Tuesday, February 16, 2010
March is Members Month!
When I was invited to join Thomas Jefferson JWC, I asked the obvious question:
Why?
I was coming out of 12 years as a Girl Scout Leader. Girl Scout Leaders are TOLD why: "So your daughter will be able to be a Girl Scout." In short, I did it for my daughter. And I did it for 12 years. Every corner of my house was filled with glue, glitter, construction paper, beads, crafts, books, schedules, program notes and my oh my the forms that had to be filed! Four out of six of my girls got their Gold Award, the equivalent of Eagle Scout in Boy Scouts. I was a machine!
I told myself I was done with community service programs, but I found myself staring at too much TV. I missed the good ol' Brownie days (Brownies love EVERYTHING) and the jazzy jazzy juniors who still get into it. Then the crazy cadets came a little more reluctantly and the sassy seniors who kept a low profile (uniform? that tacky thing?). Ok, they were more like sullen seniors...but I digress.
My TJ recruiter told me I could join for any number of reasons...to do good things in the community, to help raise consciousness for women's issues, to contribute to worthy causes, or just to make friends and have fun. I figured I'd made my community contribution but she had me at make friends and have fun.
That was five years ago. I hardly knew so much time had passed until we started talking about orientation for our new members last night. In that five years, I found new friends who loved me for myself and not for the program I supplied for their daughters. They've supported me through health issues, becoming a mother-in-law and they listen to my endless stories. We've shared the birth of children, the accidents and pitfalls of motherhood and still managed to log hundreds of hours of club work over the years.
After filing reports this year (yes, there are forms here too!) I was again struck by how many little things can add up to do so much good. Together with club members through out the Lee District, we make a real impact on our communities. Much more than we could alone. Every mile you drive to meetings, every phone call or email you respond to or place adds to the big karma we make together.
There's something to be said for the power of sisterhood.
So, March is Members Month. Along with our GFWC sisters, we celebrate the ladies of Thomas Jefferson Junior Woman's Club.
And that, ladies, is YOU!
(Join us March 15 for the monthly meeting, at which time we celebrate our club members).
Why?
I was coming out of 12 years as a Girl Scout Leader. Girl Scout Leaders are TOLD why: "So your daughter will be able to be a Girl Scout." In short, I did it for my daughter. And I did it for 12 years. Every corner of my house was filled with glue, glitter, construction paper, beads, crafts, books, schedules, program notes and my oh my the forms that had to be filed! Four out of six of my girls got their Gold Award, the equivalent of Eagle Scout in Boy Scouts. I was a machine!
I told myself I was done with community service programs, but I found myself staring at too much TV. I missed the good ol' Brownie days (Brownies love EVERYTHING) and the jazzy jazzy juniors who still get into it. Then the crazy cadets came a little more reluctantly and the sassy seniors who kept a low profile (uniform? that tacky thing?). Ok, they were more like sullen seniors...but I digress.
My TJ recruiter told me I could join for any number of reasons...to do good things in the community, to help raise consciousness for women's issues, to contribute to worthy causes, or just to make friends and have fun. I figured I'd made my community contribution but she had me at make friends and have fun.
That was five years ago. I hardly knew so much time had passed until we started talking about orientation for our new members last night. In that five years, I found new friends who loved me for myself and not for the program I supplied for their daughters. They've supported me through health issues, becoming a mother-in-law and they listen to my endless stories. We've shared the birth of children, the accidents and pitfalls of motherhood and still managed to log hundreds of hours of club work over the years.
After filing reports this year (yes, there are forms here too!) I was again struck by how many little things can add up to do so much good. Together with club members through out the Lee District, we make a real impact on our communities. Much more than we could alone. Every mile you drive to meetings, every phone call or email you respond to or place adds to the big karma we make together.
There's something to be said for the power of sisterhood.
So, March is Members Month. Along with our GFWC sisters, we celebrate the ladies of Thomas Jefferson Junior Woman's Club.
And that, ladies, is YOU!
(Join us March 15 for the monthly meeting, at which time we celebrate our club members).
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