FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT
Why did the chicken cross the road? Well, we all know that answer. Let us talk about humor, no I am not pulling your leg! Each of us needs a healthy sense of humor, some more than others…however, we can especially during Covid find something humorous and laugh! We need to find our funny bone and put it back to work.
Now I want to give credit where it is due, I got the idea of writing about humor while speaking with Marcia Willett, who I have found to have a lovely sense of humor. Marcia had me laughing and I do enjoy laughing so much, because it makes me feel good! There must be some calories burned with laughing and it costs nothing. Afterall, laughing at the expenses of another is not funny at all.
But seriously, exactly what I am talking about is a good old roar from your gut that is almost uncontrollable. Each of us has someone or something that can make us laugh wholeheartedly, body and soul. Laughing out loud and true is truly a gift for ourselves.
When was the last time you laughed out loud, had tears running down your face and could hardly breathe? Truth: you had a real fun time doing so and when you look back at it, there is a smile on your face. We need to afford ourselves that luxury, often we forget that there is humor in the world. I want you to stop for a moment and think about the funniest movie you’ve seen in the past few months: what is it, what was it that made it funny and tickled that funny bone in You?
I can tell you that I find some movies so funny, for instance: Galaxy Quest. I am just enough of a Star Trek nerd to recognize all the nuance that Tim Allen puts into his Captain Kirk-like character and the lines are brilliant. Some of the old Laurel and Hardy shorts are very funny to me too.
There are all sorts of things and people that make us laugh, so where is your funny bone located? Do you like the stand-up, or just telling jokes? Whatever it is that tickles you pink: find it and utilize it. Stretch that talent and laugh long and hard!
Guarantee you will feel better for it afterwards!
Luv, Pam
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AREA MEETINGS, IT IS NOT TOO LATE!
By now we have finished up with the annual October Area A, B and D Membership Conferences. If you have not attended yet, you’ve still one more chance to be part of the fun! With the use of Zoom, there is no travel, just sit down at your device and be ready to take notes.
Area C will be held on Halloween, October 31. Contact the Area C Vice President of Membership to attend. Marcia Willett has a great day planned.
Marcia may be reached at:
marciaewillett@gmail.com
See you there with your Hat on!
(see complete information in article later in this issue)
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FUNDRAISING ANNOUNCEMENT:
We are still encouraging our members to share with the CFWC Area Fundraising Chairs their success at fundraising during covid. You may contact them at:
Area D, Cecille Collar: ccollar@verizon.net
We want to be able to provide a variety of ideas to our memberships regarding fundraising. Let them know what your club and district are doing. The cut-off date to get a hold of these ladies is October 28, 2020.
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MEET THE CHAIRS ANNOUNCEMENT:
What a fabulous response we are having for these events! I am super excited and look forward to having each of the four-day meetups a success! If you have not yet signed up there is still time!
I did want to give some added information regarding cut-off dates to reserve your spot(s) in the event(s). You may attend one, two, three, or all four, but you do need a separate invitation to attend each one unique to only you. Capacity is limited and remember that each of the four events will feature different Chairs, who will speak with you for 3 minutes in each topic. We will open the room for questions from you after that, so have those questions ready.
Event Date: November 3, 2020
Last day to register is October 28, 2020
Event Date: November 10, 2020
Last day to register is November 5, 2020
Event Date: November 17, 2020
Last day to register is November 12, 2020
Event Date: November 24, 2020
Last day to register is November 19, 2020
Hope to see you there; Barbara Briley Beard and I are extremely excited about these events coming up and hope to see you there! Luv, Pam
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Advocates for Children Week-October 25-31
This is a great time to focus on what your club is doing for children both around the world and close to home. If your club is not doing a project focused on children, take time this week to plan a project. Although most of our clubs aren’t meeting in person at this time, it is still possible to do some excellent projects. One club did a food drive by having people drive through a drop off location and place donations outside their cars. The food donations were transported by two members to their local food bank. This project involved club members and the community. Let me know what projects your club has planned for children so I can share it with others.
Carol Burkhart
Advocates for Children
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A Leadership Minute
Feedback
Good leaders give you feedback that you can act on. Another way of saying this is that the good leader gives you feedback that is practical. The leader might say things like have you thought of doing that this way or that way. Instead of saying are you nuts! You really want to do your project like that! They give you examples for different ways to do things. They ask open ended questions.
Good leaders also let you do it your way when possible. There are many ways to do a project. What makes a certain way correct? There are some factors here. Is it legal to do it that way? Will it hurt your members feelings or actually harm them if you do it a certain way? Are you staying in your lane if you do it a certain way? Is in the scope of the project? A good leader also sets limits for what they need done on a project.
This is not always easy to do. As a leader, the person you are trying to help may not want to accept your help or even feel that there is a need to change what they are doing. You can only help someone so much. There is something to be said for letting someone do it wrong and find out the hard way. It is called a life lesson. Some people only learn by falling down. It is hard to watch. Remember keep your feedback should be positive, practical, and helpful. It is your job as the leader to train the next leaders. You can do this.
Dori Kelsey
CFWC Leadership Chair
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In case you missed it last week...
Itinerary News
It has been pretty quiet for me as Itinerary Chairman this year. But I’m sure many of you would have invited a State officer or chairmen to one of your meetings except for Covid 19.
The officers and chairmen are a great resource for just about anything, including any questions about CFWC. These ladies would have like to meet your members, as much as your members would have liked to meet them, except for the coronavirus. Well, It’s so easy to fill out an Itinerary Request form for the officer or chairman you want, and have her visit your club through your ZOOM meeting. I know many of you are meeting by ZOOM. If you want, you may contact her before you send me the form and then I can confirm the “visit” and get it in my records. Or, I would be glad to contact her for you and see if she meets by ZOOM. This saves traveling, eating, and sometimes sleeping overnight. And it might even make your meeting more fun. You will find the Itinerary Request form on the CFWC web site, under Forms. Please do not hesitate to call me at 619-297-5113 if you have any questions.
Diane Lindwall, Itinerary Chairman
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Just a friendly reminder from your Financial Secretary that dues for new and late paying members should be sent to me.
WE ARE SO CLOSE TO 10,000! Only 40 away. I also want to encourage our members, clubs and districts to consider donations to our funds (Art, Disaster, etc.).
Jill Drescher, CFWC Financial Secretary,
1001 Poplar Avenue, Wasco, CA 93280.
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Area C Conference
Scary Ghosts and Goblins may appear but don’t be afraid they would not dare come to the Area C Conference where Members and Friends will come to share!
When: Halloween Saturday, October 31, 2020
Time: 9 am to 1 pm
If you missed your area meeting or just were not available on your date, please consider joining us at the Area C Conference. Everyone welcome!
Need a zoom invite? Just email Area C VP Marcia Willett at marciaewillett@gmail.com and a zoom invite will be sent to the email address on your request.
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Deborah E. Bushnell
Legislation & Public Policy Chair
I thought, with an election coming in the next few days, that a refresh on how a
501(c)(3) nonprofit organization can engage in advocacy and be ok with the IRS!
The following information is taken from GFWC Legislation & Public Policy Committee.
IRS guidelines do not ban lobbying activities. Rather, the IRS rules limit the types and amount of lobbying that a 501(c)(3) organization may engage in. Lobbying may not be the primary purpose of the organization nor may it constitute a substantial part of the organization’s activities.
If organizational funds are spent in lobbying efforts, those expenses must be reported on the organization’s IRS Form 990 that all 501(c)(3) organizations are required to complete. A 501(c)(3) organization may advocate to raise awareness of an issue or to lobby for or against a piece of legislation.
A 501(c)(3) organization may not endorse or oppose specific candidates or political parties. Advocacy by individual GFWC members is OK and GFWC encourages it!
Here is a list of Advocacy “Do’s and Don’ts” to ensure that your State Federation or local club stays within these guidelines:
DO
· Advocate for action on a specific issue or for a specific piece of legislation.
· Contact your national, state, and local elected officials directly.
· Participate in voter registration drives.
· Hold nonpartisan forums to educate the public about one or more specific issues.
· Sponsor candidate forums, ensuring that all candidates receive a formal invitation to participate.
· Give only facts when referring to or speaking about a specific candidate or incumbent.
· Educate candidates on GFWC’s resolutions and legislative priorities.
· Use the GFWC emblem when advocating on a GFWC-endorsed issue.
DON’T
· Endorse or oppose a specific candidate or political party.
· Use club funds, facilities, in-kind donations, publications, or events to promote a specific candidate or political party.
· Ask candidates to sign a pledge on any issue.
· Offer opinions about an incumbent or candidate.
· Support legislation that conflicts with a GFWC Resolution.
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CFWC Health and Wellness Program, Myrna Binford, Chairman
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We celebrated World Food Day on October 16
but it's never too late to help
Food is seen as a basic human right, yet the coronavirus pandemic has caused an unprecedented spike in hunger, affecting families, both in the United States and in the world. Between 2018-2019 there were 35 million families in the United States alone. The level of hunger in U.S. households almost tripled between 2019 and August of this year. The coronavirus pandemic has only exacerbated hunger. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations created World Food Day, first celebrated in 1979, and now celebrated annually on October 16.
“Here are some suggestions on how you can fight hunger and help support World Food Day’s mission:
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Choose local: Whenever you can, support small farmers in your community by buying locally grown, fresh food.
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Choose seasonal: Buying in-season produce actually reduces your carbon footprint. Out-of-season food has to be imported and travel a long way before it arrives at your local market.
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Grow food at home: If you have a green space at home, access to a garden, or a balcony with space for plant pots, you can learn how to grow your own fruits, vegetables and herbs.
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Fight local hunger by volunteering: Look for opportunities at your local food pantry or community kitchen.
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Donate to your local food pantry: Most food banks keep a list of items that clients regularly need, and others accept personal care and household items, which aren’t covered by food assistance programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — SNAP.
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Make a donation to Feeding America.” Megan VerHelst, The Patch • October 16, 2020
At our Woman’s Club meetings, we are used to bringing canned/boxed goods at different times that go to those people that need help. We are also very generous when having our Donation Day to make donations to community services that help the community to feed people.
I’ve highlighted the three ways your Woman’s Clubs can serve your community. I know doing service is a challenge in a pandemic, but take up the challenge.
Have several members take up the challenge and volunteer at a food bank/food pantry. My husband works with our church group one morning a week, one day a month, unpacking the food from the truck and repacking into smaller boxes which will go to the food bank. There are several positions that you can do taking little risk, but mask and glove up.
· When the 18-wheeler from Feeding America comes, you can repackage the larger boxes on the pallets into smaller boxes that will go to the food pantry.
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· You can prepare the refrigerated and fresh food for delivery.
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· You can actually hand out food to the customers as everything they need is already bagged for pick-up.
Pat yourselves on the back and keep up the good work that you do.
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Sonja Hults, Facebook
Thank you to everyone that is has sent or is sending photos in from their club and district meetings to me for to post on the Facebook Page. We just love to post them on our GFWC California Federation of Women’s Clubs Facebook Page. You can find us at @GFWCCaliforniaFederationofwomensClubs.
We would also love to post what you are doing as a club to help the community during this time of Covid. It is important that we know the following when we post, send them with
You never know how one photo or post will inspire a entire club Or district to try something new!
So take a minute and send the photos on over!
And I will do my best to post them within 24 hours.
Thank you all for everything you do, and for sharing it with us !
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Diane Waterhouse
CFWC Domestic & Sexual Violence Awareness & Prevention Chair
Many of the clubs in CFWC are still meeting virtually, but now is a great time for discussing ideas and planning future projects to benefit one category or another under the “Domestic & Sexual Violence Awareness & Prevention” umbrella.
The GFWC has chosen “Teen Dating Awareness and Prevention” as their Challenge Project. They are in the process of putting together several 25-minute podcasts on Teen Dating Awareness. The target audience is young people between the ages of 12 and 17.
Topics will be:
· “We’re just talking” What’s OK What’s Not.
· “Are you seeing someone?” Behavior on a date.
· “Let’s Hear It for the Boys.” They have concerns, too.
· “When to ask for help?”
· “Human Trafficking – What to look out for.”
Some ideas for future projects:
One of the CFWC clubs utilized the ‘White Ribbon Campaign”, a global movement of men and boys working to end male violence against women and girls by getting permission from their local high school to set up a table that explained the pledge to never commit, condone or remain silent about violence against women and girls. A large number of boys took the pledge and wore a white ribbon. This coming November 25th is White Ribbon Day.
The need remains for the “Purse Project” or collecting toiletries and other items for domestic violence shelters. Consider providing a “Birthday Box” with cake mix, frosting, candles etc. for children at the shelters with their moms as some CFWC clubs have done.
Please stay well!
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Regarding distribution of the CFWC Yearbook...
I would like to take time to update you on the status of the hard copies of the CFWC Yearbook that had been purchased. Unfortunately, there has been a delay in printing due to mechanical problems, but I have been told that they should be done by Tuesday, October 20th, I will be shipping them out soon after, the purchased Flash Drives will be shipped at the same time.
All Officers, Chairmen, District Presidents, District First Vice Presidents and Club Presidents should have already received their free copy via email.
Thank you all for your understanding, please know that we have not forgotten you and are working to get them out asap.
Have a wonderful day
Toni Lima,
Publications and Updates Co-Chair
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Dori's Leadership Library
These booklets are in .pdf format,
when printed they are ready to assemble into booklets
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Just a thought ......
"The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking.
It cannot be changed without changing our thinking"
Albert Einstein
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