The Benefits of Belonging to a Federated Club
Fellowship – Members of a federated club enjoy the fellowship not only of the members of their own club, but also have the opportunity to meet clubwomen at the district, state, region and international levels.
Empowerment – Clubs gain strength in their effectiveness through Federation Membership. Working as a part of a larger group, a club gains credibility and can make a greater impact on important issues. This empowerment is defined by the motto: “Unity in Diversity”.
Dedication – Federated clubwomen have shown their dedication to community service through such projects as Libraries 2000 in which they donated over $12.5 million dollars in books and educational materials to public libraries and public school libraries for children and through “One Voice for Children”, an children’s advocacy project.
Enrichment – Federated clubwomen may participate in contest in such areas as creative writing, photography, visual and performing arts. They may join Epsilon Sigma Omicron (ESO), a reading program exclusively for Federated clubwomen. They gain such organizational skills as public speaking, time management and stress management through their volunteerism and through training workshops.
Resources – Members of a Federated club have access to manuals, bulletins, handbooks, program kits, publications such as the GFWC Clubwoman, the Florida Clubwoman, and Membership Matters, legislative alerts, a paid staff at GFWC and FFWC, state chairmen for workshops and as speakers, and district and state officers to offer assistance.
Affordable – FFWC and GFWC dues are currently $23.00/year per capita. These rates are considerable lower than comparable service organizations.
Teamwork – Although each club is autonomous, clubs work together to achieve many goals including service to various charities and organizations such as Canine Companions for Independence, Special Olympic s and Operation Smile. Within the club, cooperative work on projects encourages team-building.
International – Federated clubwomen may participate in international travel with other clubwomen to such places as Australia, China and Central America. Clubs also support such international programs as Operation Smile, Childreach, CARE and the Heifer Project.
Opportunities – Federation membership provides opportunities for lifelong learning through workshops, programs and projects. With 6 department areas as well as special projects, there is an area of interest for everyone. Women have the opportunity to win recognition and prizes in many areas.
Networking – Federated clubwomen may network with other Federate clubwomen at the district, state, regional and international level. Membership transfer is possible for those members relocation within Florida or moving out-of-state. A legislative network also keeps members aware of the status of key legislation issues.