solar-powered wells, water kiosks or irrigation systems to supply safe water to families for drinking, cooking, cleaning, crops and livestock. At each club meeting, a simple gallon-sized milk jug was passed around to our members to collect dollars with a $750 goal. In December, due to the generosity of our members, they surpassed the goal and raised $782 to send to GFWC Affiliate, Heifer International. The club was delighted to hear their donation was doubled by generous donors to make an even greater impact.
GFWC Woman’s Club of Ste. Genevieve Service Anniversary Awardees: Geneva Melcher, Annette Rolfe, Diane Miller, Sandra Cabot, Cathy Szwargulski and Dorcas Grass
Their next meeting is February 17th at the American Legion Post 150. For more information on becoming part of the GFWC Woman’s Club of Ste. Genevieve, please contact Dorcas Grass by phone at 573-883-6286 or email at gfwcmostegen@gmail.com. The General Federation of Women’s Clubs is an international woman’s organization dedicated to community improvements by enhancing the lives of others through volunteer service.