August 13, 2014 at 3:42 p.m.
Rhinelander Woman's Club gives back to community
Rhinelander Woman's Club gives back to community
By Kayla Thomason-
The women discussed the many volunteer and community projects they could participate in, from saving forests to helping with college tuition and everything in between.
Every month volunteers from the club go to the food pantry and help distribute food, read to children at day care centers and more.
"All these gals, they volunteer," said club president Sue Bessert. "They are just on their own volunteering and we can add up to 6,000 hours on an annual basis from our membership."
The club provides scholarships to two Nicolet students and to students graduating from Rhinelander High School.
The club also sponsors the Helen Mears Art Competition and this year plans to make domestic violence a major platform.
"One of our signature projects is domestic violence and we are going to be wearing purple at our meetings and we'll have a speaker just to make a stand that we are definitely against any type of domestic violence," Bessert said.
The club was recently honored at the international level when it won a certificate for its outstanding public affairs program - the Flower Power fundraiser - that raised enough money to purchase call cards for veterans, according to Mary Fortier, program chair for public affairs. She was club president for two separate terms and has been a member for 14 years.
"It was fantastic and it was quite an honor to be recognized at the international level," she said.
The Rhinelander club includes close to 50 members and they are always looking for more. There are three honorary members who, due to personal circumstances, can't be an active member anymore.
Each woman brings some new or unique skill to the group which allows them to tackle such diverse subjects.
"We have some very active members, very varied, diverse members in various fields in the community and that's what we are all about is to enrich the community and help with different organizations," Fortier said.
In the last 10 years the club has contributed $25,000 to $30,000 to groups in the Northwoods, according to Bessert.
"We're very proud of our Rhinelander Woman's Club and all it does for the community. The flower baskets that you see are one of our projects and we're just very proud of the organization," Fortier said.
The women have six service program areas to work in - arts, conservation, education, home life, international outreach, and public issues.
At the picnic all the members were introduced to the new administrative team which includes Bessert, president (to be formally installed in September); Connie Griesbach, first vice president; Diane Dei Rossi and Lucy Palm, co-second vice presidents; Cindy Doll, secretary; and Barb Oestreicher, treasurer.
The women welcome members of any age throughout the year.
The fee to become a member of the largest volunteer organization in the world is $10 per year.
Club meetings are held at noon on the second Tuesday of every month at the Claridge-Days Inn in Rhinelander.
The club can be contacted at www.facebook.com/RhinelanderWomansClub.
Kayla Breese may be reached at [email protected].
Comments:
You must login to comment.