GFWC Jackson Woman’s Club
(intended for the January Issue.)

The Jackson Woman's Club hopes that each of you had wonderful, memory filled Holidays. Christmas is our most significant Holiday of the year. A time of sharing and joy for family and friends and of special memories for each of us. As Charles Dickens said, "I have always thought at Christmas time, when it has come around, as a good time, a kind, forgiving, charitable time. The only time I know of, in the long calendar year when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and think of people below them as if they really were fellow passengers to the grave and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys...And so as Tiny Tim said "A Merry Christmas to us all, my dears, God Bless Us Every One.

Our November meeting program was given by Susan Kerr and Toni Patway concerning Tennessee Infant Parenting Services. Susan is a member of our club. They explained the special needs of children born with handicaps and the needs of the parents of these children.. Our club made a donation of $100.00 to help with Christmas for one of the families. Also two other women in our club went together and provided Christmas for another family. We provided 50 Christmas stockings for the Salvation Army. We also brought can goods which we donated to the RIFA program.

Ladies we sponsored our annual poetry contest and had wonderful response and some very talented winners which were sent to District for consideration. Sondra Marbury has also sent out applications to the local colleges for our Nursing Scholarship. We hope to have a winner selected soon.

Our December meeting was our Christmas program. This was a very special program presented by my friend and mentor Miss Ruby Schoonover, Executive Director of Physician Relations at the Jackson Clinic. She shared her spiritual walk with God and how he has used her in his service at her place of work. She has touched my life and others as few people ever have... Our very own Nell Googe and her lovely daughter Janeen entertained us with Christmas music. Janeen is with the Jackson Symphony and a very gifted musician...and Nell is quite the showman... This was enjoyed by all immensely.

On a personal note, I was very honored and surprised to be named Woman of the Year by our Club. I feel this is a great honor to be selected by our Club and it is with great humility that I accepted it. I feel I have made some dear and life long friendships and that we truly are a sisterhood. I have discovered as we work together we are able to reach beyond ourselves and embrace the World.

LaVerne McIver
President
(Editor’s note: LaVerne sent this article in time for the January issue, but space limitations prevented its publication. Our apologies are extended to the entire GFWC Jackson Woman’s Club.)

Residents had to move into other facilities while the Memphis Family Shelter was being repaired. Some of the residents have been able to move back into the first floor of the facility. As the residents return, the donations will be of great use to the families.

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