GFWC/Ohio Federation of Women's Clubs
President's Message
Patrice Booze

By the time you read this message we will have celebrated another year of club reporting! YES celebrated—our members are accomplishing wonderful work in their communities. What a thrill you all must have had as you worked on the reports and were able to SEE the programs, projects, hours, members participating, dollars donated and the many, many people that benefited by your HARD WORK! I am truly looking forward to reading each and every report from the very active clubwomen of Ohio. Officers, hostess clubs and chairmen are securing speakers on topics of Public Policy importance and making sure all is ready for informative and worthwhile Legislation Days for our clubwomen. District Chairmen have been hard at work reading and judging reports and will be excited to perform the pleasant task of awarding certificates for successful club programs and projects. THANK YOU for all of your hard work for the last two years—we can’t do our work without the cooperation of all the district and state officers and all the chairmen!

Since Legislation Days are upon us we KNOW that the 110th Annual Convention is right around the corner. The theme is Federation Construction Zone and Evie Bachman, GFWC/OFWC Second Vice President/Convention Chairman, Lin Wilken the District General Arrangements Chairman and the clubwomen of the West Central District have been hard at work making the preparations. They have attained speakers, entertainment, vendors, and volunteers to make sure that all the bases are covered for a successful event.

Our service project for this convention is the Fisher/Nightingale Houses', Touching Lives With Compassion. They provide the opportunity for military families to stay together and support each other when a loved one is undergoing medical treatment. The Fisher/Nightingale Houses provide physical and emotional support to our servicemen and servicewomen. This is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation dedicated to supporting the Fisher Houses at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.

Rose Logston GFWC/OFWC President-elect/Dean of Departments has been hard at work coordinating the details for the District Challenge, workshops and award ceremonies. The challenge topic is Membership and the workshops will be timely and educational. Look for more details elsewhere in this Buckeye Magazine. Thank you Rose for all of your efforts as Dean these past two years!

Sherry McClellan GFWC/OFWC Director of Junior Clubs and the Juniors have been hard at work finalizing the details for the Friday banquet and the Junior Fun Night. The Average White Broads are back! Thank you Juniors for providing them as entertainment!

The Chairmen and Committees have been hard at work finalizing the details of proposed amendments to the Bylaws and the Resolutions. Please read in this issue of the Buckeye Magazine and discuss these at your next club meeting. Be an informed delegate. Look for article written by Parliamentarian Barb Whitaker to make sure of your voting status as you register for the convention. This is an election and installation year. Please read the bios of the candidates included in this issue of the Buckeye. ! I know that we are all in for an exciting 2008-2010 Administration and CONGRAUTLATIONS to Rose Logston, Julie Vugrinovich, and all the elected district officers and the state candidates.

We still need a candidate for Secretary! Contact State Nominating Committee Chairman Jo Holder with the name of an eligible candidate.

The Fund Raising Chairmen will have available the Cat’s Meow replicas of our own treasured Memorial Shrine. These are highly collectable and the cost is a reasonable $25. Bricks and pavers will be a continuing project can still be purchased and added to the Memorial Walkway.

The 2009 GFWC Convention will be held in Ohio, June 10th-15th or 16th and we are starting our fundraising. Look for the table in Columbus!

I am very please to inform you that Sheila Shea, the GFWC Treasurer, will be the GFWC officer visiting and speaking at Convention. I have known Sheila for years and am confident that she will be a great addition to our well-planned Convention. Let us show this GFWC officer Ohio’s Federation PRIDE with a great attendance at our annual meeting.

Please look in this issue of The Buckeye Magazine and on the website, wwwgfwcohio.org , for convention registration form, workshop details, speakers, proposed Bylaw and Resolution amendments, bios for the candidates for office and the Wish List of items for our Service Project. The Convention is YOUR link to your organization. See you there!

The old saying goes Time flies when you are having fun and I know first hand that this is true. I am writing my final message as the GFWC/Ohio Federation of Women’s Clubs President. I have been so proud and honored to represent the Ohio members over the past two years.

I have enjoyed reading club newsletters and reports seeing first hand the wonderful programs and projects you have accomplished. I LOVE visiting clubs on Fall Tour and being invited to attend club meetings. I have been privileged to do installations, ACT in OCT events, club anniversaries and award ceremonies. I can’t thank you all enough for this experience and know it will be one of the highlights of my life. YOU are the heart of Federation and I have been thrilled to work with you Building Stronger Communities Through Federation!

This time of year as we wind down the one Administration we are working to make a smooth transition to the next. In Ohio we are building the bridges to the future and I will be honored to work on the state level as a chairman. On the national level during the 2008-2010 Administration I will be serving as the GFWC Membership Chairman. PLEASE feel free to contact me with your ideas of how we can work to INCREASE Membership by gaining new members and. building new clubs.

THANK YOU ALL FOR A WONDERFUL TWO YEARS!

Volunteering with you,

Patrice Booze
President
GFWC/Ohio Federation of Women's Clubs

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