Federation Speaks Excerpts

Nominating Committee Proposed
2012-2014 Officer Nominees

 

Introducing the 2012-2014 GFWC of Arkansas President Judy Foot

Judy has been a member of GFWC of Arkansas for the past 20 years. She is a member of the Ruth Barrett Fox Club of Hazen, District IV. She has served in the club capacity as Vice President and President. She served Forrest City District IV as Vice President and then President for two terms. She has served on the GFWC of Arkansas executive board as Vice-President and President-Elect. Judy is married to Phillip Foot and has two grown daughters.

 

 

 

 

 

President-Elect Linda McCourt

Linda joined the GFWC Prairie Grove Women’s Club in 1983, holding the office of Secretary. In 1985 she joined the GRWC Prairie Grove Junior Civic League and has held various positions within the organization, including Treasurer, Secretary and President. On the District level, she was Secretary, Vice President and District President beginning in 1998 and ending in 2000. On the State level she has been the Department Chairman for many administrations, and is now the current State Vice President. She has traveled to many of the GFWC South Central Regional Conferences, GFWC international Conventions, and has attended nearly all of the GRWC of Arkansas meetings in the past decade.

Ms. McCourt has been active with HOBY, Boy Scouts of America, and Girl Scouts. She was on the State Board for HOBY and also maintained a Cub Scout Den and a Girl Scout troop for several years simultaneously. She has taught Sunday School and vacation Bible school at the First Baptist Church in Prairie Grove. She is an avid reader, and thoroughly enjoys traveling. She has worked at the University of Arkansas for the past 21 years.

She has lived outside of Prairie Grove for the past 32 years with her husband Joe. She and her husband of 37 years have two sons, Scott and Joel, and one daughter, Susan. Ms. McCourt also enjoys the company of her four grandchildren.

 

Vice President Diane Fowler

An Arkansas native Diane, a Registered Nurse, has been employed by the AR Department of Health as the Administrator of the Bradley County Health Unit in Warren for over 10 years. She is a graduate of the Southern Arkansas University, Academy of Public Health, and the Arkansas Public Health Institute from UAMS College of Public Health.

Ms. Fowler has been active in professional and volunteer organizations for over 30 years. As a member of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC) of Arkansas, she served as 2007 LEADS candidate, Leadership Chairman and currently Credential Chairman. She is presently the President of the GFWC Warren Woman’s Club. She also is a board member for the Bradley County Chamber of Commerce, Option, Inc, a regional domestic violence woman’s shelter and Bradley County Hometown Health Coalition. Ms. Fowler enjoys spending time with her son, new grandson and other family members. Other interests include her church, gardening, traveling and genealogy research.

Secretary Dr. Diana Glaze

Dr. Glaze is presently president of the North Little Rock Woman's Club for a second term and vice-president of District VII. For the past four years, she has served as parliamentarian for State GFWC. She is currently vice-president of the Arkansas Association of Parliamentarians and is active in ADK, KKI, AARP and ARTA.

She is also active in her church as lector, sacristan, Eucharistic Minister, and president of the Christian Ladies She is passionate about everything she does and will use that passion to be the best she can be.

 

 

 

Treasurer Susan Maynard

Susan joined the GFWC Pocahontas Women’s Club in 2004 after moving to Pocahontas from Cherokee Village, AR. She and her husband, Ray, owned their own business in Omaha, NE for 16 years before moving to Arkansas. Susan served as Clerk/Treasurer for the City of Cherokee Village from 1997 through 2006. She was a Certified Clerk/Treasurer and acted as Treasurer for the Arkansas Certified Clerk/Treasurer’s Association.

Ms. Maynard has been active in volunteer organizations for over 15 years. She is currently serving as Treasurer of GFWC Blended Districts 1 & 2 and the President of the GFWC Pocahontas Woman’s Club. She also is President and Gift Shop Buyer of the Five Rivers Medical Center’s Auxiliary. Ms. Maynard enjoys spending time with her husband, horses, daughter and granddaughter and is anxiously awaiting the birth of a grandson in April. She has a son who lives in Iowa, one step-son who lives in Milwaukee and another step-son who lives in South Carolina. Other interests include gardening and genealogy research.

 

 

Advisor Barbara Blough

Barbara is proposed as Advisor, representing Harrison District VI. A business owner for twelve years, Barbara is a hairstylist and lives in Cherokee Village. She is a charter member of the GFWC Quapaw Women's Club, established in 2006. Since that
time, Barbara has served as club secretary, vice president, and chairman of Public Issues and Domestic Violence. She has been a District Chairman of Public Issues and is the current District VI Domestic Violence chairman. Barbara is a veteran of the US Army, and has served numerous years in multiple city and local organizations. She presently serves on the Cherokee Village Business Association.

 

 

 

Convention Guidelines

All State Chairman be prepared to give a 2-3 minute overview report of club reports received and present award certificates, Saturday, May 5.

District Presidents will present a 2-3 minute report on their district on Sunday, May 6.

State Officers will also give their report on Sunday morning. All please provide the recording secretary a copy of your report.

Club Presidents help prepare for our memorial service on Sunday, May 6. Please submit names of deceased club members, along with brief information about each person, to State Chaplain, Brooxine Kidder at 1501 South 36th, Fort Smith, AR 72903 or Broox808@sbcglobal.net. Please send ASAP, preferably before one week prior to convention.

All Attendees - Participate in GFWC's "Step Out of Abuse" project. Bring a quart size zip lock bag filled with infant, child, or adult socks. Items will be distributed to shelters around the state.

Tour Directions: Arkansas Historic Museum: Go toward Little Rock on 1-40 or 1-30 depending on your directions. Take exit 141-A. Turn left at Cumberland Street and then make an immediate right at Third Street. The visitor parking lot is in the southwest corner of Third and Cumberland Streets. Our main entrance faces Third Street and the address is 200 E. Third, between Scott and Cumberland. Optional carpool from hotel leaving at 11:35 from front entrance.

 

Guest Speaker at Convention
Nancy Robinson Masters

Nancy Robinson Masters is an author and popular inspirational speaker for schools, businesses, organizations, and events.
Nancy is a pilot and the author of 35 books. Her more than 3,000 feature articles have appeared in a variety of publications. Her writing has taken her around the world including traveling with the National Science Foundation in
Antarctica. She has twice been named the Distinguished Citizen of the Year by the United States Air Force and became the first woman to receive the Stephen F. Austin Distinguished Service Award from the Texas Scottish Rite Masons. She has spoken to more than 250,000 studedts and teachers promoting the power of free people to freely read and write. Her workshops providing practical, proven techniques to succeed as a freelance writer are recommended by publishers and participants from all genres.

Nancy grew up on a cotton farm in Jones County, Texas, during seven years of severe drought. She credits much of her success today to the values, patriotism, and work ethic instilled in her during those difficult years. She resides in the Elmdale community near Abilene with her husband, Master Aviator Bill Masters. Their front door is a grass runway Nancy keeps mowed with her 1949 Farmall tractor.

Her most important work in life, Nancy says, is "teaching second graders in Sunday School."

Grab your cap and goggles and get ready to laugh, cry, and fly high with one of today's most inspiring women!

Nancy is no stranger to our GFWC, as she belongs to two GFWC Clubs - the GFWC Merkel Study Club and the GFWC Clyde Woman's Club. Visit her at http://NancyRobinsonMasters.com

 

GFWC President-Elect 2010-2012
Mary Ellen Laister

Mary Ellen Laister has successfully blended a 30-year career in the insurance business with her Federation volunteer activities, and now serves as GFWC President-elect. In past years she was president of GFWC Arizona and GFWC Arizona Central District.

Born and raised in Beaver, Pennsylvania, Mary Ellen first joined the GFWC Narbeth Junior Woman's Club - where she was named Clubwoman of the Year - after graduating from Walsh College in Miami, Florida. After moving to Arizona, she joined the GFWC Scottsdale Junior Woman's Club, served as the Federation Day chairman, past president of the GFWC Las Noches Woman's Club, and past president of GFWC Arizona Central District. She also served as corresponding secretary, third vice-president, second vice-president, president-elect and president of GFWC Arizona in 1996-1998. Following her term, Mary Ellen established the GFWC Arizona Past President's Tree Grove in Tempe, Arizona. Mary Ellen was GFWC Arizona Community Improvement Program chairman, FREE Enterprise chairman for three terms, GFWC Arizona Junior mentor for four terms, and Ball Chairman for a three-year term.

As a member of the GFWC Board, Mary Ellen served as treasurer during 2002-2004, recording secretary during 2004-2006, second vice-president during 2006-2008, first vice-president during 2008-2010, and previously held positions on the GFWC International Hostess Committee, the GFWC Membership Committee, the GFWC Strategic Planning Committee, and served as Budget and Finance Committee chairman.

She and her husband Mel have one married child and one granddaughter.

 

Proposed Amendments to GFWC of Arkansas Bylaws:

Only proposed change(s) for district naming is presented for review. Proposed change, if adopted, will be placed in all bylaw sections as appropriate as written.

Rules Governing the Districts
Section 1: The General Federation of Women's Clubs of Arkansas shall be divided into 7 (seven) districts:
A. Northeast District I & II
Rationale: To update the bylaws to reflect the blending of Spring River District 1 and Blytheville District II as adopted at Spring Convention in 2011.

 

Club News

Clubwomen of the GFWC Quapaw Women's Club of Cherokee Village bought and filled for local preschoolers in December. The bags are then distributed by Mr. and Mrs. Claus on a party day before Christmas. This project of bringing joy to this group of three to five year old special needs children was adopted by the club four years ago.



The GFWC Junior Civic League-Fort Smith, (1942-2012) celebrating their 70th anniversary in 2012, has fun annually with their biggest fundraiser, ''A Nite at the Races". It is an elegant night of racing, betting (play money), and entertainment produced by club members. Clubwomen secure advertising, auction items, publicity, decorations, concession foods, and sell tickets. The club purchases a racing program kit that includes six simulcast races to be broadcast on three large screens. The horse racing doesn't just provide entertainment, it supports over 100 developmentally delayed preschoolers and adults affiliated with Bost, Inc. The club worked to start this agency in 1957 when one of their past presidents birthed a special needs child. With the help of Dr Roger Bost, the Bost Foundation began in 1957. To this day, the club provides a board member annually on a rotating basis. (Kudos & Congratulations!)

 

Last spring at district meetings copies of "Rose's New Shoes" were given out to be distributed around the state to girls’ organizations or shelters. Members of the Twentieth Century Club at Harrison distributed some copies to the local middle and high schools. Following is a thank you they received which really thanks us all:
"Thank you for your donation of three copies of ‘Rose's New Shoes’. At first glance, the booklets appear elementary, but the message is well presented. We have kept two copies in the library and put one in the counselor's office. Bullying is a national issue in schools, and we are proud of the GFWC.clubs for including this as one of their projects. These booklets are a valuable resource we can use dealing with students."
A big Thank You to ALL districts/clubs who helped distribute these informative, timely booklets.

 

The Cameo Club of Mountain Home tried a NEW fundraising project in 2011 to share. They offered pictures with The Easter Bunny. It went well for the first year. Next year they plan on more advertisement to see if they can make this an annual event.