GFWC Tellico Village

MLK Volunteer Service Day – “By Women – for Women”. 

Twenty-one club members and even more friends met together at Chota Rec Center to complete over 200 Cancer pillows.  Martha Velez organized this year’s project and together we filled two rooms at the Chota Rec Center.  Together we cut, sewed, stuffed 200 pillows. 

GFWC Tellico Monthly Meeting

This month we celebrated the success of our November Home Tour.  Three of our four home owners and our recipients joined us for the meeting.

N. Benn introduced Kari Watkins of CAC – She thanks us for our years of support for both CAC and Iva’s Place. She briefly explained the SCAN school program used by CAC and of the monthlyhousing cost for abused women at Iva’s Place.

E. Salchak introduced Karen Hammerslag of Adopt a Class –Karen explained the expanding role of Adopt-a-Class and great need to help teachers and children. Our funding helped with monthly publications of Highlights and Story Works for elementary school children. She also used funding for school supplies for children and teachers.

N. Benn introduced Bill Ballinger of Tellico Village Fire Department - Bill spoke of the work our fire department does in Tellico and Loudon Counties. He thanked the club for our continued support and gave us an overview of the new transport equipment they purchased with our donation.

B. Schwindt introduced Cindy Purdy from the (Family Resource Center – Weekend Food for Kids). Cindy reported to the club about the needs of approximately 590 school-aged children in nine Loudon County Schools. Our funding helps purchase food from Second Harvest Food Bank and we help pack the food for children to take home for the weekend.

N. Benn introduced Sandi Byrd – Habitat for Humanity. Sandi spoke of the work Habitat does in Loudon County and thanked us for the tool trailer our funding allowed them to purchase.

B. Ellerbrock introduced Cindy Black of Good Samaritan Center. Cindy spoke of the continued success with the dental program. Our funding will help supplement their dwindling one- time grant. Good Samaritan helps with food, utility, rent, pharmacy needs and school supplies for Loudon County residents in need.

N. Gregg introduced Joyce Fields and Michela Lewis of the Dunbar Rosenwald School Foundation. Joyce gave us an overview of the history  and restoration of the Dunbar School. Our funding will help with that restoration. Nancy gave us information about the upcoming 2023 Tennessee State Museum exhibit showcasing the histories and legacies of what were known as Rosenwald schools.

S. Jones introduced Willie Franklin and Sharon Neumann– The Lost Vets Rescue – Willie explained the importance of this project and his role in directly helping veterans in need.

Habitat Trailer

Our proceeds from the Home Tour helped to purchase this Habitat Trailer.  It shows our GFWC Logo on the trailer.  This trailer will hold some of the tools used by Habitat as it builds and maintains homes.

Lakeshore Cleanup  

Each spring our GFWC Tellico Club volunteers to help with picking up trash along the Lakeshore.   The date is selected by WateR and it is usually the third Saturday in March.  Our members join several other clubs for this project.  Each organization is designated a section to clean and for the past few years has been Lotterdale Cove boat ramp.  The workers are given gloves and trash bags.  At the end of the day, all trash bags are collected.  The lake is now ready to rise for used for summer recreation.

Lost Vets Foundation Pancake Breakfast -- On March 25, even with a major power outage in the Village,  8 members and one member’s husband drove to Greenback to participate in the Lost Vets Foundation pancake breakfast fundraiser.  According to the operations manager for the Lost Vets they were expecting about 200 people.  Thank goodness not all of them showed up at the same time!  Our members enjoyed the two hours we spent with the Vets, cooking eggs (Linda and Toni), serving pancakes and filling up juice pitchers, selling t-shirts, key fobs and towels and listening to some live country music.   Also before Saturday, four of our members baked muffins for the event.    Ladies who were involved in this service project for one of our new charities were:    Mary Barber, Nancy Benn, Linda Claggett, Barb Ellerbrock, Toni LaPorte (and husband, wearing a pink shirt!), Cathy Maxwell, Michele Ondeck, Amy Robosan. Eleanor Salchak, Jackie Starnes, Martha Velez.

Habitat Lunch

Our club prepared and served lunch to the Habitat volunteers.  This was the last house in Hope Haven.  The volunteers were putting up the outside walls.  We prepared Taco Haystacks and all the trimmings.  

Comfort Kits – Our Comfort Kits were delivered to Fort Loudon Hospital.  These kits consist of a package containing tops, pants and underwear in various sizes.  These are given to women who leave the hospital but have no clothing to wear home.  We shop for new clothes that are inexpensive.  Dee Watters and I spent an afternoon at Costco buying several shirts and lounge pants.  The rest were ordered from them.  Then eight members got together and assembled the 25 kits.  One of the recipients posted a Thank You on Next Door – I wanted to sent a proper thank you to GFWC for the comfort kit that my sister received from Fort Loudoun Hospital.  It was totally unexpected and such a sweet blessing.  I brought her a sense of dignity and she saw that others care.

The group then had an opportunity to learn more about Time Keeping from Barb Ellerbrock.

Lost Vets  - Fourteen of our members participated in the Lost Vets  Celebration in Greenback, Tn for Veteran’s Memorial Dedication and Street Festival.   The guest speaker was Bill Robinson, longest enlisted POW held in captivity.

Installation of Officers -- The club June meeting was held at Chota Pavillion where we installed our officers for 23-24.  Our officers are Michel Ondeck – President, Annette Quimper as First Vice President, Nancy Gregg as Second Vice President, Nancy Benn and Martha Velez as Recording Secretary, Sue Smith as Corresponding Secretary and Amy Roboson as Treasurer.  Susan Martin and Linda Hershey (two past state presidents) performed the installation.  Susan spoke to us about some of the activities of the GFWC.  Michel gave GFWC Club pins to our first year members.  

23 06 05 New Member Picnic

Our new members put on a great picnic.  Delicious food, fun decorations, “break the ice” games and perfect weather.  

 23 08 30 Breast Cancer Pillows - The women of the GFWC, along with members of the community, rolled up their sleeves and worked on the For Women - By Women breast cancer pillow project.. In under four hours , fifty women completed cutting, sewing.,stuffing and whip stitching 300 breast cancer pillows to be distributed to local breast cancer facilities. Our next For Women - By Women volunteer service day is planned for January 15, 2024.

23 09 29  Weekend Food 4 Kids – Each year our club helps distribute the Food 4 Kids bags.  We do this once a month at Loudon Elementary.  We pack backs with food distributed by Second Harvest (who we also support).  Each bag contains 2 items of each food group– protein, vegetable, grain and dairy.  These bags are then distributed to the classrooms to be sent home with the child.

23 09 29  Leads and National Service Day Fall Conference-- Annette Quimper, First Vice  President of the GFWC Tellico Village Women’s Club, was one of nine women who completed the GFWC OF TENNESSEE leadership program on Friday, September 29th at our Fall Conference.
This is a program developed by GFWC to equip leaders for advancing the important community volunteer work done by our GFWC Clubwomen across the country. Mentoring leaders for our future ensures that this valuable work will continue to positively impact our communities.

The pictures below show the large amount of backpacks and food that our GFWC of TN clubs brought to our National Service Day project at our Fall Conference. Smoky Mountain District was asked to bring breakfast items and GFWC -TV contributed both food items and backpacks. Here’s a photo of some of the finished backpacks.

23 10 03 Ladies Lunch -- Once a year our club serves the deserts at the monthly Ladies Lunch.  We have a chance to tell about our club.  This year Michele Ondeck told about our Women for Women project where we sew and stuff cancer pillows.  Annette Quimper told about our upcoming Home Tour.  All proceeds from the sale of the deserts went to Second Harvest.

23 10 15  2023 Home Tour --  Our annual Home Tour was a big success this year.  Four homes were featured and enjoyed.  Our Reception at the Yacht Club was a huge success.