General Federation of
WOMEN’S CLUBS
Living the Volunteer Spirit
GFWC Illinois Website
President Letter
August 2016
Greetings and welcome to the GFWC Illinois Federation of Women’s Clubs website! It is an honor to welcome you as the President of GFWC Illinois for the 2016-
GFWC Illinois is a philanthropic organization dedicated to community improvement by enhancing the lives of others through volunteer service. We are one of fifty (50) states and a dozen countries around the world that make up the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC) organization. Organized in 1890 and headquartered in Washington DC, GFWC has a distinguished record of achievements on issues of historical importance to women, children, safety, education, conservation, the arts, international aid, public policy and legislation. Here are just a few of the achievements of GFWC Clubwomen:
1899 – clubwomen established the national model for juvenile court law
1906 – letter writing campaign helps secure passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act
WWI – established the War Service Fund which trained and sent 100 your women overseas to operate canteens for American soldiers
WWII – clubwomen raised $150 Million in the “Buy the Bomber” campaign which supplies 431 planes for war service
1930 – GFWC is credited with establishing 75% of all the nation’s public libraries
1960 – A longtime advocate of traffic safety, the GFWC Women’s Crusade for Seatbelts resulted in the installation of more than One Million car seat belts in one year’s time
GFWC Illinois members continuously work to better their communities and the lives of others. For almost 25 years, GFWC Illinois has partnered with Prevent Child Abuse (PCA) Illinois, working tirelessly to protect the lives of our greatest resource, our children. Illinois members work to eradicate the devastating effects of child abuse through a project we call “Our Promise . . . A Safe Place for Every Child”. We raise funds and awareness at our annual ‘Blue Ribbon Fashion Show and Luncheon’ each year in April. Thousands of members plant ‘pinwheel gardens’ to bring awareness of child abuse to their communities.
GFWC Illinois has 180 clubs with almost 5000 members throughout Illinois. We would love to have you join us in helping design better lives. Our members absolutely follow our tagline “Living the Volunteer Spirit” each and every day. To be around clubwomen in action is to understand that this description fits us perfectly. Illinois communities benefit from the commitment, compassion, and generosity of GFWC Illinois members.
My theme for the 2016 – 2018 GFWC Illinois administration is “Set Sail . . . Explore the Possibilities”. As an almost 40 year member of this organization, I have discovered GFWC will absolutely take you places you never dreamed of going, if you have the courage to step off the pier and ‘set sail’. To explore who you are and who you can be. To explore the needs of the community you live in, or the needs of others in your state or around the world. If there is need, GFWC club members will be there. The non-
We’d love to have you join us! For more information, please contact us as: gfwc-
Message from
Phyllis Skubic
GFWC Illinois President
2016-
