Arts Department
Arts in the Community
The objective of this program is to encourage members to foster and support arts activities in their communities. Suggested activities include the support of Very Special Arts (VSA), Art for Youth activities, support of Youth Art month, support of local theatre groups, giving music, dance and drama scholarships, promoting community film festivals and establishing an ''Artist in Residence'' program. Members are asked to focus efforts on increasing arts programs and arts funding in the schools. Resources will include the National Endowment for the Arts.
Creative Arts
During this administration the GFWC photography contest and short story/poetry contests will be folded into one area - the Creative Arts. The competition includes the three long-running photography contests - The World in Pictures, GFWC Volunteers in Action, and A Year in Pictures/calendar contest. These will remain the same. GFWC is also suggesting a new project - the Great States Project - replacing the old state photos at GFWC Headquarters in Washington DC. FFWC plans to hold a state contest to secure a new photograph to represent GFWC Florida and replace the current exhibited photo. More information will be available from chairman Sherry Dahlstedt at our Fall Board meeting. The longtime Short Story and Poetry Contests will not change. These contests encourage members and youth to develop writing skills and awards are given to recognize their achievements.

Conservation Department
Beautification Program
This program seeks to educate members and others about the importance of community beautification and stimulate citizen action to address these concerns. Members are encouraged to work with such resources as Keep America Beautiful and American Forests to make our communities more attractive. Emphasis will be placed on gardening for optimal nutrition, preserving wildlife habitats, wildflower plantings to honor the late Lady Bird Johnson, and serenity gardens at hospitals and nursing homes.
Resource Conservation in the Community
This program educates members and communities about the importance of managing and preserving natural resources and works to stimulate citizen action to address these concerns. In this program members are encouraged to hold educational programs regarding the importance of water and soil conservation, support public policies that protect natural resources, implement energy conservation practices in the home, office and community and participate in and/or organize litter prevention and clean-up projects. During this administration members will look at the effects of global warming, become aware of one's carbon footprint, and learn new energy saving tips. Resource organizations will include the Department of Energy, the Humane Society: Youth (formerly NAHEE) and Mission Humane - a youth focused wildlife preservation project.

Education Department
Literacy Program
This program seeks to end illiteracy in youth and adults. Members will be encouraged to recruit tutors and work on improving literacy rates within their communities. Celebrations of Read Across America and Dr. Seuss's Birthday will continue. New to the Literacy program will be DEAR - Drop Everything and Read Day and working on the Dictionary Project. Books from the Heart is a project designed to provide books to less fortunate children in our schools.
Education in the Community
Formerly called Life Long Learning, this program seeks to promote a commitment to lifelong learning by encouraging members and others to foster and support educational opportunities in their communities. Clubs will be asked to continue our long history of working with libraries and to encourage celebrations of Children's Book Week and Author's Day (a day begun by GFWC). Related projects, such as Books for Babies, will be continued.
Included in this program is Epsilon Sigma Omicron (ESO) - that will offer reading activities to members with exciting new possibilities like an online book discussion group. New non- traditional scholarship resources through a partnership with AARP will be promoted.

Home Life Department
Focus on Financial Issues
This program, formerly called Dollars and Sense, will continue to educate members about the importance of financial security. The program will also emphasize prevention of identity theft, living wisely, and the issue of Social Security. Women will be encouraged to create a personal retirement plan.
Helping Hands in the Community
This program attempts to educate members and others about organizations that improve the lives of others in need and offers opportunities to offer support. Examples of partnering organizations include Canine Companions for Independence (CCI), Habitat for Humanity, March of Dimes and National Organization on Disability. Easter Seals and Heavenly Hats will also be continued.
Focus on Health
This program seeks to educate members and others about the most prevalent medical problems affecting women and others. Emphasis will be placed on issues such as heart disease in women, shingles, stroke, and osteoporosis. A new breast cancer awareness program called Strength in Knowing will be offered. New topics will include pandemic flu, weight loss and building healthy self-worth. Kits will be made available in English and Spanish to reach a culturally diverse group of women.

International Affairs Department
Reaching Out Internationally
This program seeks to educate members to re ach out to programs and projects outside of the United States. Examples of programs include CARE, Plan USA, (formerly Child Reach), Save the Children, and World Food Day. GFWC awards will include trips to areas of work of selected supported organizations.
United Nations Program
During 2008-2010 members will continue in their support of the United Nations. This program works with projects such as UNICEF and UNIFEM. An emphasis will be placed on making clean, safe drinking water accessible to all children. The TAP project will be introduced and celebration of World Water Day on March 22 will be encouraged.
Project Ideas:
GFWC Gulf Coast Woman’s Club International Affairs Department of Panama City, Florida, invites all club members and their friends to help feed the hungry. You can do this for FREE. Go on www.thehungersite.com and click to give FREE FOOD. Your one click gives the value of 1.1 cups of food to the hungry Think of how many cups of food our women could give with one click. This web site is not just for International Affairs but other departments can take advantage of other things they offer.

Public Affairs Department
Citizenship in Action
This program encourages support to our Veterans, to the Women in the Military Foundation, citizenship participation, and will encourage active involvement in the voting process.
Sew Much Comfort
will be continued, providing adaptive clothing for injured military personnel.
Focus on Community Safety
This program works to increase the level of understanding in community safety, home safety and vehicle safety. Additionally new aspects of community safety will include food safety and toy safety. Members will be encouraged to engage in consumer issues. Clubs will be asked to work with FEMA and others to develop an emergency plan for disaster preparedness. WHALE will also continue.
Community Improvement Contest
Encourages clubs to implement projects that will involve them in meeting the needs of their communities while increasing the exposure of their clubs and GFWC. Monetary awards will be given to those projects that best improve the quality of life in their community.
For our members and visitors:
Hurricane Preparedness - Our Hurricane Tips - (pdf format 87k)

Public Relations Department
The Publicity Book Contest will continue. Two new GFWC contests will be the Website and Newsletter Contests. Both will have GFWC monetary prizes and will feature club and state awards from GFWC.
Promoting our organization through creative marketing and public relations will also be stressed.

Special Projects
GFWC Signature Project Domestic Violence and Awareness
Will continue with clubs asked to provide information on resources to the community. Clubs are also encouraged to help with local shelters.

GFWC Florida Federation of Woman's Club President's Project Heifer International
During each administration the FFWC President has the privilege of selecting the FFWC President's Project. Heifer International is the 2008-2010 FFWC President's Project. (contributions to be sent to Headquarters in Lakeland or to Linda Dennis payable to FFWC and marked "Heifer International")

Form to make a donation to Heifer International - PDF 550k