GFWC History Club Whitesboro celebrates awards, installs new officers for 2024-2026

The GFWC History Club of Whitesboro held its final meeting under its current administration Monday night from 6:30-8 p.m. at Wesley Hall.

While this meeting is typically an opportunity for the organization to distribute scholarships to graduating high school seniors, an assembly was taking place at the school which prevented those students from attending the meeting. Therefore, the organization’s five $500 scholarships were awarded at that assembly on behalf of the GFWC History Club.

During the organization’s meeting, members learned about a new partnership with TicketsatWork, a service that helps organizations reward and retain their members with exclusive discounts and special offers for various entertainment opportunities (theme parks, live performances, hotels, movie tickets, etc.).

Project Chairman Ann Paty highlighted the organization’s recent project of celebrating telecommunications operators with gifts of appreciation. Whitesboro Police dispatchers received goody bags that included makeup items, hand lotion, gum, chap stick, and a journal and pen.

Reporting Chairman Betty Capehart reviewed several awards that the GFWC History Club received at the recent GFWC Texas Convention in McKinney. These include:
- 1st place Communication/PR – Patricia Davis
- 1st place Chairmans’ Narrative for Dollars for Delegates – Patricia Davis
- 1st place Epsilon Sigma Omicron (ESO) Chairman’s Narrative – Wanda Godso
- Legislation/Public Policy – Betty Capehart
- Membership – Patricia Davis
- 2nd place Leadership – Patricia Davis
- Health/Wellness – Patricia Davis
- 1st place Outstanding Club Program - Patricia Davis
- 1st place Outstanding Federation Program - Patricia Davis
- 2nd place Texas Heritage – Carolyn Jo Snow
- 2nd place Chairman’s Narrative – Carla Woolsey
- Chairman’s Narrative Special Projects – Carla Woolsey
- State Creativity for Leadership - Patricia Davis
- State Creativity for Membership - Patricia Davis
- State Creativity for Communication/PR - Patricia Davis

In upcoming events, the group planned to meet at Oakwood Cemetery on May 22 at 10 a.m. to put flags out on grave sites for Memorial Day. There will be a planning session May 29 at 6 p.m. on the second floor of First Baptist Church. And on July 27, there will be a Trinity District summer workshop at Landon Winery.

The meeting culminated with the installation of the club’s new officers, as the previous term has come to an end. Outgoing president Patricia Davis gave a brief address before the installation began.

“It has been a wonderful four years. It’s been really fun,” she said tearfully. “I’m lucky to have been part of something that means so much to me that it makes it hard to say goodbye. But I’m not going anywhere – I’ll still be here, serving with you, just in a different role.”

Federation Counselor Wanda Godso installed the club’s new officers for the 2024-2026 term. Those women will be:
- Federation Counselor - Patricia Davis
- Treasurer – Ann Paty
- Recording Secretary – Laura Marchessault
- 2nd Vice President – Carla Woolsey
- 1st Vice President – Betty Capehart
- President-Elect – Keisha Head
- President – Donna Parkinson

All of these women took an oath to serve the organization to the best of their ability. The club won’t meet again until September 16, which allows Parkinson to work on her committees and get organized for the new season.

Parkinson, who has been serving as President-Elect at the district level (and who is now President there, as well) is excited to take the work she’s been doing on a district level and bring it to a local scale.

“I’m not nervous or anxious at all,” she said. “These women are my friends and family. I’m sure there will be a bit of a learning curve, but I have an idea where I want to lead our club, and it’s simply building upon our past president’s foundation. I want us to continue to grow.” 

Each president brings a theme to her term, and for Parkinson, that theme is “Growth and transformation arise following the beating wings of volunteers.” She looks forward to working with her team of members and volunteers and seeing where this next chapter leads for the GFWC History Club of Whitesboro.