LUDLOW, Vt. – The General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC) Okemo Valley Women’s Club (OVWC) held their March meeting on Monday, March 9. Twenty-five women were in attendance, including one member by Zoom and a guest.
The speaker for the meeting was Rhonda Lathrop, wealth management advisor for Merrill Lynch. Her presentation was titled “Retain Your Brain,” which was directed at ways to create and retain healthy habits to keep ourselves and our brains healthy for a lifetime. Lathrop presented several suggestions for physical and mental activities to help keep our bodies and brains young, and explained how foods can affect mental health and reduce risk of dementia. She suggested learning new things, changing one’s perspective to reduce stress, finding challenges, maintaining an active lifestyle, and practicing learning and memorizing. She discussed making exercise a habit, managing stress, and planning for future health care.
After Lathrop’s enlightening presentation, the club was treated to St. Patrick’s Day-themed snacks and beverages, then moved on to their business meeting. The club discussed scholarships and eligibility parameters, and will hear from the scholarship committee at the April meeting. They reviewed recent and future volunteer and fundraising projects, including the recently successful annual President’s Day bake sale, held at Shaw’s in Ludlow. GFWC Vermont State President and OVWC member Darlene Remy encouraged members to attend the GFWC Vermont State meeting, which will be held on May 2 and hosted by the Castleton Women’s Club.
The club voted to make a donation to Heifer International, an organization that works with partners to support farmers in sustainably addressing hunger and poverty in their communities with a focus on transforming food systems. They facilitate creation of locally organized collectives, primarily women-led self-help groups, many of which evolve into agricultural cooperatives, producer organizations, and business hubs.
The club also collected dish detergent to donate to Black River Good Neighbor Services in Ludlow.
The next meeting of the GFWC Okemo Valley Women’s Club will be held Monday, April 13, at 6:30 p.m., at the Black River Valley Senior Center in Ludlow. Anyone wishing to attend may contact President Sally Scarp at 407-242-0901; Membership Chair Cynthia Mischel, or any clubwoman.
The Okemo Valley Women’s Club is a member of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs, an international women’s organization dedicated to community improvement and enhancing the lives of others through volunteer service.