Home Life Department

The GFWC Home Life Department includes three programs that acquaint members with contemporary issues facing their communities and offer resources to enable club women to improve their communities through volunteerism.

GFWC's Focus on Health Program provides important information about current health issues facing women with the objective of improving the health and quality of life of club women GFWC has strong partnerships with various nonprofit and health organizations to achieve this goal.

The Helping Hands Program members provide important information about organizations that improve the lives of those in need and provides opportunities for club women to get involved within their communities.

The Focus on Financial Issues Program encourages members to educate themselves and others about financial issues,k such as credit scores, philanthropic giving, identity theft, and social security.

Canine Companions for Independence is a nonprofit organization that enhances the lives of people with disabilities by providing highly trained assistance dogs and ongoing support to ensure quality partnerships. CCI is funded by private contributions and receives no government funding. There is no charge to the graduate for a CCI assistance dog. For more information on Canine Companions please visit their web site at http://www.cci.org

Canine Companions, Making Miracles Happen Breakfast: BWC members had an opportunity to learn about Canine Companions for Independence, a nonprofit organization that enhances the lives of people with disabilities by providing highly trained assistance dogs and ongoing support to ensure quality partnerships. You will hear first hand, from program participants, how Canine Companions for Independence assistance dogs have enhanced their lives.

BWC members attend an informational Breakfast for Canine Companions. Row 1: Connie Campbell, Tina Smith, Jane Davis, Terry Temple, Jackie Mepyans, Nona Weatherby, Rosemary Frank Row 2: Genevieve Cloud, Betty Walton, Phyllis, Streiff, Diane Jones

Harpeth Terrace Convalescent Home is a locally owned and operated nursing facility located near downtown Franklin, TN. BWC provides a monthly bingo activity for the residents of the facility. A donation box is provided at BWC's general meetings so that members can provide ongoing prizes for the bingo games.

Harpeth Terrace bingo is the second Monday of each month at Harpeth Terrace Convalescent Home in Franklin, TN from 10:00 to 11:30 am. This is a great activity that the residents really enjoy! Come and join in the fun. Donations for Bingo prizes are needed: figurines, toiletries, small or medium size stuffed animals, stationery, and perfume (his/hers). A box will be at all general meetings for members to deposit donations.

Our next Bingo at Harpeth Terrace Convalescence Center is November 10th at 10:00 am. Please keep helping us refill our supply of toiletries, boxes of Kleenex, socks, etc. If any members clean out their jewelry drawers or run across some costume jewelry please keep us in mind. We are in particular need of men's items and costume jewelry. Our ladies love those jewels!

Home Life Cochairman, Diane Jones and Jacqui Love prepare trays of prizes for Bingo games at Harpeth Terrace Convalescent Center.

Home Life Department members enjoy assisting the residents of Harpeth Terrace with their bingo cards and prizes.

Front Row: Jacqui Love, Ricky Rushing, Jamie Wirth, Diane Jones, Shari Martin, and Mary Phillips

Second Row: Jane Davis, Connie Campbell and Becky Pair

Seated are three residents enjoying the day and their prizes!

Snoopy's Closet at Williamson Medical Center: BWC donates layette items to be given to indigent mothers through Snoopy's Closet, located in the new patient care tower at Williamson Medical Center. A donation box is provided at all BWC general meetings for the "ongoing" needed new items: diapers in newborn and size 1, sleepers, baby wipes, wash cloths, receiving blankets, and "onesies". Thank you for your continued support of this project.

Laura Busletter, Marketing and Public Relations Director of Williamson Medical was the speaker at the September general meeting. She was accompanied by a number of members of the board and the director of Snoopy's Closet. It was a great time to bring in all the receiving blankets, diapers and onsies that we collect for Snoopy's Closet, and shower WMC with thanks for being a sponsor of our last major fundraiser. We will learn a lot about the services the medical center provides to the residents of Williamson County.

Kim Naegle at Williamson Medical Center reports that the Obstetrics Department has completed their move into the beautiful, new patient care tower at Williamson Medical Center. They now have lots of space for items donated to "Snoopy's Closet".

The Unicorn Mountain Project is a GFWC Tennessee Federation supported project in the mountains of east Tennessee. It provides services for families in Morgan and Scott counties who are in need of clothing, food, medical supplies, coal for heating, etc. The Unicorn Fund also awards six scholarships each year, one for each high school in the two counties plus one nursing scholarship. The fund is primarily financed by the Second Time Around Boutique, located in Wartburg. BWC Donates clothing and household items in new or good condition for resale at the Wartburg store, which is operated by volunteers. More information can be found at http://www.gfwctn.org/helpinghands.html

Wartburg Trip: Our trip to Wartburg will take place on Wednesday, November 12th. If you wish to donate clothing it should be clean and on hangars. Small appliances that work are always appreciated, as are items for teens, especially UT items. If you have things to donate please call Jacqui Love or Diane Jones and a pick up will be arranged. Those driving (or riding) should be at the Park and Ride on Concord Road by 7:45 a.m..

Wartburg/Unicorn Project: Wednesday, December 5th, 2007 we had a full day outing taking collections of household items and clothing for their used item store.

Jacqui Love, Elaine Badelt, Connie Campbell, Imelda Karlson's guest, Diane Jones, Imelda Karlson, and a Wartburg representative enjoy some refreshments after unloading our donations at the store.

Continue cleaning those closets, kitchens and garages. Unfortunately this year, we do not have any storage capabilities in advance, so please collect and maintain these items at home.

Wartburg volunteer, assists Elaine Badelt, Diane Jones, and Jacqui Love as they deliver a load of clothing and household items.

Women's Finance:

Women's Finance is prominent on the GFWC agenda. BWC's activity in this area has been minimal and there is an interest in doing more to help members, as well as women in the community. The club can take a leadership position in raising the awareness of women and the responsibility for their financial well-being.

Recent research tells us:

By the year 2010, less than two years from now, women will control 60% of all the wealth in the nation.
90% of all women will be solely responsible for their finances at some point in their lives.
90% of all women say they feel somewhat financially insecure.
Traditional values and societal practices have denied women access to needed financial education.
Women make more than 80% of all purchasing decisions
76% of all women wish they had learned more about investing while growing up.

What we can do about it:

Initiate learning now by sponsoring club activities, which may be open to the public.
Lead by example and encourage fun learning environments.
Provide women with resources they have previously found difficult to identify.
Brainstorm for ideas that may appeal to women for purposes of breaking through the barrier, resistance and fear of the unknown.
Sponsor a specific finance scholarship to facilitate increased participation by women in the financial professions.

Health Message: February is national "Go Red for Women" month.

Do you know what the number one killer of woman is? If you think it's heart disease then you would be right. Cardiovascular disease claims more lives than the next four causes of death combined. Coronary heart disease is the number one single killer of women over 25. Heart disease rates in post-menopausal women are two to three times higher than in pre-menopausal women of the same age. Stroke sills more women than men. These statistics are pretty shocking but the good news is that there are many things that we can do to lower our risk factors and be aware of potentially life threatening heart attacks or strokes.

Go Red For Women month is a nation wide movement founded in February of 2004 by the American Heart Association. This movement aims to educate and empower women. Please check out their web site at http://www.goredforwomen.org. Wear red at our February general meeting. Brentwood Woman's Club members have big hearts. Let's keep them healthy!

In November our featured health message was on Radon.

Radon, a Particular Concern for Brentwood Families: Many Brentwood homes were built on what was at one time an old phosphate mine. After the area mine was closed and reclaimed as beautiful countryside, one element remains: radon. Radon is a colorless, odorless gas which is emitted from uranium which evolves from phosphate beds underground.

Radon gas leaches to the ground through the rock and soil, and also travels into our homes from underground water which absorbs radon from the rock around it. This gas can travel into your home through your water tap and be released into the air. This is a particular concern for homes with private wells for their water supply. Radon is not a problem outdoors because it is quickly diluted to safe levels.

Indoor radon exposure is estimated to be the second leading cause of lung cancer deaths in the United States, right after smoking. This takes a toll of 15-22,000 deaths each year in the US. The level at which the EPA recommends that homeowners take action is 4 pCi/L.

All homes in our area should be tested. Test kits are inexpensive, $9.00 each, and are available through the American Lung Association. Brochures on Radon, as well as other lung health topics will be available at our November meeting.

For more detailed information on radon levels in Williamson County visit
http://www.state.tn.us/environment/radon/

Hospital Hospitality House awarded BWC a "Retiring Room Adoption" plaque honoring BWC's past contributions.

Past and/or Present Projects:
Harpeth Terrace Convalescent Center monthly Bingo games	Snoopy's Closet at Williamson Medical Center
Ronald McDonald House	Hospital Hospitality House
Alive Hospice	Lupus Foundation Golf Tournament
Arthritis Foundation	Canine Companions for Independence
March of Dimes Walk America	National Organization on Disabilities
Habitat for Humanity	Wartburg Mountain Project (The Unicorn Fund)
Grace Works Food Pantry	American Cancer Society

Organization
Chairman	Jacqui Love	Committee Members	Connie Campbell	Ricky Rushing
Cochairman	Diane Jones		Linda Orellana	Genevieve Cloud
			Maggi Garzon	Imelda Karlson
			Shari Martin	Rose Grindstaff
			Tina Smith	Kim Mahaney
			Rosemary Frank	Mary Phillips

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