Welcome to GFWC-Battle Ground

General Federation of Women’s Clubs

Just Remember: "Good Friends Who Care”

Attention: Due to the 'Covid 19' Pandemic, activities and events are subject to revision or cancellation!

"Ice Cream and Cookies" social; then time to repurpose pinwheels

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ALL

THINGS

POTATO

Recent Snapshots from GFWC-Battle Ground

Tailgate project reaps animal food

Environment chairman, Cindi, delivered $225 worth of donated dog and cat food to the Southwest Washington Humane Society. The generous donation was made possible from contributions by members at a successful November 5th Tailgate event. The need has escalated during the pandemic.

Still at it . . .

Left, Mary delivers 10 birthday party bags to the Family and Community Resource Center.

Right, Louise holds one of the Birthday Bags. Enough supplies and money have been donated to be able to fill and donate bags until next June. Linda T. (far right) has been helping Mary (center).

Corks will continue to be collected for CorkClub.

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Projects reach Japan

Club president, Mary Lee, has been giving handcrafted gifts and craft mini-projects to members who attend the club's "tailgates." November's gift theme was pumpkin-shaped art foam refrigerator magnets.

   Member Leese sends her gifts to her Japanese friend, Junko. When visiting Leese in Battle Ground on several occasions, Junko has participated in the club's projects. When the "pumpkin" arrived in Japan, Leese took this screen shot during a Skype call. Junko said she could "feel the love of GFWC." They both miss Junko's visits to the US, thwarted by the pandemic.

December Tailgate Gifts: Did you get one?

Thanks to our creative president, Mary Lee,  members who came to December's GFWC Tailgate at the club's Little Free .

Library received a decorative Christmas stocking ornament and a bag with surprise treats for two--one for herself and one to share

Virtual

Festival of Trees

Members of GFWC-Battle Ground took snapshots of their Christmas trees and other decor for a "2020 Festival of Trees." The collages were then sent as a two-sided printable pdf file to each member to virtually go from home to home to enjoy each other's cheery scenes. They were invited to turn on some holiday music, pour themselves a cup of wassail, pull up a chair in front of their computers and enjoy. Bonus: They were warm, out of the rain, conserving gas and were comfy in leisure attire.


GFWC stages 'Souper Bowl' in BG

. . . .And the winning team was . . . THE BUCCANEERS with 134 points over the Chiefs' 108. Points were scored according to the number of food items, mainly soups, credited to each team through donations by members.Valerie and Ginger served as referees to keep the record straight.

   After the game was over, the 230 pounds of bags and boxes were taken to the North County Community Food Bank. According Liz Cerveny, director of the food bank, the federal government would calculate the donation value at $1.75 per pound ($402.50).

   President Mary Lee handed out "You are Sno Special" treats. Shown at the left are half of the members who attended during the morning event: Ginger, Marla, Johanna, Louise, Mary Lee, Valerie and Gloria.

Ruth Anne shows off one of the snowman treats made by Mary Lee and given to all 15 members who braved the outdoor "Souper Bowl." Each package included a snowman post-a-note pad, a packet of cocoa mix, three cookies and their recipe.

Every attendee received a decorated candy-filled heart for awareness of Heart Health Month.

A total of 255 greeting cards of all kinds were shipped to St. Jude's Ranch for Children. This nonprofit is not connected to the St. Jude's Hospital.

After the tailgate, some members visited the F&CRC to give a $1,000 donation and the clothing. Giving the project a "thumbs up" are Johanna, Louise, MaryLee giving the check to staffer Leah Howard, Gloria, staffer Linda Storm and Ginger.

Twelve members attended the "drop in" type of meeting. All wore something red. Here they are dipping into the treat box.

Heart Health Month tailgate meeting features donations to F&CRC

     A $1,000 check and totes and bags of young children's clothing was given to the Family and Community Resource Center on January 25. The center, although operating in cramped quarters, has an inventory of new and gently used items to give, free of charge, to help meet the needs of disadvantaged students and their families.  F&CRC is under the umbrella of the Battle Ground Education Foundation.

     A new project of the club is the shipping of the fronts of greeting cards to St. Jude's Ranch for Children in Nevada, a live-in facility where children and youth are given an opportunity to break the cycle of abuse, abandonment and neglect. At the tailgate 255 cards were gathered for shipment.

     Another "collectable" brought to the meeting was bottle corks, an ongoing environment project. See the collective total on the Calendar Page at the end of this website.

     Everyone who attended this "hearty" tailgate received a paper decorated heart filled with candy kisses. It is one of President Mary Lee's goals to have a treat at each tailgate.

A total of 255 greeting cards of all kinds were shipped to St. Jude's Ranch for Children. This nonprofit is not connected to the St. Jude's Hospital.

After the tailgate, some members visited the F&CRC to give a $1,000 donation and the clothing. Giving the project a "thumbs up" are Johanna, Louise, MaryLee giving the check to staffer Leah Howard, Gloria, staffer Linda Storm and Ginger.

A total of 255 greeting cards of all kinds were shipped to St. Jude's Ranch for Children. This nonprofit is not connected to the St. Jude's Hospital.

After the tailgate, some members visited the F&CRC to give a $1,000 donation and the clothing. Giving the project a "thumbs up" are Johanna, Louise, MaryLee giving the check to staffer Leah Howard, Gloria, staffer Linda Storm and Ginger.

     Four members and a guest took a two-hour auto tour of the National Ridgefield Wildlife Reserve on March 12. Equipped with binoculars, bird identification and treats, they surveyed the wetlands and riparian forest. Club Environment chairman Cindi Pike arranged the outing.

     Among their observations were various waterfowl, birds of prey, a turtle, a raccoon and a deer. A special treat was to identify a kestrel flying over an open field. All enjoyed the sights, sounds and scents of the beautiful, natural unspoiled reserve.

Wildlife abounds on federal reserve

Enjoying the peaceful and calm tour were Mary Lee, Wendy, Ginger and Cindi.

When Scarlet “outgrew” some of her books, she brought them to the club’s Little Free Library on W First St. She is Paulette’s granddaughter

Mary Lee, RuthAnne and Ginger started loading the 349 lbs. of potato products that were donated to the North County Community Food Bank on March 25.

"All Things (Irish) Potato" was the theme of the March tailgate meeting. Donations varied from bags of fresh spuds to dried potatoes in boxes to canned potato soup. Total value was calculated at $635.18. The 15 members who attended throughout the morning each received a goodie bag of treats to honor St. Patrick and celebrate Easter. Members wore a bit of green.

Pinwheels for Prevention

   For the third year a team of club members planted a "Pinwheel Garden" to promote awareness of child abuse. This year Ginger, Mary Lee, Gloria, Paulette and Louise planted 108 pinwheels in a half-hour.

   The message is "Help Kids - Grow Happily - Without Abuse" followed by the GFWC logo.

On May 22, six members visited the Two Rivers Heritage Museum in Washougal, after having been invited by GFWC Camas Washougal to join them in a tour. Not only does the museum have several rooms of displays but it has a separate "long house" building as explored here by Ginger, Louise, Marla, Winnie, Mary Lee and Valerie, who is peering out the window at the base of the carving.

   The tour was aptly led by Alma Ladd, longtime member of the museum's support organization and of GFWC Camas-Washougal. The host club treated the visiting club by paying their admission fees. The two rivers referred to in the museum's name are the Columbia and Washougal.

   After the tour, the entire group had lunch together at a popular local pub.

Club visits Washougal museum

May tailgate: birthday bags, CorkClub, cards to reycle and freebies

The latest "tailgate" at the club's Little Free Library was well-attended. Part of the group, who weathered the rain, is pictured here. Left photo: Johanna, Ruth Anne, Ginger, Gloria, Linda T. and President Mary Lee Miller, holding the patriotic pinwheels she made for all the members to display on Memorial Day. Members brought a variety of items to share with each other and the community. The "freebee" table, center, included plants, books and new packages of HP printer ink valued at $200. When one member disappointedly found that the inks did not fit her printer as anticipated, she contributed them to the school district for class use in the name of GFWC-Battle Ground. At the right are totes being filled with cake mixes, frostings and necessary items to continue the Birthday Bag project explained elsewhere on this website. An unexpected donation was a garbage bag filled with over 1,000 corks to ship to CorkClub for its environment projects.

   The club will not hold regular meetings in July and August but will participate in social tailgates at their Little Free Library on S. First Street July 15 and August 12.

June 10th. After Ice Cream and cookies, eleven members dove into the big box of 180 pinwheels saved from April's Pinwheel Garden and began cleaning them up to give to families at the upcoming National Night Out. They also punched holes in tags that explained that pinwheels are a reminder that all children should be free from child abuse. They then pushed the stem of each of  the pinwheels through a tag to hold it in place.

     Left to right are: Louise, Mary, Cindi, Johanna, Mary Lee, Gloria, Winnie, Paulette and Marla. Valeris is in front admiring the finished pinwheels. Leese was on the other side of the camera.

Battle Ground's National Night Out offered opportunities for GFWC

   A cool breeze offset the August 3rd heat at Battle Ground's National Night Out. GFWC-Battle Ground was among twenty participants and was a perfect venue to share GFWC's signature project, Domestic Violence Awareness and Prevention as well as the club's scholarship program.

   Pinwheels used in April's pinwheel garden were repurposed as giveaways to children. An attached tag explained that pinwheels are a symbol of children growing up without abuse. Other handouts were pinwheel coloring sheets, the new Domestic Violence hand signal, club information and a sign up sheet for women interested in learning more about joining. A member and another's husband made a new PVC pipe take-apart GFWC flag holder, a welcome addition to the club awareness inventory. Eight members, two hubbies and a son assisted in the successful evening.

   To top off the evening, the granddaughter of our member and District President Paulette Stinson won a brand new bike!


Under the theme, "Prevent Together," the Battle Ground event was a cooperative of groups whose aim it is to build a strong community free of society's ills.

Boxes and bags of school supplies were taken to the Battle Ground Education Foundation office on the district’s Lewisville campus by GFWC-Battle Ground members. Standing are Ginger, president Mary Lee, Nancy, Johanna and Linda. In front are Marla, Paulette and Valerie. Not pictured is Cindi Pike, member photographer.

The club’s school supply collection barely fit in the back of Cindi's pickup truck. “Showing off” the club's success are Johanna, Ginger, Mary Lee, Pallette, Valerie and Linda.

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School supplies tallied

     GFWC-Battle Ground brought 5,261 school supply items to the Battle Ground Education Foundation office on Tuesday, August 17. Among the 23 kinds of donations were 738 pens, 515 rulers and 388 pencil sharpeners. In addition, $200 was donated to apply to possible shortfalls. The women’s service club had been amassing the collection for months to provide supplies for students in need in time for school start-up in September.

     The stash will be distributed throughout the year by the Family and Community Resource Center, an arm of the BGeF. The center’s coordinator Lydia Sanders complimented the club by saying, “I think it's safe to say we'll be good on school supplies for the next couple of years thanks to your and so many others' donations!!!” She added,


“Between your donations and volunteering your time you have helped in monumental ways to make sure that all students in BGPS will have what they need to start school this year!”

It was all about PURPLE

     To put the spotlight on October as the national "Domestic Violence Awareness Month, several members dug through their closets to find something purple to wear to the October 14 club meeting. Purple is the chosen color for DM. Paulette Stinson (club member and Columbia District President) could find nothing in her wardrobe so, instead, she painted her fingernails purple.

     Program for the meeting was given by member Wendy McDaniel who presented a power point overview of how to report, when to report and the importance of reporting. She urged all members to track their volunteer hours and dollars spent on club activities.

Posing in purple are Wendy McDaniel, Johanna Hyatt, Louise Tucker, Ginger Crabtree, Marla Polos, Paulette Stinson, Club President Mary Lee Miller and Mary Eastman.

Travel tips shared

   Member Ginger Crabtree shared a comprehensive list if traveling tips at the October 28 meeting. Among  practical topics were safety, money handling and packing to make any trip more enjoyable. A handout accompanied her presentation.

   While living in England, she purchased this big lovable handmade dog from a lady at a local Christmas bazaar. "Yogi Dogi" is the "spitten image" of a black labrador-retriever mix she had previously owned for 16 years. She has had this one for 22 years.

   Ginger has visited 64 countries on 6 continents and has mde reservations for more tours.

Some of the variety of handmade treasures Ginger has collected in her travels: weavings, pottery, textiles, wooden boxes, laces, dolls.

   Below is a three-panel display of the 253 souvenir magnets she has collected since 1998.

Birthday Bag project continues

   Chairman of Advocacy for Children, Mary Eastman, was in charge of the October 28th in-club drive for additional components for "birthday bags." The result was three totes of cake mixes, frosting, sprinkles and candles; enough to furnish birthday bags for the rest of the club year.

     A total of 130 bags have been assembled from October 2020 through October 2021. Half have been distributed by the local food bank and half through the Family Community Resource Center, an arm of the Battle Ground Education Foundation.

   Seated in the front row are guest speaker Muntean, Louise Tucker (because she wore a flag sweater), Doddie and Diamond.

   In the back row, all colorfully dressed for the special day were Darlene Angelatos (club visitor), Cindi Pike, Johanna Hyatt, Wendy McDaniel, Linda Bendall, Mary Eastman, Gloria Walck, Ginger Crabtree, Gayle Martinson, Club President Mary Lee Miller and Paulette Stinson, member and Columbia District President. Not making it into the photo was the club’s big GFWC flag posted behind Eastman.

Veterans' Day Observed

     Veteran’s Day, originally called Armistice Day, is a federal holiday to honor all veterans.  It all began on November 11 in 1911 at 11:00 a.m. when the armistice was signed ending WWI. To show their gratitude to all veterans, GFWC-Battle Ground wore red, white and blue to their meeting which fell on Veterans’ Day this year.

     Their speaker was Ovie Muntean from a nonprofit organization which creates veteran/service dog “teams." To quote their mission, “Northwest Battle Buddies gifts professionally trained service dogs to veterans battling PTSD, helping them regain their freedom and independence.” There is a high rate of suicide among veterans. As a measure of the success of the NWBB program, not one of the 170 veterans who have been aided by this program has taken his or her life.  

     Muntean brought with him veteran Doddie and her service dog, Diamond, a golden lab. She related her triumph over PTSD with the steadfast help of her dog. To learn more visit their website: northwestbattlebuddies.org. You might like to make a personal donation.


Nancy hits 80-year milestone

     Nancy Lee was totally surprised when her sister and fellow club member, Gayle Martinson, greeted her at a local pizza parlor. Gayle and a third sister arranged the 80th birthday party for Nancy and Gayle's husband, Norm. Among the invited guests, sworn to secrecy, were GFWC members, family and friends.

     Left, Bill and Louise Tucker, club president Mary Lee Miller and vice-president Ginger Crabtree. Right, Nancy, showing one of the many gag gifts she received. Marla Polos took the photos.

Cards gathered at Christmas Party

     Besides enjoying good food and exchanging white elephant gifts (and stealing them), members brought used greeting cards. Not only will the cards be recycled into new creations, but their sales will benefit a working ranch for teens who have been abused.

     Showing the variety of cards collected are (back row) Johanna Hyatt, Mary Eastman, Marla Polos, Gayle Martinson, Nancy Lee, Gloria Walck (hostess), Bev Brissler and Mary Lee Miller. In the front are Cindi Pike, prospective member Darlene Angelatos, Wendy McDaniel, Linda Bendall, (center front) Paulette Stinson, Ginger Crabtree and (inset) photographer Louise Tucker.

LFL receives add-on

   With the help of GFWC husbands Dave Miller (builder) and Ray Zimmerman (installer), a new section of the club's Little Free Library was installed on December 15. The addition matches the original LFL decor and is dedicated to the shelving of children's books. The GFWC logo is proudly displayed on both sections.

   Showing the new unit's books are president Mary Lee Miller and Johanna Hyatt who maintains the inventory. Dave and Ray, far right, admire the fiinished mini-library. The library has enjoyed a great deal of activity -- take a book; leave a book. A roof over their heads and a gravel floor under their feet, make the location inviting and comfortable for readers.