GFWC/Ohio Federation of Women's Clubs Web Site GFWC/Ohio Federation of Women's Clubs
ESO
Epsilon Sigma Omicron Reading Program
Alpha Delta Chapter


President:Sharon Pervo
Vice President/Reading Chairman:Cheryl Gray
Secretary/Treasurer:Barbara Whitaker

The Alpha Delta Chapter of ESO is a non-social, education sorority sponsored by the Education department of OFWC with membership available to ANY per capita or direct member of GFWC/Ohio Federation of Women's Clubs.

COMMITTEE GOALS
To encourage and give direction to clubwomen in a structured reading program for self-fulfillment and personal growth.

JOIN
To Join the Alpha Delta Chapter of ESO:
Join the fun! Send your name, address, club, district and optional email address along with $3.00 dues to the chapter Secretary/Treasurer named above. Membership must be renewed with each new GFWC/OFWC administration. Download Enrollment Form.

Meetings of the Alpha Delta Chapter are held annually during the GFWC/Ohio convention and are open to Pledges, Members and guests. During this meeting ideas for educational opportunities and improvement of the chapter are exchanged.

LEARN
Learn through several forms of communication – traditional books, continuing education classes, college courses, spiritual study courses, computer generated books or courses, audio and video tapes, educational television and courses such as Elderhostel. Suggested reading lists are available, but materials not on the lists are accepted. The lists are guidelines and lists from previous administrations or from other chapters may be used. Cookbooks, technical manuals and instructional materials are also accepted.

REPORT
Report the completed materials to the chapter Vice President/Reading Chairman. Reports may be sent by postal service or via email. Download Book Report Form .

The brief report should contain the following information at the top of the report: name and address, club name, district, title of the book/tape/course, author, year reporting and which of the six GFWC/Ohio departments in which the book best belongs (Arts, Conservation, Education, Home Life, International Affairs or Public Affairs) For instance, a novel set in China which contains background information about Chinese culture and history may be reported under International Affairs.

The body of the report should include: the kind of book/tape/course (fiction, biography, etc.), a brief statement of what it is about and your personal opinion of it.

A new member is a Pledge until the ESO Pin Level is reached. GFWC asks that the individual at the Pledge level submit reports only from traditional books or unabridged audio tapes. Also, the subject matter is limited for Pledges. It is requested that reports be submitted either four (4) books in five (5) departments OR five (5) books in four (4) departments – 20 books total. Please report all reports for one department together until the Pin Level is reached. These books do NOT have to be completed during one administration.

Once Full Membership is achieved, reports may be submitted individually. The number of reports submitted accrues from year to year and counts to future levels of achievement.

AWARDS
Individual awards:
ESO rewards individuals who read by assigning levels of achievement based on the number of books or other publications read and corresponding reports written. The choice of material is the individual's. Several levels of achievement are recognized. The count of reports submitted accrues from year to year and is independent of administration.
The award levels are: Members may purchase a pin and other jewelry signifying their level. Century Award winners are recognized at GFWC/OFWC conventions.

Club Awards:
The member's club benefits not only from a better educated member but can report report under Education Department white pages. Clubs can report the hours spent in the initiation and administration of ESO activities, hours spent in group discussion and hours spent in organizing ESO publicity. Clubs MAY NOT report hours members spent in reading/learning or in writing the reports.

Completing a course on Empowering Women, learning how to preserve historic documents, grant writing seminars, and leadership training are all examples of activities that benefit both the club and the member.

ESO Reading Groups may be formed within a club and can be a great way to recruit new members for the club, help form more binding bonds among the members, and can improve the club through the group’s studies. These groups meet outside the regular meeting time and either discuss a study done by the entire group or share the latest book/study the members have completed individually.

RESOURCES

Resources include your local library and book stores. They will have reading lists available and assist you in finding materials of interest to you. Your local public library will be able to assist you with information found on the internet. All public libraries in Ohio have internet access free to patrons.