news and views - Tampa Womans Club

G. F. W. C.
Tampa Woman’s Club
NEWS AND VIEWS
Volume 65
Issue 7
January 2015
“Together we dream and achieve. Together we are One.”
Upcoming Events
January 8th
General Meeting
10:30am ~ Clubhouse
Evening Meeting
6:30pm ~ Clubhouse
December 12th
Juniorette Meeting
6:30pm ~ Clubhouse
January 14th
Junior Meeting
6:30pm ~ Clubhouse
January 15th
Executive Board Meeting
10:00am ~ Clubhouse
January 22
Card Party
10am ~ Clubhouse
New Provisional Soiree
TBA ~ Clubhouse
January 24th
Children’s Gasparilla
January 31
Gasparilla Adult Parade
Happy New Year
GFWC Tampa Woman’s Club
2901 Bayshore Blvd., Tampa FL 33629
telephone: 813-839-7457
www.tampwomansclub.org
[email protected]
President’s Message
by
Tuky Vargas
President’s Message - January 2015
Happy New Year! I hope each of you enjoyed time with your family and friends over
the holiday season.
I can't believe how fast the year went. It must be due in large part to the great spirit
of the club and, of course, the enthusiasm of all the new members working together. I
want to reiterate that I know that the club "works" only because of the ongoing
commitment of our members who support the various projects and activities we are
involved in. I want to say "Thank You" to everyone who supports our club and makes
us look good. I am really proud to be part of the GFWC Tampa Women’s Club.
Our December meeting was one of the most attended and I loved seeing each one of
you dressed so festively and looking lovely. What an EXCELLENT program we had,
thanks to Dee McIntosh, who honored the Busy Fingers for all they’ve done for the
club through the years. The Christmas music was also simply wonderful.
As 2015 begins I reflect on what lies ahead and how I can achieve my resolutions. I
use January 1st as a chance to set goals and I include something silly as well as
something that takes more planning; like sleeping earlier every night and getting more
exercise. Most people that I know attempt to have more achievable resolutions, I think
that is the way I’ll cope with my goals.
What goals or resolutions do you have for 2015? How can our club support your
resolutions? We raise funds all season long through our holiday shopping, special
events, and also supporting local organizations. I look forward to hearing
your resolutions for 2015. Together, let’s dream and enjoy all the events that the club
plans to have this year.
We have begun a new year, with a clean reporting slate. However, as many of you
know, January is also the time that GFWC clubs across Florida complete written reports
on every activity they can think of from 2014. While winning awards is certainly
exciting, we must also remember that reporting serves a more substantive purpose.
The reports give us a chance to see if we are on the right track with other clubs and
how our efforts stack up to the goals of the Federation.
Wishing you and your family and friends a wonderful holiday season! And a
safe, prosperous and Happy New!
Tuky
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MEMBERSHIP
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Linda Reece
January 2015 Membership report
Boy, last month’s Mystery Board Member of the
month was a hard one! But a great way to learn
about Christine Bonaventure! Congratulations to
Joanna Boley-Lee!
This month’s member is very interesting as well.
Good luck on your guess and don’t forget—one
“fact” is a lie!
President Elect
•
She has had 34 jobs;
•
She has had 13 speeding tickets;
•
She started a successful business with $14;
•
She met Cesar Romero when she was 25
(WOW!)
*****************************************
Hope that you all have
Saved the Date!!
Our annual Soiree is right around the corner. Join
us for an exceptional evening of FREE fun, food
and friendship. So don’t forget—
Jan. 22 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
We have wonderful entertainment already planned
for you and your spouse, significant other and
friends. Just call the Club office so that we have
an idea of how many to expect.
Please, please if you would like to come but don’t
want to drive at night, call Janelle at the Club. We
will do our very best to make sure that someone
picks you up and takes you home. We want you
to come!
Arts
Page 11
Birthdays
Page 6
December Meeting
Page 4
Domestic Violence
Page 8
Education
Page 7
Gasparilla 2015
Page 9
Happy New Year
Page 12
Geography Quiz
Page 3
Home Life
Page 5
International Outreach
Page 3
Ladies of the Evening
Page
7
Membership
Page
2
Public Issues
Page 10
Yearbook Updates
Page
4
1st Vice President
Page
9
News and Views
Is currently being compiled and edited
by Jan Pardo and proofread by Tomi
Reneau. We welcome your feedback.
Reach Jan by email: [email protected]
Phone 908-6440
Some colorful stuffed animals invaded the
office to be donated to the children of the
Migrant Workers thanks to our
3rd VP Sandra Alexander.
3
INTERNATIONAL OUTREACH
Cindy Bower
Happy New Year! As you all know, with the beginning of a new
year comes a new calendar to update. So, as you sit down to fill
out your 2015 calendar, I want to remind you to make a note of
the International Dinner on 9 May at the Tampa Woman’s Club
clubhouse. For those of you who are new to the event, you should
know to make your reservations early. It’s a popular event and
always sells out!
Check out this month’s Geography Quiz for information on
another of Tampa’s sister cities.
UN Observance for January – 27 January is the International
Day of Commemoration of the Victims of the Holocaust.
GEOGRAPHY QUIZ
Another of Tampa’s sister cities, this city is the second largest port in Turkey (after
Istanbul). It is the most western-leaning of Turkish cities and its location on an
important gulf has given it a trading edge that has lasted from the 3rd century AD
until today. For centuries, it was known as Smyrna, a name possibly derived from
the myrrh trees that grow here. The city’s origins are believed to date back to 3000
BC. As Turkey’s third largest city and the regional headquarters of NATO, this city
has a multicultural sophistication. Name the City.
4
December Meeting
Our beautifully decorated
Clubhouse… done by the provisionals
Betty Lumia
and Santa
Tuky and Pat
Our President and Parliamentarian
The head table…. with beautiful Christmas
Cacti along the front..
The General Meeting in progress
Susan Barksdale
and Santa
Jan Pardo and Nina Graham
posing with Santa
Our ladies enjoying the program
Anita telling the story of
the Mouse
5
HOME LIFE
Joyce Dixon
2015 is here and we have a lot to look forward to in the coming year. We finished 2014 with a
bang and donated our time and efforts to completing our Christmas projects. I'm sure there were
many smiling and happy faces when they received the gifts that were donated by the members of
the Tampa Woman's Club. Thanks again to all of you that participated in these worthy projects.
Our next project is the Belle of the Ball. It is an organization that collects gently worn prom and
homecoming dresses and gives them to girls in need. These girls are referred to the Belle of the
Ball by school guidance counselors, teachers, principals, social workers, churches, foster care,
Guardian ad litem, and civic organizations. Please check your closets and bring in any gently
used gowns, cocktail dresses, dress shoes, purses and accessories to the club. We will deliver
them to the organization some time in March so we can be sure “no girl is denied the opportunity
to attend her High School dance because of financial difficulties”. If you prefer, you can make a
monetary donation to help the girls.
The Home Life Committee donated some of the monies we made from the Bunco Party to
Canine Companions for Independence, Southeastern Guide Dogs, and My Hope Chest, an
organization that does cosmetic reconstruction for breast survivors that cannot afford it.
Ysabella… the puppy our Club named from
Southeastern Guide Dogs
Weaver… the Puppy from Canine Companions for
Independence was at the GFWC Florida Headquarters
Holiday Open House in Lakeland.
He was named by our GFWC Florida President
Carole Weaver.
6
JANUARY BIRTHDAYS
Happy New Year to all of you! The following
ladies will be celebrating their birthdays the
first month of 2015:
Pat Keel
January 4
Katie Harper
President Elect
Barbara Reeves
January 5
January 5
Helen Dunbar
January 7
Carol Kurdell
January 9
Jean Eberhart
January 10
Rachel Dalton
January 11
Ruth Lovell
January 12
Carol Haines
January 14
Leah Richards King
January 16
Florence Papia
January 16
Sunny Lemmert
January 18
Candi LoPresti
January 21
Cindy Cucuz
January 24
Pat Cranford
January 30
Beverly Lee
January 31
January is also a birthday month for Presidents Richard
Nixon, William McKinley, Franklin Delano Roosevelt;
historical figures such as Paul Revere and Betsy Ross;
entertainers and famous stars such as Elvis Presley,
Joan of Arc, Rod Stewart, Tom Selleck, Tom Cruise,
Mel Gibson, Rush Limbaugh, Howard Stern, Betty
White, Paul Newman, Dolly Parton and many others.
Some fun facts about the first month of the year: The
name January came from the Roman god Janus, the
Roman word for door. Janus had two faces which
allowed him to look forward into the coming year and
backward into the previous year. The flower symbol is
a carnation and the birthstone is garnet. The two
zodiac signs for January are Capricorn and Aquarius.
January also celebrates the following events: National
Book month, Eye Care month, Blood Donor month,
Soup month, and National Thank You month. New
Mexico and Utah became part of our nation in January
and Thomas Paine’s book Common Sense was
published in 1776.
Special days celebrated and
honored by many include:
January 1 - New Year’s Day and The Emancipation
Proclamation was issued by Abraham Lincoln in 1863;
January 6 - Epiphany
January 11 - National Human Trafficking Awareness
Day
January 19 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
As many of us are celebrating the new year in good
health, many of our members are recuperating from
illnesses. In addition, many members have family
members who are in need of our positive thoughts and
prayers. If you would like a club member to receive a
card, please let Cathy Geary or Susie Donley know and
we will be sure to send positive thoughts and love. As
Leo Tolstoy once wrote: “Nothing can make our life, or
the lives of other people, more beautiful than perpetual
kindness.” Have a blessed 2015.
NOTE FROM FRONT OFFICE
Ladies please remember that you must call the
clubhouse to cancel your lunch on the Monday
before the meeting if you are on the permanent
lunch list, otherwise you will be responsible for
paying for your meal.
Provisionals are on the permanent lunch list. If
you wish to be removed from or added to the list
please call the office – 813-839-7457
7
LADIES OF THE EVENING
Cindy Argerious
The TWC evening group met at the lovely Mariner
North Condominiums for our annual Holiday
dinner/meeting/party. Great Food, Great Fun,
Great Chinese Gift Exchange and Wine Glass
Competition…Great Friends. What can I say but
that we all had a great evening!!! Thank you to
Pat & Cy Hart for again hosting the event at their
condo.
On the evening group agenda for January, the
“Gasparilla Children’s Parade & Piratechnic
Extravaganza”
President Electon Saturday January 24. We will
have a signup sheets at the next meeting for all the
ladies who can come out and help work the event.
This event is chaired by the TWC evening group,
but hope (encourage) some of the day group
members to come out and help. It is really a lot
more fun than work! TWC Parking Permits will be
emailed out after the signup sheet is completed.
8:00 AM
11:00 AM
1:30 PM
Lind PM
3:30
7:00 PM
Parking of the Cars aka Cathy Geary
& Friends Valet Service
Street Vendors & Activities for children
Pre-Schooler’s Stroll
Children’s Parade (family friendly
version of Gasparilla)
Piratechnic Extravaganza
EDUCATION
Dee Grosser
Happy New Year Members!
On Friday November 21st, Education
Committee members attended the TwentyFifth Annual Scholarship Luncheon at the
University of Tampa. Our Lucille B. King
Scholarship recipient dined with us and was
very appreciative of our donation. She is
majoring in Management Information
Systems and will graduate in May.
Please join us for our first fund raiser of 2015
on February 12th. VALENTINE BINGO will be
held at the club from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. The
cost will be $15 and includes food and one
bingo card. Additional cards will be available
for $2. It will be a night of fun, and prizes!
The Education Committee appreciates your
support.
As you can see it is a long day and we need many
helpers for set up and breakdown, selling our
snacks & drinks on Bayshore Blvd, monitoring the
bathrooms, etc. This is an excellent money maker
for the TWC and the money stays in the Club.
It is also the time of year when we LOVE to remind
you that we welcome your donations for
Fashionollia of those Christmas and Holiday gifts
you receive but do not wish to keep. Each year the
evening group gathers those items (and you can
help) for the Silebt Auction. Nothing is to great or
to small and may items will be incorporated into
gift baskets. Do not hesitate to ask the vendors
that you visit to donate a gift certificate or service.
We will have the tax donation forms available at
the club at the January meeting. Remember it is
for Charity! Have a Happy & Safe New Year and
see you in January on the 8th not the 1st.
Geography Answer:
Answer: Izmir, Turkey
8
Domestic Violence
STICKS AND STONES
“Sticks and stones can break my bones – but words will never hurt me!”
I’m sure you remember saying that to your fellow classmates when you were in
grammar school. I know I do – it was one of my favorite sayings to protect myself
from the bullies.
But, you and I really know that “words” are some of the most abusive things to use
against a person, whether those words are used to their faces or behind their
backs.
As a matter of fact, according to an article written by Melissa Dahl, “Child
Psychology,” emotional abuse – or “words” – can be as damaging as sexual abuse.
She states further: “Kids who are emotionally abused suffer the same mentalhealth consequences as those who are physically or sexually abused – and in some
cases, psychologically-abused kids may actually fare worse. Psychological abuse
covers a wide variety of mistreatment, including parents bullying kids, exerting
excess control over them, or insulting or threatening them; at the other end of the
spectrum, isolating or ignoring kids is also considered to be psychological abuse.”
According to the American Psychological Association, researchers examined the
mental-health histories of over 5,600 children who had suffered some form of
abuse and states: “Children who had been psychologically abused suffered from
anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, symptoms of post-traumatic stress and
suicidality at the same rate and, in some cases, at a greater rate than children who
were physically or sexually abused. Among the three types of abuse, psychological
maltreatment was most strongly associated with depression, general anxiety
disorder, social anxiety disorder, attachment problems and substance abuse.”
“While physical abuse often brings telltale markers, psychological abuse is often
harder to detect. Also, psychological abuse isn’t considered a serious social taboo
like physical and sexual child abuse,” said the lead study author Joseph Spinazzola,
Trauma Center at Justice Resource Institute in Brookline, Massachusetts. “But
the invisible toll of emotional torment is damaging, too – it’s time to make the case
that we paid them more attention.”
So, let’s watch our words and show more empathy and compassion to all people.
Such psychological maltreatment can happen at any age – words do hurt!
9
Gasparilla 2015
1st VICE PRESIDENT
Christine Bonaventura
“Only those who will risk going
too far can possibly find out how far one can
go.” – T.S. Eliot I think this is a great quote
to ring in the New Year! It's important to
push ourselves into those uncharted and
uncomfortable places, like volunteering on
one of our clubs, it may seem scary and
overwhelming but it's really not, and in the
end you'll be asking yourself why you have
not joined sooner!
President Elect
Gasparilla Children’s Parade 2015
Linda Watts and Cat Geary
Saturday, January 24, 2015 ~ 8am – 7pm
We need your help~! Woman’s Club, Juniors and
Juniorettes are working together this year.
Parking – Cat and the Juniors will be parking cars
between 8am and 4pm. Shifts can be 2,3 or 4
hours. We also need two ladies to man the foyer
to check bathroom passes throughout the day.
Janelle will be taking reservations in the office –
Thanks Janelle, this is the BIG job~!
Snacks & Sodas. Linda, the Evening ladies, and
day ladies will be selling snacks and sodas for $1.
The set-up will be 9am-10am and Clean-up will be
6-7pm. We need lots of folks late as it has to be
put away completely for our church rental. As you
can see we need LOTS of help~!
The Juniorettes are joining us this year doing face
painting for donations.
There will be a sign-up sheet at the meeting in
January. We will take donations of Coke, Diet
Coke, Sprite or bottled water throughout the
month of January. We will also take snacks, please
contact Cat for the list. See you all there…
ARRRRRRRR….
Cat and Linda
Ok, so, Programs, thank you Dee for a lovely
Christmas Program honoring our Busy
Fingers and for the beautiful Christmas carols
sung by Bette Johnson and accompanied by
Anthony Pryor on piano. It was just the thing
to get us in the Holiday spirit! Thanks again
Dee!
Looking forward to January and our arts
program and all our Members beautiful and
creative entries!
Bette
Johnson
was our
singer for
today's
program...
and what
a voice!
Anthony Pryor was
our Pianist
10
PUBLIC ISSUES
Elena Coates
We accomplished quite a few things during December:
Wreaths Across America: We sponsored 38 wreaths for
the 13 December ceremony at the American Legion Cemetery.
Cup of Joe: Our $60 donation will provide 30 deployed
service members with a free cup of coffee. We have received
Thank-you notes from members stationed in Kuwait and
Djibouti.
Toys for Tots: We donated three large bags of toys and stuffed animals.
USO: Besides the Christmas cards we signed for the USO at the airport, we also sent a box
of decorations to the Pat Tillman USO in Bagram, Afghanistan to help spread a little cheer.
Pearl Harbor Remembrance Cruise: Susie Donley and I went on the cruise and had a lovely
time. They had a band playing 40s music, dancing, food and the Bomber Girls walked around
posing for pictures. This cruise was a fundraiser for Honor Flight and several WWII veterans
went along. We also experienced a burial at sea, as a veteran's ashes were sent to his final
resting place. (pictures on our club facebook page)
Portico Closet: We donated a huge bag of toiletries for survivors of Human Trafficking.
Facebook Series: We have started two series on the club facebook page: one is on Historic
Districts and Landmark Buildings in Tampa and the second recognizes little known names
and facts about Women's Contributions in US History from the National Women's History
Museum. (please follow both of these on our club facebook page)
Coming in January:
January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month and the 2015 Tampa Bay Human
Trafficking Awareness Week is set for 10-17 January. Several events are planned including
the Kick Off on the 10th at the Salvation Army on Sligh, a dinner dance fundraiser, an art
auction and Bridging Freedom's Candlelight Vigil Walk on the 17th. Additional information will
be sent via email as it becomes available.
Eat at Joe's: Enjoy al fresco dining and live music at the Joe Chillura Courthouse Square in
downtown Tampa (corner of Pierce and Kennedy). Bring a lunch or buy one from the food
trucks. The lunchtime event takes place on the first Friday of each month from 11am to 2pm.
11
11
ARTS
CAROLE ADAMCZYK
January 2014
Happy New Year to all!
At our January meeting, all entries to the GFWC 2015 Arts & Crafts Competition will be on
display, from our club members. Please be sure to come up and see all the beautiful items our
talented members of our club have created.
Thank you to all who helped with our 2014 Club Scrapbook entry into the
2015 Arts & Crafts Competition. It was certainly a group effort.
Upcoming events:
Straz Center
The Book of Mormon January 20 - February 1, 2015 Carol Morsani Hall
First Date A Broadway Musical January 27 - April 12, 2015
Opera Tampa New Voices in Concert January 18, 2014
On the Trail of Big Cats with National Geographic photographer Steve
Winter
January 20, 2015
Volunteer Opportunity:
Paint the Town, Saturday, January 17, 2015 TIME: 8am until 2pm Volunteers and
organizational groups are needed for the University Area Community Development
Corporation’s (UACDC) third annual Paint the Town event Saturday, January 17, 2015 from
8am until 2pm, to paint sweep and/or collect liter in the University District. Those
interested in volunteer opportunities can contact Ronnie Oliver at 813-558-5212 or at
[email protected].
GFWC
New Tampa Woman’s Club
2901 Bayshore Blvd
Tampa, FL 33629-7404
Address Service Requested
NON-PROFIT
ORGANIZATION
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT #646
TAMPA, FLORIDA
.
Recipe for a Happy New Year. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Anonymous
Take twelve fine, full-grown months; see that these are thoroughly free from old
memories of bitterness, rancor and hate, cleanse them completely from every clinging
spite; pick off all specks of pettiness and littleness; in short, see that these months are
freed from all the past—have them fresh and clean as when they first came from the great
storehouse of Time. Cut these months into thirty or thirty-one equal parts. Do not
attempt to make up the whole batch at one time (so many persons spoil the entire lot
this way) but prepare one day at a time.
Into each day put equal parts of faith, patience, courage, work (some people omit this
ingredient and so spoil the flavor of the rest), hope, fidelity, liberality, kindness, rest
(leaving this out is like leaving the oil out of the salad dressing— don’t do it), prayer,
meditation, and one well-selected resolution. Put in about one teaspoonful of good spirits,
a dash of fun, a pinch of folly, a sprinkling of play, and a heaping cupful of good humor.