LUDLOW, Vt. – The General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC) Okemo Valley Women’s Club (OVWC) held their November meeting on Monday, Nov. 11, at the Black River Senior Center in Ludlow, Vt. There were 22 women in attendance who were treated to a presentation by Elliott Greenblott from the AARP Fraud Watch. Greenblott held the women’s attention with a very illuminating and educational discussion of computer scams, fake emails, health care fraud, what not to click on, what to do to prevent becoming a victim of scams, and what or who to contact for help with scams and/or prevention. He suggested use of a VPN; hotspots; avoiding public Wi-Fi; and avoiding emotion and attention-getting words, emails, and pleas. Elliott also suggested installing malware software on personal computers, and explained how to create and save effective passwords. He arrived armed with literature which provided fraud alert registrations, federal government sites which can help consumers, state resources, healthcare fraud reporting sites, charity verification, and other fraud resources. The club members were thankful for the excellent advice and resources provided. For more information about AARP Vermont Fraud Watch, please contact egreenblott@aarp.org.
After the insightful presentation by Greenblott, the members held a business meeting. They reviewed recent club efforts, including the National Day of Service held on Sept. 12, when the club held food drives at three sites in the local area. They collected 976 pounds of food to donate to local food shelves. National Day of Service calls on GFWC clubs across the country to join together on one day to collectively support a national, international, and state effort. This year the effort focused on food insecurity and hunger, drawing an unprecedented level of engagement and support resulting in a significant impact across the country and beyond. Nationwide, GFWC clubs collected 221,142 pounds of nonperishable food items, recorded 18,159 volunteer hours, collected $242,731 in monetary donations to food pantries and school feeding programs, and prepared 69,660 meals.
The Okemo Valley Women’s Club also hosted other clubs throughout the state for the Vermont State Fall Meeting in October, and donated bars of soap to Black River Good Neighbor Services (BRGNS). This month, the club members brought toothbrushes and toothpaste to donate to BRGNS as well. The club discussed the upcoming annual Tree of Remembrance fundraising project, where holiday trees in both Ludlow and Proctorsville are lit throughout the holiday season to remember and honor friends, family, and loved ones from our community and beyond. Donations with the name or names of persons to remember are welcome, and may be sent to the Okemo Valley Women’s Club, attn: Tree of Remembrance, P.O. Box 100, Ludlow VT 05149. For more information regarding the Tree of Remembrance project, please contact committee chair Marge Macintyre at 802-228-7178.
The next meeting of the Okemo Valley Women’s Club will be held Monday, Jan. 13, 2025, at the Black River Valley Senior Center in Ludlow, Vt. Anyone interested in more information may contact President Sally Scarp at 407-242-0901, Membership Chair Suzanne Garvey at 802-236-4341, or any club member.
The Okemo Valley Women’s Club is a member of the Greater Federation of Women’s Clubs, an international women’s organization dedicated to community improvement by enhancing the lives of others through volunteer service.