As America celebrates Memorial Day, the DWC  would like to thank the many generations of brave  men and women who died in service to this great country.  We know freedom is not free, and we honor those who gave their lives.

In addition to remembering those who died, we also remember those who now serve.   Mrs. Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden have begun a program in support of  military families called Joining Forces.  See the earlier post here below for details and the video.

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 in 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The new DWC “Fun Bunch” group will gather at the home of a DWC member for an organizational meeting on Sunday, March20th from 3-5 p.m..  The “Fun Bunch” is all about having fun with other DWC members and getting to know one another a little bit better.  All interested DWC members are invited to participate in this new group.

Those who attend this first organizational meeting will plan for future fun events such as field trips, walks or exercise classes, cards, lunches, dinners or brunches, etc. – anything  goes.  The group will decide what they want to do and be “Bunch-driven”, so come with your ideas, plans, suggestions, etc. as to what the group will do and how it will be lead/organized so that activities can start soon.

Please email cliftonwomendems@aol.com for additional information, questions and to R.S.V.P.

One elderly woman was thrown so hard into a cell that her head hit the metal bed frame. She was unconscious for so long that her cellmate thought she was dead and suffered a heart attack herself. The other 32 women arrested that afternoon were beaten, shackled to the bars of their cells, stripped and humiliated, fed maggot-infested gruel, and denied contact with each other and the outside world.

Where did such cruelty occur? Right here in Northern Virginia at the Occoquan Workhouse.

What crime earned such brutality? Silent picketing of the White House for women’s right to vote.

During Women’s History Month in March, at a time when the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot continues to fall, it is important to acknowledge the sacrifices these women made to gain a privilege that so many of us take for granted. We also need to remember how, when, and why women were so long denied the vote.

To recognize the brave women who participated in the suffragist movement, a memorial will be built in the Occoquan Regional Park in Lorton, VA.

The Democratic Women of Clifton will also honor the suffragists at its March 13^th general meeting with a captivating program presented by DWC Member Kathleen Pablo, Turning Point Suffragist Memorial Committee member and Speakers’ Bureau Chair.   Her presentation will focus on the personalities and singular courage of some of the major figures in the long struggle to ratify the 19th Amendment and on the turning point in that struggle—the “Night of Terror.” This program is not to be missed!

The March 13^th meeting will be open to the public, and we encourage all DWC members to bring along a friend or family member. All monthly meetings of the DWC take place at the Clifton Community Hall, 12641 Chapel Road, Clifton, VA, from 3 to 5 p.m.

For fun, the meeting will also feature a contest to choose the attendee wearing the best blue outfit, so come dressed in your “finest” blues!

Please join us on March 13^th for a tribute to the women who made the DWC possible!

“Love and Laundry” was the theme for our Sixth Anniversary Celebration on Sunday, February 13.  On the day before Valentine’s Day, over 30 members of the DWC gathered at the home of Gretchen Klimoski to share appetizers, desserts, and a “laundry list” of all they have accomplished in six years together.

Special guests Delegate Eileen Filler-Corn and Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova were on hand to congratulate the DWC for its important contributions to Democratic causes.  In addition, representatives from Friends of Guest House thanked the DWC for supporting efforts to help women prisoners transition back into society after their release.   DWC members all brought containers of detergent to help supply the laundry needs of the women served by Guest House.

Delegate Filler-Corn spoke about her experiences as one of the newer members of Virginia House this year.  Chairman Bulova encouraged more women to run for elected positions and pledged continued efforts by the Board to “make the world a better place.”

The DWC welcomed back Kari Galloway, Executive Director of the Friends of Guest House, and residents Terry, Torrey, and Edith, whose visit to a general meeting of the DWC in October inspired the anniversary theme of “love and laundry.”  Since its inception in 1975, the Friends of Guest House has helped more than 1,000 formerly-incarcerated women get back on their feet with jobs, homes, and productive goals.

Kari recognized DWC members who have used their legal expertise to help some of the residents of Guest House apply for voting privileges.

Chair Jane Barker spoke of the many accomplishments of the organization since its first meeting of 100 women in February of 2005.. She also announced that the next general meeting on March 13^th will feature a special presentation for Women’s History Month about the history of the women’s struggle for the right to vote.

The Democratic Women of Clifton will host our Sixth Anniversary Party on Sunday, February 13, 2011, from 3 to 5 p.m. at the home of member Gretchen Klimoski in Clifton.  Members will gather for an afternoon of “Love and Laundry” as we celebrate our 6th anniversary and honor the women of “Friends o Guest House” on the day before Valentine’s Day.  Special guests will include Board of Supervisors Chair Sharon Bulova, Delegate Eileen Filler-Corn,  Friends of Guest House Executive Director, Kari Galloway, and former residents of Guest House.

It will be a time for members to reflect on our accomplishments over the past six years, meet and make new friends, and honor the women of Guest House.  As a loving token of support, we ask that those attending bring any type of laundry detergent to benefit Friends of Guest House.  Also, we ask that those with last names beginning with A-M bring an appetizer and N-Z bring a dessert to share.

The Friends of Guest House is a nonprofit organization based in Alexandria that provides a temporary home for women recently released from prison.  Guest House offers structure, support, supervision, and assistance to women who sincerely want to improve their lives and break the cycle of incarceration.  Former residents of Guest House were our speakers at our General Meeting in October.

To R.S.V.P. or request more information, please email:  dwcevents@aol.com

The DWC will hold its Annual Meeting on Sunday, January 23rd.  The meeting will take place from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Clifton Community Hall, 12641 Chapel Road, Clifton, VA  20124.

In the first hour of the meeting, Senator George L. Barker and Delegate Mark Sickles will discuss 2011 General Assembly legislation and redistricting.  The Annual Meeting will follow from 4 to 5 p.m. and will include “Soapbox Time” for your participation.

All DWC members and their guests are welcome to attend.  If you have questions, contact us at cliftonwomendems@aol.com.