Archive for the ‘Events’ Category

November General Meeting and Holiday Projects

Tuesday, November 15th, 2011
In honor of the tenth anniversary of 9/11, the DWC Steering Committee asked some first responders we knew how we could best honor them and the response was overwhelmingly that we should participate in the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department’s Annual Holiday Toy Drive.   This is the fourteenth year for this toy drive and is a perfect fit for what we want to accomplish.  Captain Willie Bailey, fire fighter and CEO of this non-profit organization with whom we spoke,  said that nearly 3,000 needy kids from all over Fairfax County will receive gifts this year.  He said that many of these children receive only these gifts and that every year the need grows.  About 50-60 schools and family shelters send their requests for gifts and the fire fighters and community respond.  This event is the highlight of the year for many first responders.  They feel that it’s their chance to give back to the community…imagine that….they’re the ones who put their lives on the line every day to help us and what do they want to do?  These unselfish heroes want to help more by doing this project for needy kids!Please donate new, unwrapped toys to this good cause.  You may also purchase a gift card from Target or Old Navy so that older children can pick out their own gifts.  Bring items to the meeting on Sunday, November 20th at 3-5 p.m. at the Community Hall.  If you can’t make the meeting but want to donate, please contact us to arrange a drop off of a toy or mail gift cards to us at Democratic Women of Clifton, P.O. Box 143, Clifton, VA  20124 and we will make sure the Fire and Rescue Department gets them.   The event will take place in December, so please get your donation to us before Dec. 5th.

Also, as in past years, the DWC will sponsor a collection of grocery store gift cards to benefit Our Daily Bread, the local nonprofit organization that provides food and assistance to Northern Virginia families experiencing financial hardship.  Your gift card donation will be distributed to the families in January.  Please bring gift cards of any denomination to the DWC meeting on Sunday or mail to us at the above address.  We will be accepting these until Dec. 31st.

Questions?  Please email us at cliftonwomendems@aol.com.

Let Your Flag Wave on September 11th

Wednesday, September 7th, 2011
In recognition of the losses and sacrifices made on and following 9/11 the DWC encourages everyone to display an American flag outside every home, apartment, office, and store in the area on September 11 and for the entire week until September 17.
On the tenth anniversary of this national tragedy, as part of the National Day of Service and Remembrance, we would like to honor those who lost their lives and remember their family members who have lived with this grief every day since 9/11/ 01.  We also wish to honor those who are serving in the military on our behalf at this very moment at home and abroad.
Please fly your flag proudly and remember that freedom is never free!

Two Summer Events to Enjoy With Other DWC Members

Saturday, August 6th, 2011

The DWC is hosting a Summer Pool Party at the home of one of our members.  The party is for members only and will held be on Sunday, August 7th from 2-6 p.m. Bring your bathing suit and an appetizer or dessert to share!  For more information and to RSVP, contact DWCEvents@aol.com

Also, the Fun Bunch will be carpooling to Gilligan’s Pier Restaurant, located on the Potomac River in Maryland on Sunday, August 21st at 3 p.m.  to enjoy a dinner and outting with DWC members! Check out their website at www.gillianspier.com.  Contact Doreen at  doreenrchristian@gmail.com with questions and to RSVP.

Hope you can make these fun filled events!

The DWC is hosting a Summer Pool Party at the home of one of our members.  The party is for members only and will held be on Sunday, August 7th from 2-6 p.m.   Bring your bathing suit and an appetizer or dessert to share!  For more information and to RSVP, contact DWCEvents@aol.com

Also, the Fun Bunch will be carpooling to Gilligan’s Pier Restaurant, located on the Potomac River in Maryland on Sunday, August 21st at 3 p.m.  to enjoy a dinner and outting with DWC members! Check out their website at www.gillianspier.com.  Contact Doreen at  doreenchristian@gmail.com for questions and to RSVP.

Hope you can make these fun filled events!

Two Summer Events to Enjoy With Other DWC Members

The DWC is hosting a Summer Pool Party at the home of one of our members.  The party is for members only and will held be on Sunday, August 7th from 2-6 p.m.   Bring your bathing suit and an appetizer or dessert to share!  For more information and to RSVP, contact DWCEvents@aol.com

Also, the Fun Bunch will be carpooling to Gilligan’s Pier Restaurant, located on the Potomac River in Maryland on Sunday, August 21st at 3 p.m.  to enjoy a dinner and outting with DWC members! Check out their website at www.gillianspier.com.  Contact Doreen at  doreenchristian@gmail.com for questions and to RSVP.

Hope you can make these fun filled events!

The DWC is hosting a Summer Pool Party at the home of one of our members.  The party is for members only and will held be on Sunday, August 7th from 2-6 p.m.   Bring your bathing suit and an appetizer or dessert to share!  For more information and to RSVP, contact DWCEvents@aol.com

Also, the Fun Bunch will be carpooling to Gilligan’s Pier Restaurant, located on the Potomac River in Maryland on Sunday, August 21st at 3 p.m.  to enjoy a dinner and outting with DWC members! Check out their website at www.gillianspier.com.  Contact Doreen at  doreenchristian@gmail.com for questions and to RSVP.

Hope you can make these fun filled events!

Fly Your Flag

Tuesday, June 14th, 2011

June 14th is Flag Day and the week beginning on June 12th is National Flag Week.

As President Obama writes:  When the American flag soars, so too does our Nation and the ideals it stands for. We remain committed to defending the liberties and freedoms it represents, and we give special thanks to the members of the Armed Forces who wear our flag proudly. On Flag Day, and during National Flag Week, we celebrate the powerful beacon of hope that our flag has become for us all, and for people around the world.

To read more of the President’s remarks on this subject click here.

Let’s Read Something Good….

Saturday, June 11th, 2011

The DWC Book Club will meet on the following Sundays from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.   You must be a DWC member to attend these lively discussions, which are held in the homes of DWC members.  For more information and to be added to that list, please contact us at CliftonWomenDems@aol.com

  • June 12

The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver.

  • July 10

Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigiani.

  • September 11

Little Princess: One Man’s Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal by Conor Grennan.

  • October 2

A departure from the usual – we will watch the movie Iron Jawed Angels and discuss at a member’s home.

Fun Bunch Events in June and July

Saturday, May 28th, 2011

Please join the DWC Fun Bunch for events in June and July!

June 4th at 12:30 (rain date June 5th), the Fun Bunch will carpool to the 30th annual Virginia Vintage Festival at Bull Run Regional Park iDWC Fun Bunch Sailing Event - May 2011n Centreville.  You may sample the wines from local vineyards, bring a picnic or taste what the vendors may provide.  Please RSVP with your town name to cliftonwomendems@aol.com.

On Sunday, June 26th, at 1:30 p.m.,  there will be a guided tour at the National Portrait Gallery.  Contact cliftonwomendems@aol.com if you want to attend and for details.

July’s event will be a lunch at a Falls Church French cafe, followed by a visit to Julia Child’s kitchen at the Museum of American History at 14th St. and Constitution Ave in Washington on July 23rd from 11:30 – 4:00 p.m.  This event will be led by Doreen Christian.

To become a member of the DWC Fun Bunch or for more information, please contact Doreen Christian, your CFB (Chief Funny Bunny) at doreen.christian@yahoo.com.

Photo is from May sailing outing.

Show Your Appreciation of Military Families

Sunday, May 15th, 2011

May is Military Appreciation Month and DWC encourages our members and the community to become involved with the national Joining Forces program First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden have established to honor and support military spouses and families in our own communities by committing to an act of kindness.   When service men and women serve, their families serve with them and the  DWC  thanks them for what they do for all of us.

Check out the website which explains the program and encourages volunteerism in many areas: http://www.whitehouse.gov/joiningforces/

First Lady Maureen McDonnell has established a similar program in Virginia called Serving Our Service Member Families or S.O.S.  Check out:  http://www.sos.virginia.gov/

A New “Just-for-Fun” DWC Group Has Formed

Tuesday, April 26th, 2011

Recently, interested members of the DWC met to form a new just-for-fun group.  Calling themselves the “Fun Bunch,” the group brainstormed a list of more than fifty activities to engage members–from A (antiquing) to Z (bird walks at the zoo).

The Fun Bunch will schedule one organized outing each month.  Planned events will require an RSVP to participate.  Other events, “Spontaneous Bursts of Pleasure” (SBOPs), may occur more frequently.  Some ongoing group activities may evolve as well.

The first event was held on April 16th at Bull Run Regional Park for a Walk through the Blue Bells. Member Caron Silva discovered this through friends and an article in Southern Living magazine. It was indeed beautiful and a perfect spring day for the walk which was followed by a wonderful lunch at Rosemary’s Thyme in Clifton.

Virginia Bluebells in Bull Run Park - April 17, 2011

For the May event, the Fun Bunch has planned a two-hour sail in Annapolis aboard a 78-foot schooner. In June they will attend the Vintage Virginia Wine Festival, and in July will tour Julia Child’s kitchen at the National History Museum.
An informal knitting circle has begun, a board games night will soon be underway and several members are planning to learn mahjong.

All questions and replies for the Fun Bunch should be directed to Doreen Christian, who has stepped up to be the “Chief Funny Bunny.”  DWC members interested in being included on the Fun Bunch email list, contact Doreen at cliftonwomendems@aol.com.

Book Club News

Friday, April 15th, 2011

The DWC book club will meet on Sunday, May 15th to discuss Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks and on Sunday, June 12th to discuss The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver.

DWC members are invited to participate in these lively discussions which are held in the homes of DWC members from 3 to 5 p.m.

Contact CliftonWomenDems@aol.com for more information.


Meeting Announcement – April 10

Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011

The Democratic Women of Clifton will host a meeting on Sunday, April 10, from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Clifton Community Hall, 12641 Chapel Rd., Clifton.  The guest speakers will be representatives from Dominion Resources, Inc., and the Fairfax County Master Gardeners Program.  The Dominion representative, Travis Cutler, will speak about the growing energy demand in Virginia, how Dominion intends to accommodate that growth, and what customers can do to conserve more effectively at home to achieve lower energy use and savings.  The Master Gardener President, Elaine Homstad, will speak about good gardening practices for conserving natural resources.  She will offer practical tips for home gardeners on composting, water conservation, cultivation techniques, and eco-friendly gardening methods.

This meeting will be open to the public. Contact cliftonwomendems@aol.com for more information.