Hello GFWC IL Juniors!
WOW! What an exciting two months this has been! May brought us the celebration of our 120th Annual State Convention and close to 300 GFWC clubwomen took over the Hilton Lisle; highlights for me were plentiful! The first I would have to say was having our very own Deb Strahanoski and Becky Weber BOTH in attendance as their GFWC duties have traditionally taken them from us during our spring Convention. It was a joy to have them at our Unity Luncheon where I was able to finally publicly thank Deb Strahanoski for her years of mentorship. It was very special. And yes, we both cried!
Another highlight was hearing the announcement of our 2015 LEADS candidate, Amy Vicioso! Amy is just such a tremendous leader and we are just thrilled that she is taking the next step in her GFWC leadership journey. Our organization needs strong leaders in the future and she is certainly one bright star to watch for!
A third highlight was the announcement of our Junior Leadership Awards. Each year we award a Spark Plug Award – going to a new Junior who has come out of the gate swinging for the fences, helping out on a multitude of club projects and expressing a desire in club leadership. We also award a Junior of the Year, going to a Junior who has some club years behind her and who has made a difference in her club and community. And our most coveted Junior award – Outstanding Junior Service, which is awarded to a Junior with multiple years of club service behind her and who is exemplary in every facet of club leadership. What a pleasure it was to congratulate three fantastic leaders in our Junior Organization: Michelle Johnson, Metamora-Germantown Hills JWC; Teresa Osterloo, Encore Club of Metamora; and Janet Scaliatine, Lombard JWC.
It was also a wonderful honor to have Sheila Shea, GFWC President Elect in attendance at our Convention. I am looking forward to where she will take our organization in 2016-2018!
As for my Memphis trip, and the 125th celebration of GFWC International, what can I possibly say other than it was one of the most exciting, inspiring, motivating, entertaining, amazing, outstanding Conventions I have ever attended! Oh how I wish you all could have been there with myself, Diane and 30 other GFWC IL clubwomen to feel the energy and spirit of volunteerism that filled the rooms….all the way to the rafters! For pictures and more commentary, be sure to “like” GFWC on Facebook and of course, our GFWC IL Junior Organization Facebook page.
A HUGE congratulations to each and every one of you as the GFWC IL Juniors were awarded the first ever Membership Increase Award! To be honored in front of the entire delegation for being the state federation to see the largest increase in Junior membership is a moment in time I will never forget. GFWC IL Juniors welcomed 128 new members in 2014!!
To me, increasing and retaining our club membership is our most crucial task. With more members, we can do even more in our communities. And with HAPPY members comes MORE members, so remember to thank your club members for their time and make them feel valued. The work we do is so important and is helping so many – let’s keep up the momentum and take that award again next year!
I also want to say a special congratulations to the Joliet Junior Woman’s Club for being the only GFWC IL club to be recognized at this year’s convention – in 2 categories, which is amazing! The club was recognized with Club Creativity Awards in Fundraising and for their project work in the Women’s History & Resource Center. As Joliet Juniors, Debbie and I about both fell over when they announced those awards – it was very exciting!
GFWC IL also received two other very important awards, receiving 1st Place in both Leadership and for our state federation work on the Signature Project! OUTSTANDING! And Trisha Schafer, our immediate Past Director of Junior Clubs, shone as she was part of the presenting Leadership Committee at this year’s LEADS Seminar! Wonderful job, Trisha; you make us all so very proud!
Traveling with GFWC IL President Diane Addante, President Elect Phyllis Skubic, Director Elect Jeanette T. Wells and the rest of our Illinois delegation was just too much fun! Wished we could have stayed 5 MORE days! We were also fortunate enough to have some time with our much-loved and adored Jackie Pierce, past GFWC International President, as she cheered us on from the Past Presidents’ Skybox seating in the auditorium! What memories we have and what truly special friendships we have made.
The workshops, LEADS Seminar, Elvis’ performance at the Shot @ Life Banquet, the Opening Session with the Parade of Flags, the Closing Gala Celebration, Elvis’ performance in the Junior Suite (lol)….I truly could go on and on but I’m running out of room. For all the Convention highlights, watch for our FB posts, Key Notes, and GFWC’s News & Notes! Diane and I will also be speaking at next month’s Region Meetings – hope to see you at one!
Until then, I remain yours in Federation Friendship,
Karyn
5 E. Van Buren Street,