Democratic Women of Clifton

Celebrating DWC’s 7th Anniversary

Jane Barker — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:10:45 +0000

The Democratic Women of Clifton invite our members to help us celebrate our Seventh Anniversary with a time of friendship and fun at a party on Sunday, February 12, 2012 from 3-5 p.m. at the Clifton home of member, Gretchen Klimoski.

We have invited Board Chairman Sharon Bulova and will be honoring guests from Our Daily Bread, Executive Director Lisa Whetzel and Food Program Manager Chris Garris, for their outstanding work for needy Fairfax County families.

As the seventh Anniversary is often celebrated with gifts of “Copper”, we ask that instead of bringing something to eat, that members bring pennies and spare change to donate to the Our Daily Bread organization. We will put your donations in empty ceramic bowls to symbolize the fact that many go hungry here in Fairfax County and present them to our honored guests at the party.

LET US UNITE IN CELEBRATING DWC AND OUR DAILY BREAD

For questions and to R.S.V.P., please email dwcevents@aol.com

DWC Steering Committee

Jane Barker — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:07:14 +0000

We are pleased to announce our 2012 and 2013 DWC Steering Committee (SC) Members and Officers, elected or appointed at our Annual Meeting on January 22nd:

Officers:

Jane Barker and Marianne Scippa – Co-Chairs

Debbie Nagy – Secretary

Barbara Miller – Treasurer

Committee Chairs and Co-Chairs:

Barbara Bennison and Barbara Tuset – Communications Co-Chairs

Gretchen Klimoski – Political Action Chair

Doreen Christian – Campaigns and Elections Chair

Larilyn Andre and Barbara Miller – Events Management Co-Chairs

Chris Randon – Membership Chair

Annette Koklauner – Ad Hoc

Please feel free to contact any SC members at cliftonwomendems@aol.com.

2012 Annual Meeting on January 22nd

Jane Barker — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 15:17:38 +0000

DWC will host our 2012 Annual Meeting on Sunday, January 22nd at 3-5 p.m. at the Clifton Community Hall, 12641 Chapel Road, Clifton, VA 20124 .

Our meeting will consist of a program discussion on a very timely issue, Voter Suppression, and we will also conduct our 2012 and 2013 election of officers.

Program – Voter Suppression

DWC member and attorney, Kristin Cabral, will speak and lead a discussion on voter suppression activities and legislation. Keith Scarborough, a member of the Prince William County Electoral Board said, “Kristin Cabral is an excellent lawyer (Harvard Law School) who does election protection work for the Democratic Party of Virginia, the Fairfax County Democratic Committee and other groups on these issues.” Kristin spoke at the most recent meeting of our sister organization, the Democratic Women of Lake Ridge. It was a packed house and so informative that we decided to bring it to our DWC members too. We need to make sure we support and advocate for the right to vote for all.

DWC Election of Officers for 2012 and 2013

In accordance with our bylaws, we will elect our officers for 2012 and 2013 at our January Annual Meeting. Nominations will be accepted from the floor.

We hope to see you there!

Holiday Projects – Thank You

Jane Barker — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 13:53:39 +0000

A big thanks to DWC members who contributed towards the two DWC holiday projects and made them so successful.

We are now receiving many thank-you notes from various schools and students around the area who received the toys you donated through the 2011 Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Toy Drive. You helped fill Captain Willie Smith’s truck with your toys and gift certificates.

And on January 3rd, I delivered your grocery store gift cards and checks for distribution to needy families to Chris Garris, Food Programs Manager for Our Daily Bread. We not only met our goal of $2,000, we exceeded it by $255, which was greatly appreciated!

Thank you all for participating. Your generosity every year is appreciated by so many in our community.

Jane Barker, DWC Chair

Remembering School Board Member Cathy Belter

Jane Barker — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 15:22:28 +0000

Fairfax County residents have lost a community leader and wonderful friend of education. Former Springfield District School Board Member Cathy Belter passed away on December 31st. She had Alzheimer’s disease.

In February of 2005, DWC hosted our first gathering, a tea for Democratic women. We invited Cathy to be one of our guest speakers that day and she was thrilled to see over one hundred attendees there.

Cathy Belter worked as a librarian, was past president of the Commonwealth of Virginia PTA, served on the Board of the National PTA and was elected Springfield District’s School Board member for two terms. Because of her health problems, she did not seek re-election in 2007 for a third term. She is survived by her husband Len, two children and two grandchildren.

According to the Washington Post, the below are the funeral arrangements:

A wake will be held at Fairfax Memorial Funeral home, 9902 Braddock Road Fairfax Virginia on Thursday January 5 from 1 to 3 p.m. and 5 to 8 p.m. A mass of Christian burial will be held at Church of the Nativity, Burke, Virginia, at 10 a.m. on Friday January 6, followed by a family members gravesite service at Fairfax Memorial Cemetery. A reception will then be held in her honor from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Springfield Golf and Country Club, 8301 Old Keene Mill Road, Springfield, Virginia. In lieu of flowers donations may be directed to the Alzheimer’s Association (http://www.alz.org).

One Last Chance to Make a Small Difference for a Needy Fairfax County Family

Jane Barker — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 03:14:43 +0000

DWC is participating in the January grocery store gift card program sponsored by Our Daily Bread, a 501(c)(3) organization. Our goal is to collect $2,000 in gift cards from any local grocery store for distribution to families experiencing financial hardship. We have collected $1,690 and need just $310 to go to reach our goal!

Please help us achieve it and know that your donation is helping a local family in need. Please send a grocery store gift card or a check made out to “Our Daily Bread” to DWC, P.O. Box 143, Clifton, VA 20124.

You may donate in the name of a family member, friend, or neighbor or in memorial. Just let us know so that ODB can acknowledge your donations appropriately. Of course your contribution is tax deductible.

Donations will be accepted until January 2nd for delivery to Out Daily Bread on Tuesday, January 3rd.

Thank you for your generosity with these two outstanding holiday projects and for your participation with the Democratic Women of Clifton.

Happy New Year!

Give to Our Daily Bread

Barbara Tuset — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 18:25:23 +0000

I recently had the privilege of meeting Captain Will Bailey, fire fighter and coordinator of the Holiday Toy Project. The project has been sponsored by the Fairfax County Fire Fighters for the past 14 years and benefits about three thousand Fairfax County children.

Captain Will Bailey

When I met Will (see picture) in a parking lot in Fairfax City with the toys you donated he told me that many of the Fairfax County families that this toy project is serving are requesting food this year, either in addition to or instead of the toys. He said this food request was a first for them. When I heard this, I was glad that the DWC is again sponsoring a grocery store card collection for Our Daily Bread (ODB).

Those families requesting food instead of toys this year are often the same families served by ODB. Most people give generously before the holidays but food pantries and organizations like ODB often find their shelves bare after the holidays, even though the needs continue. Our goal is to collect $2,000 in cards for distribution in January to families experiencing financial hardship. As of now we have collected $500 with $1,500 yet to go!

Please consider sending a grocery store gift card or a check made out to Our Daily Bread.

Mail to: DWC, P.O. Box 143, Clifton, VA 20124.

Donations will be accepted until January 3rd. You may donate in the name of a family member, friend, or neighbor or in memorial. Just let me know so that I can contact ODB with the information and they can acknowledge your donations appropriately. And if you have already contributed, thank you.

Your toy donations to the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Toy Drive were very much appreciated. As you know, the DWC decided to help out with the project to honor these first responders on the 10th anniversary of 9/11. A toy collection project was the help they requested (while I expected their response to be a request for a few desserts or dinner for a firehouse crew or two!) I am so happy that the DWC made this commitment to donate toys and gift cards to show our gratitude for these brave fire fighters who put their own lives on the line every day for the public. And isn’t it great to know that there are people who like to give back every day? Check out these videos about the project: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsWlTbOpS4g&feature=player_embedded and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eu-qOrNTSBU&feature=player_embedded
(sorry about the sound on #2).

Thank you for your generosity with these two outstanding projects and thanks for all you do for the Democratic Women of Clifton. Hope to see you on January 22nd at our next DWC meeting.

Happy Holidays,

Jane Barker

Chair, DWC

DWC Upcoming Events for 2012

Jane Barker — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:47:53 +0000

Happy New Year!

Here is a listing of some of our upcoming DWC events and meetings for 2012. Hope to see you soon.

Sunday, January 22 – DWC General Meeting. Officers will be elected. 3-5 p.m. at the Clifton Community Hall, 12641 Chapel Road, Clifton, VA 20124

Sunday, February 12 - 7th Anniversary Party. 3-5 p.m. at the home of DWC member Gretchen Klimoski. Details to follow.

Sunday, March 25 – General Meeting. 3-5 p.m. at the Clifton Community Hall. General Assembly Legislative Report with local State Senators and Delegates.

Sunday, May 20 – DWC Annual Family Picnic. 4-7 p.m. in the backyard of DWC member Donna Netschert. Details to follow.

There’s still time to donate to holiday giving projects

Barbara Tuset — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 13:33:47 +0000

If you haven’t had time to get your donations in for the Fairfax Fire and Rescue Annual Holiday Toy Drive the deadline of Monday Dec 5th is fast approaching.

Please donate

** new unwrapped toys ** or gift cards from Target or Old Navy for older children. Contact us to arrange pick-up by December 5th.

Grocery store gift card donations for Our Daily Bread will be accepted until December 31st. Your gift card donation will be distributed to the families in January.

Mail them to Democratic Women of Clifton, P.O. Box 143, Clifton, VA 20124.

November General Meeting and Holiday Projects

Jane Barker — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 12:22:15 +0000

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.