Leads Workshop Experience

LEADS WORKSHOP EXPERIENCE

by Tina Diamond

As the song says, “Meet Me In St. Louis” - and I did. I met so many clubwomen in so many different places in St. Louis and had the best time. We met in the reknown and magnificent Union Station Hotel, in a pod ascending to the top of the Gateway Arch and in the awesome class of 47 LEADS candidates from Women’s Clubs across the country.

A “Meet and Greet” sets up the program the night before the workshop. It was good to meet former LEADS graduates who rave about what is about to happen. And, yes, they promise the newbies that we will meet and be friends when we’re done. (And we do!) Among the LEADS graduates, are women who are well into their 80’s - still going strong despite their walkers and canes. It appeared to me that these women have been made stronger and more capable to cope with their aging due to their dedication in the GFWC (General Federation of Women’s Clubs). They are knowledgeable and happy and determined to keep going. Move over doctors and your meds - these women have found their own fountain of youth with their commitment to helping others and, in turn, they have helped themselves.

The LEADS workshop is intense - a full day of learning, laughing and being together with 47 other state winners. The GFWC Team Leader – Jan Allen - has enough energy to keep us all alert and engaged throughout the long day. She specifies just what we will learn - the history of GFWC, where it stands now, and the future of GFWC - and she emphasizes that we, today’s LEADS candidates - WE are the future of GFWC. And, indeed, we are told that someone in this group of new leaders, will be an International President someday and seven other members will be the Executive Board. To prepare us for such notable positions, 45-minute sessions of speakers teach the basics of GFWC membership, common parliamentary procedures, GFWC protocol, which include manners, customs, formalities for meetings, appropriate dress and how to organize a head table. Conflict resolution skills were also reviewed (though anyone who has ever been a club president knew this one already!).

I was most impressed with the real reason all clubs have to submit those yearly reports to GFWC headquarters. As explained to the class by Jan, all reports are compiled at GFWC headquarters to tally the tremendous numbers of active women working across the nation. The numbers are proof to congressional leaders how formidable women can be when we are mobilized in such areas as communications, legislation, education, public issues and international outreach. To me, this alone gives a whole new meaning to writing those reports and incredible power to this organization. In fact, throughout the convention, it became evident to me that GFWC is very cognizant of the fact that the individual clubs across our nation with their solid foundation and grassroots movement make this organization “women” strong in number (80,000 membership). These ladies take care in their communities across the nation. But it’s those club members

who choose to move up the ladder of the GFWC organization who will be the voices of the women who will promote GFWC legislative priorities as defined by the organization’s resolutions and together we will protect quality of life issues in our country and the world.

This could not be felt more as I sat representing New York with GFWC-NY leaders at the Convention’s Business Meeting. I sat with past, present and president-elect NYS Presidents watching and listening to the women who bring forth their arguments for or against resolutions in discussion. Just as is done in our nation’s legislative body - we discussed, argued, agreed or agreed to disagree regarding important national and international resolutions such as: immigration, health care and the definition and prevention of domestic abuse, conservation and education. And within this immense room - there is no more exciting feeling than to have your club name displayed on the big screens within the room of 47 attending clubs as they announced that your club has won an International Award. What a great moment for Karen Amman, Candace Edwards and myself as president of The Women’s Club of Farmingdale as we went to the stage to accept our certificates for Legislative Issues.

Then there is always the fun part of the International Convention. The tours that were offered at the Gateway to the West Arch and the Botanical Gardens or the Anheuser-Busch brewery and the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis. The beautiful banquets prepared by the host club. The Middle Atlantic Region (MAR) dinner (Delaware, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania) where our very own Linda Kreussling (Jr. League of Farmingdale) was installed as President of MAR. Another very special guest, Mary Ellen Brock from New Jersey, who thanked the Region members for their support as she became the newly installed International President at the Gala Banquet Installation. And the Junior Clubs hosted a “Speakeasy Soiree” where members dressed in their “Roaring 20’s shimmering dresses and hats, boas and swinging beads. Now I know that ALL Women’s Clubs love to dress in the style of the times. Let’s not forget the shopping as the Convention Exhibitor Showcase vendors are the best you can find. The GFWC logo is displayed proudly on necklaces, bracelets, earrings and the Marketplace clothing. In my awe - I snatched “em” all up and now wear them proudly!

And the most memorable speech that I heard came from a Past International President Juanita Martin Bryant. She recently turned 90-years old and is a feisty, beautiful, grand dame who is extremely knowledgeable in GFWC history & issues. She was a past International GFWC President (1982-1984) at a time when there were

over 10 million members in the USA, Puerto Rico, and 46 other countries. She established the GFWC Women’s Resource and History Center which is now an adjacent building to the GFWC headquarters. She was the guest speaker at the LEADS session and explained the GFWC logo: UNITY IN DIVERSITY. She explained that “diversity meant something quite different back then.” Diversity in the early days of GFWC meant the socio-economic differences in women – wealth vs middle class vs poor. Diversity today, she said, encompasses the same but also incorporates women of all cultures, class and color. How evident this was as there were 47 states represented - women of all colors, women of different cultures - there were women from 3 other countries among this group - Aruba, Canada and Philippines. Today there is much more diversity than our fore-sisters could have ever imagined in the organization’s membership due to globalization, the education of women and strong, fearless women who continue to make their communities better through volunteer efforts, donating to those in need, and safeguarding women’s rights through legislative action. We were left with the LEADS message: “You’ve Come A Long Way Baby So Keep Up The Good Work!”

Tina Diamond

GFWC LEAD Candidate and

Island Metro Dist. Director