GFWC Illinois Fairbury
Woman’s Club
General Federation of Woman’s Clubs Illinois
GFWC Illinois Fairbury Woman’s Club is a small, very active club working to promote our community, district, state, and National organizations.
We were founded in 1936 with 27 members. The first President was Idabelle Nelson. Over the years the club has had over 60 members, but for the last 40 years membership is usually 20 or less. At this time we have 12 members with more than 235 years of Federation experience.
Our Club will be celebrating 75 years of community service and federation on Sunday, Nov. 6, 2011, at the Methodist Church Hall in Fairbury from 2 pm - 4 pm.
Meetings:
Fairview Haven Nursing Home
605 N. Fourth Street, Fairbury, IL 61739
1st Thursday of each month, every month
7 p.m.
Contact for more information:
Carol Ely
409 W. Chestnut
Fairbury, IL 61739
815-692-2910
cje1949@hotmail.com
Officers:
President - Carol Ely
President Elect - Sherry Metz
Secretary - Denise Doran
Treasurer - Kathy Abels
Club Committees:
GFWC Departments:
The Arts
Conservation
Education
Health
Home Life
International Affairs
Public Affairs
Public Relations
Leadership
Membership
Veteran’s Affairs
Native American’s
Prevent Child Abuse
Legislation
Special Committees:
Blood Drives
Garage Sales
Operation Santa
Annual Club Projects:
The Fairbury Club sponsored the Reading is Fundamental program for 37years in 6 different schools. Since RIF funds have been cut, we currently are using the Scholastic Literacy Partnership program to purchase books for the local grade school students 3 times a year.
All Town Garage Sales: Last Friday and Saturday in April and September. There are 60-70 homes participating each time, and the profits from advertising the sales goes to club projects. It gives local people a chance to recycle unwanted items and make money, bringing over 1000 people to town that helps all local businesses.
June Blood Drive: We sponsor the blood drive with the local Red Cross and usually recruit over 175 donors.
Operation Santa is currently in its 4th year of sponsorship by this club. In three years they have made over 100,000 stockings that have been sent to the troops. We organize with local stores for residents to purchase items needed for the stocking and sponsor “Put A Sock In It” night at a local football game to gather athletic socks to put into stockings.
On the 1st Saturday of December we sponsor Kids Christmas Corner where children 12 and under may purchase gifts for their parents and or grandparents and have them wrapped. The cost is $1.00
We will hold our 4th annual Christmas Stocking raffle this December, with the proceeds going to our local ambulance service (SELCAS) for the purchase of child mannequins for their training purposes. Two Christmas stocking each with over $400 worth of gift cards and services to local businesses will be drawn for on Sat. Dec. 1, 2012. Tickets are $5.00 each.
Members Take 4 Day Trip to Visit Shawnee National Forest in June 2011
Presentataion to the 25th Citizen of the Year in June 2011. Members Lisa Gibson,
Brenda Travis, Citizen of the Year Mary Streitmatter, Susan Schove, and Chris Metz
Fairbury Junior Woman's Club officers for 2008-09
District 17
Left to Right
Sue Schove - President Elect, Carol Ely - Secretary, Chris Metz - Treasurer, Sherry
Metz - Ppresident
Carol Rich - Past State President and did installation
Update of Dominy Memorial Library Renovation in Fairbury
Construction started in May, and the library is currently being packed up to move
into a vacant store front until February. They will start knocking down the east
walls the end of September to join the buildings together.
We are still raising money for the current construction and new shelving needed.
Our club will be holding our 3rd annual Christmas Stocking Raffle on Dec. 3rd. The
stockings will be filled with $25 gift cards or services donated by local merchants.
A local business just recently pledged $250,000 for the community room which was
not part of the current bid. This is great news, as there is no such place in our
town of 3750 at this time.
Once again, we thank everyone who voted in the Reader’s Digest Contest “We Hear You
America.” That $25,000 was a great help toward the 2.4 million dollar project!
Here are some pictures of the on going construction of the library renovation.
2012-2013 Club Officers: Secretary-Denise Doran, Treasurer-Kathy Abels, President
Elect-Sherry Metz, President-Carol Ely, Installing Officer GFWC IL Past State President-Carol
Rich
GFWC Illinois Fairbury Woman’s Club Members at June 2012 Banquet: The whole club
was present!
Back-L-R: Lisa Gibson, Susan Schove, Sandie Gonzalez, Chris Metz, Kathy Abels, Carol
Ely, Carol Rich, Brenda Travis, Denise Doran, Sherry Metz
Seated-L-R: Liz Freeland, Joan Dorsey, Mary Jo Grahan, GFWC Illinois State President
Pat Heitman, Janice Meiss