Annual Reporting Calendar Year 2024
2024 NARRATIVE REPORT SUMMARY WCC achieved so much in 2024 as captured in the following tabulation of the narrative reports: 63 reports in 13 categories 6,569 hours of service $28,183.00 passed thru Treasury $6652.00 in-kind donations value of items given to programs & projects $37,875.10 spent by the club and members for advancement plans $37,883.00 raised via fundraising & projects in the development category. |
CALIFORNIA FEDERATION OF WOMEN’S CLUBS
CLUB AWARD ENTRY COVER SHEET Annual Reporting January 1-December 31, 2024 Chairman: Diane Campbell Club: Woman’s Club of Carlsbad # of Club Members: 100 District: Palomar Area: D Reporter’s Address: 3320 Monroe Street City: Carlsbad State: CA Zip: 92008 Email: [email protected] Phone: (760) 729-9030 |
GWFC Community Services - Health and Wellness
The GFWC Woman’s Club of Carlsbad is a philanthropic and social organization dedicated to enriching the lives of others and ourselves through service. The Woman’s Club of Carlsbad was founded in 1925 in coastal Carlsbad which is home of the Carlsbad Flower Fields. Our club has grown to over one hundred members committed to improving our community and fostering strong social connections with each other. Our members are actively working to make an impact with organizations that support vulnerable communities including children and youth, military families, those facing food insecurity and victims of domestic violence and human trafficking. The Woman’s Club of Carlsbad also encourages members to foster strong social connections with each other. We are excited to be celebrating our Centennial this spring and have spent this past year looking at our history, present activity and future legacy.
Project Title: Philanthropy and Civic Engagement Hours 200 Donated $11,305.00 In Kind $450.00
The Woman's Club of Carlsbad has a very active Philanthropy and Service Committee, dedicated to helping worthy organizations within the North County area, both financially and through service projects. Some of the organizations served in 2024 have been:
City of Carlsbad Parks and Recreation, Shelter to Soldier, Carlsbad Village Academy, Kathy's Legacy, Salvation Army, ASYMCA Camp Pendleton, Women's Museum of Balboa Park, Pennies and Pines Program, Got Your Back, Boys & Girls Club of Carlsbad, Brother Benno's, Healing Odessey, Esco Kids, Helen Woodward Center, Got Your Back, TERI, Just In Time, Solutions For Change, Meals On Wheels, North County Lifeline, One Safe Place, Wreaths Across America, Reading Legacies
The members of the Woman's Club of Carlsbad tirelessly work many hours throughout the year crafting, baking, sewing and creating fundraising events. The funds raised through these projects all go to philanthropic organizations in need of financial help.
The Philanthropy committee of 6 members meets about every 30-45 day and review proposed organizations in need of financial support. The members then research the organizations and contact them to confirm they exist, are in need, confirm what they do for the community. Once the data is collected, as a team they review the information and decide if we should support them and the gift size prior to presenting it to membership at our business monthly meetings, for a final vote. At times, members question the organization’s validity or the sum to be given to them and it can be back to the committee to evaluate and return with a final decision.
Project Title: Comfort Pillows Hours 126 Donated $20 In Kind $464
Making Comfort pillows is one of our Community Outreach Projects that the Woman's Club of Carlsbad has participated in for several years. Club members contribute soft fabric materials, old sheets and polyester stuffing. Members gather and have a “sew in” afternoon at our clubhouse twice a year or as needed. We made 392 pillows this year with up to 28 members in attendance as well as friends and people from the community who heard about the project. We cut material using patterns then sew, iron, stuff, assemble and label the pillows. We love to participate in this project & we get to know each other as we keep our hands busy. We take the completed pillows to surgical centers at Kaiser & Scripps Encinitas Hospitals for distribution to mostly breast cancer patients but also other type of surgeries & chemotherapy. This small 8x12” Comfort Pillow aid breast cancer patients in their recovery from surgery or for use during chemotherapy or radiation. The soft pillow has multiple uses: breast incision support, protection from seat belt pressure, armpit comfort, or can be used as an armrest or back support during chemo infusion therapy. A Comfort Pillow is a small thing, but it can be a big help in aiding recovery and lifting the recipient's spirits! Our club has received multiple thank you notes from patients (we attach a label that says “Made with Care by The Woman's Club of Carlsbad”). In September a record 28 members and some community members participated who had seen our notice in the local paper.
Project Title: Meals on Wheels Hours 4090 Donated $ 1,800.00 In Kind $22,542.00
The WCC has been supporting our local Meals on Wheels office for over a decade. Once a contributor to the “We Care” program, the WCC is now in charge of it. We celebrate each of the 740 clients with a Welcome Bag, Birthday Boxes and again a Holiday Box. Each of these contains 15-20 useful, fun and creative items. Including but not limited to puzzle books, toiletry & office kits, soap, wash cloth, potholders, body wash, playing cards & greeting cards, calendars, toothpaste, toothbrush, jar openers, comb, brush, lotion, hand sanitizer, liquid soap, Brain Games, puzzles, tissues, night lights, ornaments, kitchen towel, and party blowers too! If you do math, that is keeping track of approx. 40,000 moving parts throughout the year. Additionally, we make tray favors during the months that the public tends to forget. These come in many shapes and forms from Bookmarks, tic-tac-toe, a folded hug or handwritten note. Just a way to say you are loved and remembered today and always.
I have a great group of 20-25 regular “MoW Angels” who do their designated jobs all year long. Some even get their communities involved. Asking for greeting cards and calendars from neighbors and friends, office supplies and travel toiletries from their next vacation. This project is so big now that “work parties” must be done in small groups more frequently vs.one big group. It is much more than we ever thought possible thanks to the generosity & support of our WCC membership. Together, we get the opportunity to reach over 700 GRATEFUL men and women multiple times per year. We do so enjoy giving to our youth projects but taking care of our seniors - even in just this small way - brings so much joy to so many. We see ourselves supporting Meals on Wheels for as long as they are around.
Project Title: North County Food Bank Hours 67 Donated $0 In Kind $0
In honor of the GFWC 2024 National Day of Service, Woman’s Club of Carlsbad members enjoyed a rewarding morning working closely together at the North County Food Bank in Vista, California. Each shift at the Vista warehouse involves a variety of projects, which may include inspecting and bagging fresh produce for immediate distribution, inspecting, sorting, boxing, and labeling food packages for their Emergency Food Assistance Program, Food 4 Kids and Backpack Program. Our group assembled bags of food for school aged children and boxed them for distribution. It was so rewarding to help prepare 999 bags in 3 hours of food to include nonperishable items for full meals and snacks, many that children could prepare on their own if unattended by an adult. We appreciated each other’s company and how much we accomplished working together as a group to help food insecure children in our community.
Project Title: Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Safety Talk Hours 40 Donated $0 In Kind $0
With summer beginning, it’s important to be reminded of water safety and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation tips. This 2-hr. talk at the clubhouse was organized to educate members on what they need to know to keep themselves and others safe, and how to recognize and respond to an emergency. Fourteen members were in attendance. All attendees found it worth attending and receiving a refresh on this important topic. We may offer more such opportunities in the future.
Project Title: + Box Pack Out Hours 80 Donated $0 In Kind $0
For the first time, eleven members worked together to assemble 100 produce boxes for food insecure families in North County in just one hour. Members reported enjoying this project so much that 20 people signed up for the second date to assemble two hundred boxes of fresh produce for the holidays. The organization wants us to come back every month as we are fast workers, reliable and friendly. We enjoy working with each other and spending time together on hands on service projects.
Project Title: No. County Resource Center Hours 8 Donated $0 In Kind $165
Seven members donated non-perishable food items to the North County Resource Center in Oceanside. The food was collected at the Woman’s Club of Carlsbad business meeting and was then delivered to the food pantry for their weekly distribution.
GFWC Advancement plans - Fundraising & Development
Project Title: Carlsbad Holiday Market Hours: 1610 Donated: $15,388 In Kind: $585
Woman’s Club of Carlsbad created Carlsbad Holiday Market in 2014 The 2024 Carlsbad Holiday Market marked our 11th annual event. The purpose of the market is to raise funds for our club, historically used to support our philanthropic and charitable programs and donations.
Our members work individually or together in small or large groups to create handcrafted merchandise of home and holiday décor, kitchen items, lifestyle and baby/child accessories, greeting cards, clothing, soup and dip mixes, and a café that boasts delicious jams, holiday breads, candies, cookies, olive oil and mixed nuts. Muffins and cookies are available for purchase for consumption on site, along with coffee and free water.
Another highlight of the Holiday Market is the selection of vendors who rent space to sell their merchandise. A co-chair of the event invites, interviews, researches and decides which vendors will participate each year. Vendors can click through on our website or in our social media to apply to participate and also pay online for their booth and add-ons of electricity, table and/or chair(s). Our more popular vendors are those who provide holiday decorations, jewelry and accessories, candles, soaps and items suitable for holiday giving. The vendor chair works from March up to our event in November to coordinate with the vendors, ensure payment is collected, collect their information to help us publicize the event, and also provides them information on set-up and tear down for the day of the market. We like to limit our vendor portion of the market and save space for our own products because we are able to make more money selling our own handcrafted items but do recognize our guests appreciate having a variety of items for purchase.
The Holiday Market committee is composed of members who specialize and chair certain areas such as outside publicity, soup & dip mix production, food and café leadership, coordinating handcrafted items, and preparing succulent planters. The leads on the committee have participated and remained on the committee for many years, resulting in a cohesive group of who work extremely well together.
The co-chair not handling the vendor program supervises and assists all the subcategories listed above, volunteer assignments for the event itself, as well as product packaging design and pricing of merchandise. Packaging and pricing of products is accomplished with the help of other club members on an as-needed basis. Members like being involved in tasks broken out throughout the year to accomplish all that is needed to make an event like this a success and where our members can feel like they assisted and are successful as well.
Carlsbad Holiday Market has become an event that guests look forward to every year. Publicity to promote our annual event consists of postcards mailed to our database as well as email blasts through Mailchimp to our database, posters in local businesses, a large banner on the lawn of our clubhouse, and lawn signs on strategically located members’ homes, and social media posts. Each year, our attendance numbers grow. We also receive requests from guests who are interested in becoming a member of the club: all positive outcomes in addition to the income earned for our charitable projects.
The challenge to putting on an event of this magnitude is to predict what items will be popular and attractive to our guests, keeping abreast of current trends and themes in the marketplace, as well as enlisting the help of enough members to produce items to sell. Some members are naturally more talented and capable of creating products than others, which presents challenges in having enough product as well as not offending a member if an item needs a little reworking. Members are asked to volunteer to bake breads and cookies, involving time and energy of a committee lead organizing those volunteers and checking on the quality of the items and sometimes resulting in products that cannot be resold. It can also be a challenge assigning members to jobs for the day of the event, attempting to recognize their special skill set and abilities to match a needed job position. We find that our members usually happily rise to the occasion and pitch in wherever needed, with their usual cooperative spirit that promotes a positive atmosphere and identity that our club is known for.
After all the years of success with the fundraiser, while it is a labor-intensive and time-consuming undertaking, all in all, because it is our biggest moneymaker, the committee, members and board of directors support continuing this project because of the impact we can make with the funds and the positive light our club is seen in through this event, not to mention the camaraderie fostered from members working together on a feel-good project like this.
Project Title: Graduation & Football Parking Fundraiser Hours 152 Donated $ 7,900.00 In Kind $10.00
The Woman’s Club of Carlsbad is located across the street from the Carlsbad High School Football field which serves as the location to host the annual Senior class graduation and Home Football games. With the tremendous help of a member that has contacts with the various high school organizations & previous donors, we send out an announcement for the fundraiser. Within no time the donations are received & the lot is sold out for 57 vehicles. Volunteers (24) greet the donors and assist with proper parking and exit from the lot. It is a great time for our members to mingle with each other, with the community and have a place for families with elders to easily park and access the field. While we work the event, during the slow times, we support our Holiday Market needs by tasks given to us by the fundraising lead. The funds are allocated to our Capital improvement maintenance.
Project Title: Bunco Night & Bingo Hours: 350 Donated: $10,493.00 In Kind: $450
Bunco is a fast-paced dice game played in rotating teams, with guests competing to achieve points. Woman’s Club of Carlsbad began in approximately 2017 hosting a fundraiser for members and guests where it is hoped 120 participants attend. Guests are charged a flat fee of $30 for an evening of fun gaming, with food and beverages provided, along with 15-20 raffle opportunity baskets of different themes available also. Prizes are awarded for the highest score, lowest score and most buncos and are high-value, desirable prize baskets.
The committee needs about 3 months to plan and publicize the event and also organize raffle baskets. The committee divides up responsibilities for subcategories, such as Game and logistics, raffle baskets and food and beverage donations, and meets at least monthly to keep everything on track. Bunco Night is publicized through personal invitations by email, signs in the lobby of the clubhouse with a QR code link to purchase a ticket, and on our website.
We host a Bingo Night that is very popular and fun with a caller that is the spouse of a member. We have similar set up as Bunco with food and gift cards for the winners.
Our Bunco Night & Bingo Night are great opportunities for guests to see our clubhouse in action, set up in a festive and attractive way, and also to see our members having fun while raising funds for philanthropic projects. We usually have several guests join our club after enjoying an evening like this with our friendly and cordial members.
Project Title: Cookbook “Celebrate Every Day” Hours: 215 Donated: $1310 In Kind: $379
To commemorate our Centennial year, a cookbook fundraiser was undertaken in 2024 as a way to raise funds for needed clubhouse renovation but also as a celebration of the Woman’s Club of Carlsbad reaching our 100-year milestone.
The cookbook organizer and editor gathered a committee to discuss the scope of the cookbook, the look and feel and logistics of gathering recipes. Club members were asked to submit their favorite, tried-and-true family recipes over a 5-month period and had to be reminded many times to make their submissions. Over 150 recipes were ultimately gathered from over 35 contributors, consisting of members and their friends. Some recipes shared a short note about the history of the recipe or the importance to their family and a photo of the finished dish.The cookbook editor spent over 180 hours compiling the recipes into a digital document prepared in Canva from a basic template purchased on Etsy. Most recipes needed to be retyped into a form compatible for graphic display; then images and graphics were added to make the cookbook more eye-catching and appealing. One of the committee members assisted in the final proofreading of the cookbook to ensure uniformity in layout and ease of understanding of recipe instructions.
The cookbook editor obtained bids from 4 local and online printers for printing and binding costs for a full-color, spiral-bound book of 120 pages, and chose a local, family-owned printer who had the best price and customer service. Printing and binding took about 2.5 weeks, and the cookbooks were ready for sale to members at our business meeting and at the Carlsbad Holiday Market for $20 each.
The “Celebrate Every Day” cookbook was very well received by all. It is especially praised for the professional layout, quality of materials used and good variety of recipes, and the release before the holiday season has led to many copies being sold to give as gifts.
The first run of the book printing was 200 copies with a unit cost of about $12 each. A private donation was made to offset the printing cost that resulted in a $10 cost of the book and a $10 resulting profit to our Club’s Capital Campaign program to update our aging clubhouse.
Project Title: Rummage Sale Hours: 140 Donated: $1,500 In Kind: $500.00
The WCC held a rummage sale at our clubhouse in April, 2024 as a Philanthropic fundraiser. We raised approximately $1,500 with 27 volunteers devoting a total of 140 hours of service. All items were donated by members, families and friends. There were no outside costs. We did not set a specific goal and we were pleased with the outcome. We plan to continue having rummage sales: One every two years.
Project Title: Spring Bling Hours: 18; Donated $992; In Kind: $850
Spring Bling is a fundraiser held for the first time in 2024, on one night at the conclusion of our business meeting. Members are requested 3 to 4 months prior to the date to bring their unwanted jewelry, accessories including purses, hats, belts, scarves, shawls, basically everything but shoes. Items are not priced but organized by category on tables for our members and their guest(s) to shop at the end of the meeting. Prices are determined by the shopper who pays whatever they think is fair or they are willing to donate.
The beauty of this fundraiser is there is not a lot of preparation effort, just 30-45 minutes for a team of 3 to 5 members to organize items & cashiers. We estimate 60% of our members donated items and/or shopped or simply donated to the fundraiser. There are no expenses incurred as all items are donated by members.
Any remaining items were sorted and distributed for other projects. Shawls and purses were donated for our prom dress project. Jewelry was saved to be used for the Boys & Girls Club Mother’s Day project. Other items were saved to be sold at our Upscale Rummage Sale occurring the following month.
Project Title: Carlsbad 5000 Hours: 67 Donated: $300 In Kind: $0
The City of Carlsbad is the host of the annual Carlsbad 5000 race, promoted as the fastest race in the United States. Participants from all over the world attend the event to compete in the Majors but also in the amateur level. The event is well attended by the city residents and the students from the local schools. Woman’s Club of Carlsbad members assist in race tasks like stuffing participant bags, assist in registrant’s packet pick-up, manage race routes and work the beer garden. Club members & families volunteer & we raised $300.00. We plan to support future local events in the region to raise funds for the club and spend time with members & see acquaintances that participate in the race.
GFWC Affiliate Organizations
Project Title: St Jude Hours: 0.5 Donated: $150.00 In Kind: $0.0
In support of our 2024 District President, the Woman’s Club donated a check for St Jude.
This affiliate is a District and GFWC affiliate. Our club members donate separately to this organization
Community Service Projects - Arts & Culture Projects
Project Title: Lunch & Learn Program Hours: 195 Donated $0 In Kind: $150.00
To offer an option for members who are unable to attend monthly evening meetings, the Woman’s Club of Carlsbad elected to host monthly Lunch and Learn workshops during the daytime. These workshops are held during the day on the third Wednesday of every month and allow members the opportunity to socialize while also learning a new skill or craft. Several members who are no longer able to drive at night, or have other obligations in the evenings, have benefited greatly from the Lunch and Learn workshops since this allows them to still connect with the Woman’s Club community that they would be missing out on otherwise.
Members and guests can register for the workshop through the Woman’s Club of Carlsbad’s website, via a link in the monthly newsletter or through regular member email updates.
Providing a nice lunch during these events has been a game changer for members, as many of the Woman’s Club members live alone and greatly appreciate the chance to eat a good meal with friends, without the stress of cooking or the expense of going to a restaurant. For some members, these monthly workshops are their main opportunity for regular social interactions.
The Lunch and Learn workshops are held from 11:30am-1:00pm with a fee ranging between $15-$20 depending on the project and cost of supplies. The goal is to keep the cost as low as possible - just enough to cover the cost of supplies and food each month. New ideas are driven by members and the Lunch and Learn committee, which is made up of approximately 8 passionate women and 1 shared Pinterest board. This program gives our members and friends of members the opportunity to shine by showcasing their skills and talents. In addition, another benefit of hosting the Lunch and Learn program is that it provides a fun and engaging outlet for recruiting potential new members. Photos from each month’s workshop are highlighted and shared in the Club’s Monthly newsletter for all to enjoy. Some of the projects that have been presented this year include floral arranging, macrame plant hangers, origami card wallets, pressed flower lanterns, decoupage trays, yarn pumpkins, holiday swag, driftwood centerpieces, citrus-pressed tea towels, and more.
The feedback from members and guests surrounding the Lunch and Learn workshops has been overwhelmingly positive, as members have been able to learn new skills while creating stronger bonds through the program.
Project Title: Art contest Hours: 10 Donated: $ 250.00 In Kind: $ 0.00
Once a year WCC organizes with the 2 local high school art teachers a contest to be judged by the membership.
We ask for 25 entries from each school that are drawings in pencil, chalk, paint and other media they would like to present except photography. We collect the artwork from the school in early May to display at our business meeting where the members vote on their top selection. The top 4 winners receive a gift certificate to Michaels in sums from $100.00 to $25.00.
We have the pleasure to visualize the talent of our local student body and have the pleasure to reward them with art supplies. The students appreciate the recognition by the local community, and it prepares them for the other contest their work will be entered into in May and June.
Project Title: Moonlight Amphitheatre Hours: 85 Donated: $ 0.00 In Kind: $ 0.00
This Federation project was an event at a community outdoor theater in nearby Vista. Thirteen club members and seven of their spouses or friends attended an evening performance of a musical titled, “Escape to Margaritaville” in June of 2024. Members could bring picnic dinners to enjoy before the performance, if they wished. The event was advertised to club members at business meetings verbally and with fliers, in emails and in our club newsletter. The tickets cost $44 each. The venue was very accommodating as the tickets had to be reserved. The event was a great success. Members and their guests socialized beforehand and then enjoyed the show. The event should be repeated to foster friendship and musical enjoyment.
Project Title: Beyond Monet Hours: 60 Donated: $ 0.00 In Kind: $ 0.00
This Federation project was an immersion exhibit at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in San Diego. Through projection technology, and an original music score, the artworks of the painter, Claude Monet were displayed from ceiling to floor. Seventeen members and nine spouses or friends attended in March of 2024. The event was advertised to club members at business meetings verbally and with fliers, emails and in the club newsletter. The tickets cost $40 each. Tickets were reserved in advance. The artwork was beautifully projected and the music went nicely with each piece displayed. The event could be repeated with the artwork of Vincent Van Gogh next time it is offered locally. The event promotes education and enjoyment of the arts.
Project Title: Movie Night Hours: 55 Donated: $ 0.00 In Kind: $ 0.00
This Federation project entailed a night at the Regal Theater in Carlsbad to see a movie. In February of 2024, fifteen club members saw the movie, “Ordinary Angels.” We met beforehand at the Panera Restaurant for dinner. The movie night was on a Tuesday when movie tickets were discounted to $6 each. The event was a success and should be repeated. Club members socialized at dinner and then enjoyed a cinematic experience.
GWFC Community Service - Civic Engagement
Project Title: Angel Tree- Salvation Army Hours 726 Donated $500.00 In Kind $3644.00
The Salvation Army manages a program called Angel Tree. This program provides economically disadvantaged families in the Oceanside, Carlsbad, Vista and Fallbrook area with clothing and toys for Christmas. The activity was well attended with much enthusiasm and hard work by members of WCC with a good number of new and prospective members involved. When the event was announced at the business meeting many members adopted families and single children to fulfill their wishes. The event was managed in part by 2 WCC members who went above and beyond to spend hours organizing the donated gifts and making sure all the orders received from the community were properly filled. In addition, members helped by stuffing approximately 824 bags with gifts donated by the community. Woman's Club of Carlsbad’s participation was MUCH appreciated by the organization. The event brought the holiday spirit to many children, families and to the volunteers too! Next year we will start earlier to receive donations from the community so volunteers have more time to organize the gifts, and we will spread the word in the community and at the club for more adoptions.
In addition, 6 members volunteer year-round at Salvation Army helping weekly sort or pack or distribute food.
Project Title: First Responders' Appreciation Hours 45 Donated $25.00 In Kind $150.00
The members of the Woman's Club of Carlsbad continue to honor the men and women who serve the City of Carlsbad each year by baking and delivering sweet treats to our police, firefighters and first responders at their precincts. Volunteer members of the club graciously donate their time, ingredients and lovingly bake cookies, brownies, cakes and other sweet delights. These delicious goodies are brought to the clubhouse where they are packaged in beautiful trays, tied in pretty ribbons and attached with homemade thank you cards. The treats are then delivered to 6 different precincts withing the City of Carlsbad and our main police headquarters by volunteers.
This small gesture of love and appreciation affirms the gratitude our club members have for the wonderful men and women who put their lives on the line each day to keep our city and its citizens safe. This is a project near and dear to the hears of the women at the Woman's Club of Carlsbad and has become a tradition that we plan on continuing in the future.
Project: Carlsbad Village Academy Teachers Appreciation Hours 4 Donated $250.00 In Kind $ 0
As part of the WCC EDUCATION Outreach the club members support the Carlsbad Village Academy.
Carlsbad Village Academy is a continuation high school serving students 16 years or older, in grades 10-12, who need extensive credit recovery options, flexible schedules to accommodate employment, family obligations, and/or other critical needs. Students are referred to Carlsbad Village Academy through a Guidance Team process with Carlsbad High School and Sage Creek High School and typically serves between 80 and 90 students at a time.
The expectation in Carlsbad Unified School District (CUSD) has always been to support students at the continuation schools with the intent that each student will successfully complete the exact same graduation requirements as well as the same mandated testing requirements as every other student in CUSD. However, students come to CVA with a wide variety of needs or limitations.
The teachers at the CVA are a very special breed of educators. They have no PTA and minimal contact and support from family and relatives of the students. In recognition for their dedication to this special educational institute and in honor of Teachers Appreciation Month, the WCC has provided gift certificates to the full-time teachers on the CVA staff. They are very appreciative, and it is an honor for the volunteers to personally hand them the certificates and thank them for their contribution to the future of these students.
Project Title: Stitches From the Heart Hours 125 Donated $ In Kind __$250.00_
The Woman's Club of Carlsbad has adopted a community project called "Stitches from The Heart". Volunteers from the club who like to knit, and crochet give of their time and talents by creating hats for newborns. These hats are lovingly made in different colored, soft yarns that are one hundred percent donated! The baby hats are distributed to local area maternity wards at local hospitals, such Scripps and Camp Pendleton. Special tags are attached to the hats saying, "lovingly made by the Woman's Club of Carlsbad". The baby hats are appreciated and so well received.
This project is a labor of love showing goodwill and the club's love of community service, supporting our local hospitals. The ladies who make these hats do so all year long. The Woman's Club of Carlsbad looks forward to continuing this tradition for many years to come!
Project Title: San Diego Flood Victim Relief Donation Hours 5 Donated $ In Kind $743
We emailed the membership to bring Flood Relief Victims donations to the general meeting on February 7, 2024. A tremendous number of items were donated and delivered to the Jackie Robinson YMCA in San Diego, who is working with the City of San Diego and the County of San Diego relief program. 32 women donated items. 3 women donated cash.
GWFC Advancement Plans - Communications & Public Relations
Project Title: Centennial Publicity and Communication Hours200 Donated $ 0 In Kind $2336
Woman’s Club of Carlsbad made a commitment to honor the past, celebrate our present and shape our future in the community for its Centennial celebration. We have six very dedicated members working on this project. A google document was created to track all the tasks that the members wanted to complete. One of our members designed a new club logo that will be used in our publicity and communications. The members created a Toolbox for the Woman’s Club of Carlsbad website that allowed club members to use talking points and email signatures to promote our Centennial. One member worked with the club historian and wrote a history document to be used for media and print to be used to publicize the club's Centennial. Members also created and handmade Stickers, License Plate holder and Coffee cups for club members to purchase to advertise Woman’s Club of Carlsbad Centennial. To kick off our Centennial year a member created a design with the club’s new centennial logo for a flag to be placed on the club’s flagpole. A flag raising ceremony was held at the club's October meeting which was attended by the club members, Carlsbad Police Chief and Carlsbad Historical Society. This event was publicized in the San Diego Tribune Newspaper and Carlsbad Neighbor Magazine. Each month a member will write an article for the Woman’s of Carlsbad’s Newsletter to share information about the committee's ongoing projects to publicize the Centennial.
One of our members wanted a long-lasting tribute to the Club’s upcoming Centennial, A bronze plaque will accompany the commemorative bench and be cemented into the ground at the foot of the bench. A seven-member advisory committee was formed. These members worked with club members and raised the required money for this plaque and bench. With the help of the City of Carlsbad’s Parks and Recreation team, we selected a highly visible and iconic spot in the center of downtown Carlsbad. The club will hold an unveiling of the bench when it is installed in early February 2025.
Woman’s Club of Carlsbad Centennial Committees can rely on the Publicity and Committee chairs and members for advice and help in promoting their individual Centennial events.
The coming year the members have a lot of exciting tasks to publicize and communicate about Woman's Club of Carlsbad’s 100-year accomplishments.
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Project Title: Carlsbad Village Association Hours 12 Donated $ 0 In Kind $ 240
The Women’s Club of Carlsbad and the Carlsbad Village Association support each other by combining their strengths to enhance the community. The Woman’s Club of Carlsbad contributes through volunteerism, event hosting, and philanthropic initiatives, while the Carlsbad Village Association provides a platform to amplify these efforts by integrating them into broader community events and promotions in the Village. Together, they create opportunities for civic engagement, support local businesses, and foster a sense of connection through events, advocacy, and shared community-focused goals.
We have a colleague very involved in the Carlsbad Village Association and it was a great opportunity for the Woman's Club of Carlsbad to be involved so we contributed the first year’s membership.
Project Title: “Our Club News” Newsletter Editor Hours 160 Donated $ 0 In Kind $ 0
The Newsletter Editor publishes a newsletter every month on the 3rd of the month, September through June, and one summertime edition to stay in touch while our business meetings are suspended. We have found the digital newsletter to be the best way to get information to our members regarding upcoming events, service opportunities and more.
Every major department/program has a spot in the newsletter. Included in our newsletter are descriptions of upcoming service opportunities with active links to sign up, fundraising events with active links to purchase tickets or volunteer, along with flyers of these and District events. Also included is an officers’ message provided by rotating officers; a two-month calendar at a glance; a message, in-search-of and thank-you board. Federation events, Philanthropy donations, and membership information with a welcome to new members are a big part of the newsletter, along with a “Spotlight on our Members” that highlights one to two members each month with a picture and a brief biography for our members to get to know each other better and find a common bond with each other. Photographs are included of immediate past events. Helpful reminders are spelled out regarding meeting assignments for set-up, greeters and snacks, together with a listing of regular or special collections being taken up that month. Helpful active links are included every month to our website, the latest up-to-date roster, the Palomar District Newsletter, along with links to the CFWC and GFWC websites.
The process begins with an email to board members, committee chairs, event organizers, and functional chairpersons to submit their announcements, articles, new projects, flyers or pictures. All entries are due by the first of each month. The Editor follows a template in the Canva graphics program to insert content, very often embellishing with eye-catching graphics or photos. The editing process is time consuming (12 to 18 or more hours per month) and involves collecting content in a timely manner, formatting the newsletter, searching for quotes, pictures, and arranging it all into a newsletter that is informative and appealing. The Editor also writes an article for the first page and a closing note, both of which attempt to be uplifting and encourage members to become or stay involved.
When the newsletter is ready for publication, it is emailed to all members through the Woman’s Club of Carlsbad email account and also archived on our website for members to download. Newsletters from 2012 to present reside on our website for review by members in our Members Only section because they may contain personal member information. For our members without email, the Membership Director assists the Newsletter Editor by printing out a copy of the newsletter and delivering it to those individuals for their review.
We have found that our members really like the monthly newsletter and find it a valuable tool for updating their calendars, staying informed on all club activities and developing a sense of connection to our club and its leaders and members, in addition to learning more about District, State and National news. Our members seem to be more engaged, entertained and informed as well as have a reference for future use. We have even been told that our newsletter and website so impressed prospective members that it led to their membership in our Club.
The wonderful thing about being the Newsletter Editor is having the opportunity to speak with and communicate with so many club members, especially the board members and chairpersons and our district representatives. Conversations veer off into personal life, family and more - which is a wonderful benefit of the woman’s club - expanding our friendships, our personal connection to others, our community, and our world.
Project Title: Website Redevelopment and Maintenance Hours 140 Donated $ 0 In Kind $ 0
The Woman’s Club of Carlsbad first developed its website in 2012 using an online design and maintenance provider called Weebly. The Webmaster for the club updates the website with content designed to promote publicity for the club and its image and how we meet community needs with service and financial donations. Articles and informational content is added as well as pictures of the club in action at fundraisers and service events. A Members Only tab provides our members with roster and member information, financial statements and minutes of past meetings dating back to the beginning of the website.
Because of and during the COVID pandemic, in 2020, we upgraded our website from purely informational to one that allows collection of payments, and an online shop was created to sell handcrafted items, allowing our club to hold a virtual Holiday Market at the time when public events were not allowed or encouraged. We have maintained this upgraded website since then. The benefit of having an upgraded website, considered a business website by the company Weebly, is that we can collect payment for event tickets, sell items through an online link to our shop, encourage and accept additional donations to category-specific programs or generally for our clubhouse upkeep and renovations.
This past year, we were fortunate to be chosen by California State University San Marcos to participate in their Senior Project where a team from the university with education in business, marketing and communications performed an analysis of our club and made recommendations regarding gaining more community awareness for our club and of our clubhouse facility as a rental venue. This was accomplished by the team interviewing leaders of our club, conducting research, evaluating our needs, plans and setting goals.
Recommendations from this group at Cal State San Marcos regarding improving our website to better publicize our club and its accomplishments were extremely helpful in redeveloping the website, and a relaunch was accomplished in July. A new layout and format was designed by the Webmaster after analyzing the students’ recommendations and researching websites of other philanthropic groups, especially other California women’s clubs. This redesign project occurred over a five- to six-week period and involved over 100 hours of content gathering, designing, reconfiguring and updating of graphics, and resulted in a cleaner and clearer layout and a more user-friendly way to navigate through the tabs and areas of information. Rather than having to scroll through lengthy paragraphs of content, users can click through and go straight to their areas of interest.
Using the talents and dedication of the Webmaster saved the Club hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars in fees normally charged by a professional website designer, resulting in the club being able to use its administrative budgeted dollars more efficiently. The Webmaster is assessing a few club members currently as promising candidates to assist with the website maintenance and has been training them in the use of Canva and Weebly, with an eye to grow their leadership and technical talents, to assist and eventually take over or share the role of Webmaster.
The newly designed website was very well received by the membership who appreciate the updated, modernized look and feel and ease of use. Our traffic to the website has increased substantially since the relaunch, and a new contact box that allows visitors to sign up for club news and events has grown our email database very nicely. We also believe the new design should help us qualify for grants when the donors are able to get a clear understanding of who we are and what we accomplish in the community. We have even been told that our professional-looking website so impressed prospective members that they joined our club after researching other nearby groups.
GWFC Signature Program - Domestic and Sexual Violence Awareness and Prevention
Project Title: One Safe Place Support Hours 5 Donated $ 867 In Kind $35
This past year, our club supported One Safe Place with monetary donations to their art program, Reading Legacies and Holiday gifts for their clients.
Project Title: Speaker Series for Domestic Violence Awareness Hours 5 Donated $ 0 In Kind $0
This year the Deans and Service Chairs planned a Domestic Violence Speaker Series event. It was slated for Sunday, October 20th in the evening to follow our President’s request to not have speakers at our monthly business meetings. Our Speaker Series featured representatives from three local Domestic Violence and Domestic Homicide organizations. We publicized the event in our chapter newsletter, the District Palomar Telescope, at our business meeting and word of mouth. Unfortunately, due to a low expected turn out, the Dean cancelled the event. She personally spoke with all three representatives. After reflection, the Deans determined that low interest was likely due to being on a Sunday at 5:00pm. We are hopeful that these representatives will be able to attend a future meeting as the work they do makes a tremendous impact on women in our community.
Project Title: Kathy’s Legacy Support Hours 50 Donated $ 1300 In Kind $240
Kathy’s Legacy Foundation serves children and pets impacted by domestic violence. They revive hope, restore normalcy, and inspire dreams in the lives of children orphaned by intimate partner violence. Seven club members volunteered for Kathy’s Legacy’s biggest fundraiser of the year at their fifth annual golf tournament and banquet. Volunteers worked various shifts throughout the day including registration, on-course bar service, bonus games and contests, evening silent auction duties, selling raffle tickets and photographing the event for Kathy’s Legacy promotional materials. The Woman's Club of Carlsbad donated an auction basket that raised $350.This lively event was enjoyed by all volunteers, and we plan to continue to support this local charity.
Additionally, our club supported Kathy’s Legacy with monetary donations to support their pet program and other programs that needed funding.
Project Title: Tours of One Safe Place Hours 58 Donated $ 0 In Kind $0
Twenty-two Woman’s Club of Carlsbad members attended tours of One Safe Place, the North County Family Justice Center. Members learned that One Safe Place’s offers free support services all under one roof to anyone who has experienced child abuse, sexual assault, domestic violence, hate crime, elder abuse, human trafficking, violent loss, family violence, or other abuse or victimization. They provide comprehensive help in a safe and judgment-free environment that empowers people to move forward with their lives. Over one hundred affiliate organizations provide services at One Safe Place. The Woman's Club of Carlsbad is committed to offering services to many of these charities that serve the victims who receive help at One Safe Place.
Project Title: Human Trafficking Awareness Talk Hours 79 Donated $0 In Kind $0
A speaker from One Safe Place, the North County Family Justice Center, spoke at a WCC business meeting of 75 members on human trafficking. She herself is a survivor of human trafficking. She spoke of how young people are groomed to fall prey to this horrific, dehumanizing situation. The depth, knowledge and self-reveal was a devastating eye opener of what happens right in our own backyard.
GFWC Community Service - Environmental
The GFWC Woman’s Club of Carlsbad is a philanthropic and social organization dedicated to enriching the lives of others and ourselves through service. The Woman’s Club of Carlsbad was founded in 1925 in coastal Carlsbad which is home of the Carlsbad Flower Fields. Our club has grown to over one hundred members committed to improving our community and fostering strong social connections with each other. Our members are actively working to make an impact with organizations that support vulnerable communities including children and youth, military families, those facing food insecurity and victims of domestic violence and human trafficking. The Woman’s Club of Carlsbad also encourages members to foster strong social connections with each other. We are excited to be celebrating our Centennial this spring and have spent this past year looking at our history, present activity and future legacy.
Project Title: Sustainability Solutions Fair Hours: 25 Donated: $0 In Kind: $0
Over the last year, several members have expressed interest in learning more about sustainability measures. They were interested in composting, recycling, reducing plastics and creative ways to reuse materials. In 2024, eight members attended I Love A Clean San Diego’s Sustainability Solutions Fair held on June 22nd at the Encinitas Farm Lab near the Quail Gardens. Members made homemade bath products, swapped garments and met representatives of various organizations that promote sustainable efforts. They also met with groups that would make potential service projects. The chair promoted this event at our monthly business meeting and in our newsletter. Following the fair, several members had lunch together to share their ideas and suggestions. Attending members commented that they left feeling more interested in sustainability measures and intended to try some of the suggestions they learned.
Project Title: Carlsbad Village Clean Up Hours: 10 Donated: $0 In Kind: $0
Members joined in the periodic Carlsbad Village Clean Up event held on May 18th. The Carlsbad Village Clean Up is a bi-monthly project sponsored by I Love a Clean San Diego and the Carlsbad Village Association. This was a new project for our club and the chair promoted the cleanup in our monthly newsletter and at our May business meeting. Three members attended and enjoyed the cloudy morning as they filled the trash buckets. We were surprised to learn that cigarette butts still make up the bulk of all trash on the ground. The participants were also able to clear away a lot of plastic wrapper style trash too. Attending members reported that they enjoyed the event and plan to participate in more Village clean ups in the future.
Project Title: Cork Recycling: Put a Cork in It Hours: 8 Donated: $0 In Kind:$0
In support of the district’s sustainability objectives, Woman’s Club of Carlsbad members continued to bring their wine corks for recycling through a local commercial facility willing to box and mail the corks to a centralized location in the USA. Three hundred and sixty-five corks, with a value of $0, were collected between January and June 2024 and delivered to the commercial site. Since summer, the facility no longer accepts corks. Since there are no other willing facilities, and corks can now be collected in the City of Carlsbad’s GREEN recycling bin, the program was discontinued.
Project Title: Printer Cartridge Recycling Hours: 0.5 Donated: $ 0.00 In Kind: $ 0.00
We collect our used printer cartridges and periodically one of the members takes them to Staples, who recycles them free of charge. Staples gives points for this to the member who then uses the points to purchase supplies for the club.
Project Title: Coastal Clean-Up Through I Love A Clean San Diego and City of Carlsbad Hours: 20 Donated: $0 In Kind: $0
Four members signed up to clean and record the amount of trash found on Tamarack State Beach in Carlsbad. This event was three hours long and members were able to connect with each other and serve our community.
Project Title: Pennies For Pines Hours: 5 Donated: $ 136 In Kind: $ 0.00
The Pennies For Pines Program began in California in 1941 to help maintain the national forests in California. With wildfires devastating so many of our forests in recent years, we applaud and support the goals of this organization. We support this conservation effort by collecting spare change in our “Pennies For Pines” jar, which is out and available for donations at our monthly meetings. When the amount of $68.00 is reached (the minimum donation), a donation check is sent to the Pennies For Pines organization. We set a goal of three donations this year but only made two (although we got very close to reaching the third). It has been recently proposed, and is currently being considered by our Philanthropy Committee, that we make Pennies For Pines one of our regular yearly beneficiaries.
Women's History & Resource Center (WHRC) Projects
Project Title: WCC Centennial Historical Committee Hours: 700 Donated: $_0.00 In Kind: $ 300.00
The historical committee's report highlights a comprehensive and labor-intensive effort to compile and review historical documents from the past century. Utilizing various sources, including legal papers and library resources, the committee has made substantial progress despite missing years of documentation. Their findings not only contribute to the historical narrative but also engage the community through presentations and newsletters, marking a critical role in the centennial celebrations.
The committee of 3 has spent over 500 hours on this project. The work has evolved into a forensic historical endeavor, the undertaking is significant.
Sources of Information vary from meeting handwritten notebooks and newspaper clippings that are essential for gathering missing years; Strong documentation exists from the ’50 up to current times and now more in binder format; Legal documents (grant deeds, quick claims) used to track properties owned by WCC since 1925. The Cole Library provided significant assistance. Note: The library is named after Georgiana Cole, a past member who helped establish it.
The research Process started in July 2024 and is ongoing as the process is time consuming and tedious.
Notes are taken and then organized in a timeline manner and passed on to our Communication and PR committee to be used in ads and public communication and into a final document. Pictures are collected and organized, and significant ones will be assembled into a wall timeline for all to view in our foyer.
At each business meeting the committee shares anecdotes from the findings to everyone’s fascination.
The Committee joined the Carlsbad Historical Society, and their president presented to the membership a history of the region from 1600 to 1925.
The history committee and the communication /PR committee organized a collection of funds to gift a bench in the heart of the village to be dedicated in early 2025 to the “Mothers of the of Carlsbad Village”.
GFWC Advancement Plan - Leadership
Project Title: Co- Presidents Hours 350 Donated $ 0.00 In Kind $ 210.00
The Co-Presidents work closely with each other, with members of the Board and individual members of the Woman’s Club of Carlsbad. As presidents, we host the Executive Board meetings quarterly (at a minimum), monthly business meetings for the entire membership, generate the meeting agendas and preside over the meetings. We work with the Board members on various projects and keep a pulse of the total membership.
We had Co-Presidents from January 2024-June 2024. Then one President for the remainder of the year. As Presidents we meet with Treasurers to oversee our financial status, we work closely with our Property Management team (a local company that oversees our rentals) and our very dedicated members that oversee day in and out the proper maintenance of our aging clubhouse.
Our Rental committee led by the president has evolved from seeking opportunities to publicize our clubhouse (Open house, Public Relations in all local magazines and media) to Capital Improvements required for the 1962 venue. We are very pleased with the remodel of our small kitchen and now are seeking local space planners to provide plans to meet ADA and local compliances as well as restoration.
The Woman's Club of Carlsbad will be 100 years young in April 2025 and the President led a team to brainstorm via a Mind Map how to organize our celebration. We meet monthly with a dedicated team of historians, fundraisers, publicity and celebration activities committee leads. We have many activities planned (Village bench dedication, Tea and Fashion show, Public open house and Mixer with Chamber of Commerce, etc.) and are thrilled to honor the “Mothers of Carlsbad” and keep their legacy strong and vibrant for the next generation.
We support our District and actively participate in all the Executive and Board meetings as well as the CFWC Southern Calif. local meeting in San Diego. We are honored to make our Woman’s Club of Carlsbad venue available for the April 2025 District Convention. To prepare the President participates in all the preparatory meetings. We support the projects recommended by our District such as Operation paperback, Wreaths Across America, etc.
As President, I share all the appropriate updates from GFWC, CFWC and our District to our membership and see that we participate as much as possible by contacting the respective chairs. For example, our Service team is taking on the suggested reading glasses recycling program.
As the solo president, I rely on the Board of Directors for advice and contact them as need be. Being the solo president of a large club, with ownership of our own venue, is a full-time position and one needs to be available 24/7 to respond to questions and; issues and be able to just listen. I have learned to delegate everything that I can, to ask members to work situations out with their committee chair or appropriate functional lead as I rather not provide them with the answer and finally try not to take things personal. When we don’t have someone stepping up to take on something, then I step in and manage it and then engage members to support in the implementation such as our Appreciation celebration for the Meals on Wheels Chair, who was awarded “Volunteer of the Year“ by the North County Philanthropy Council and the San Diego Business Journal.
We have very talented members with great experience and enthusiasm that I have learned a lot from and so blessed to rely on them. I have learned to generate and run the monthly business meetings on my own and try to become a better public speaker. I am frequently asked to introduce our events in front of many guests and members, such as our 100-year flag raising ceremony with the local Chief of Police. In addition, if have learned to juggle various activities and continue to manage the projects I have in the past such as parking lot
fundraising at Graduation and Football season. I plan to hand over to next club year president(s) the tools that I captured as I took on the position and will make myself available to support them. I have learned so much about the Woman's Club of Carlsbad in the past two years and am grateful to be able to hold the role. It has been a development role so different from my past 40 years of industry work while working with volunteers versus paid employees.
Project Title: Co- Deans Hours 150 Donated $ 0.00 In Kind $ 50
The Co-Deans worked extensively in January 2024 to finalize our annual Narrative Report and assist with District level judging. In the spring, we worked very hard to increase awareness of One Safe Place with our members. One Safe Place is a one-stop support programs for all aspects of Domestic Violence, including Sex Trafficking. We sponsored two tours and booked a maximum of 20 people. We were able to secure one of their representatives to speak to the general membership at a business meeting. There was significant interest in our members getting more involved with organizations like One Safe Place.
At our June Board transition, the Co-Deans focused more on the need to address issues regarding fiduciary responsibility. With our Centennial Celebrations in the works at that point, many members were looking at ways to raise money and address our Clubhouse. It has been the Co-Deans’ position that our Clubhouse is our most important legacy to the future of the Woman’s Club of Carlsbad. We asked questions, participated in District-level Dean training, investigated potential liabilities and participated in an initial attempt in strategic planning. We learned a lot and shared it with the responsible parties.
Project Title: 4th V.P Property Management Hours: 450 Donated: $6,000.00 In Kind: 230.00
The primary duties of the 4th VP Clubhouse Management are to ensure that all venue components are in a workable, safe, user-friendly environment. The main goal from January 1 – December 2024 was to renovate the small kitchen.
The maintenance of our Clubhouse is an essential element in meeting our goals with services to the community, our renters and our members. The building is 62 years old: which requires a full-time on-site inspection schedule.
Major Projects Accomplished: Clear Unused renter storage spaces, Upgrade Parking Lot Lines Upgrade Stair Safety Lines, Kitchen Renovation, Roof Leak Repair, Interior Ceiling Repair, Antiquated Sink removal, Entrance/Exit Motion light Installation/Signage Lights, Sliding Doors Runner Repairs, Upgrade Stage Area (Curtains/Paint), Replace Fans in Main Hall , outside draining systems front and back of building, removing old planters & benches, on and on.
Our local property management team takes care of the venue rentals and customer management and reports to the 4th VP. The 4th VP has her hands full with the constant maintenance and management of the venue and we are all grateful as the place has never so well been managed and maintained.
GWFC Advancement Plans - Membership, Retention and Engagement
Project Title: Federation Activities Hours: 150 Donated: $800 In Kind: $500
The purpose of the Federation Committee is to provide opportunities for club members to get to know each other and spend time together socially. The goal of the committee is to encourage members to form connections and friendships through activities. As we form these relationships, we work better as a team in serving our community through service and philanthropy. Our 18-member committee met in July 2024 to plan out the year’s activities. This is a group of dedicated and committed ladies, with fantastic ideas.
This year is our Centennial 100-Year as a club, we wanted to place emphasis on celebrating the club
and our members. The committee assisted in having a fun birthday acknowledgement at our September
meeting, with balloons, signs and cupcakes for all. We then kicked off the year’s activities with a member Happy Hour in September. Followed by a fun event in October, “Speed Friending”, a takeoff on speed dating, the ladies loved the event and especially learning fun things about other members. In November, we hosted a Paint n’ Sip evening, painting a difficult painting, there was lots of laughter. We had a very successful and well attended Holiday Happy Hour including members spouses and significant others. Moving into our annual Holiday Party, should prove to be an elegant and delicious evening filled with fun and friendship.
On a monthly basis, the Federation/Activities hosts a 1) monthly book club, 2) a game night and 3) a monthly Lunch and Learn afternoon, where ladies learn how to create or make something, have lunch and visit. All these events are attended by many members and have quite the following.
As we continue to celebrate our 100-Year Centennial the plans include a High Tea /Fashion Show, a presentation by the Woman’s Museum of California speakers’ event, an actual birthday party on the day we incorporated and a Summer Solstice event. We have a fantastic group of ladies, and we are honored and blessed to work with each one of them.
Project Title: Membership Hours: 371 Donated $3681.00 In Kind $494.00
During 2024 we recruited a total of twenty-seven (27) new members, and we were able to get back two (2) previous members who had been gone for several years, so a total of 29 new members were added to our roster this club year. We are extremely proud of our membership recruitment efforts, and we’re thrilled to have so many new members, and to now be considered a “Large” club, which has not been the case for many years. We look forward to the new ideas and fresh energy that these new members bring to our club.
Our Membership Chairperson, along with an enthusiastic committee, have continued to focus on recruitment, and we have established consistent procedures. This includes contacting prospects promptly (via email and phone calls) and inviting them to the next business meeting or social event instead of just joining immediately. We encourage women who are interested in the club to attend 1-2 meetings to ensure that our club is a good fit for them. After each meeting (or social event), we contact prospective members personally to answer any questions they may have about our club. When prospective members attend our meetings, we introduce them to the group. In 2024, we also handed them a chocolate bar treat that they could take home which says… “You are SO Sweet” to attend our meeting. This added gesture helps the guests feel extra special, shows them that they are welcome, and it gives them a tangible reminder of us when they get home. This gesture has been very well received by guests.
We are committed to making new members feel welcome and getting them involved right away. Once prospects decide to join, the membership committee conducts a 2-hour “New Member Orientation” where we cover what they need to know to make a seamless transition into the club. We present them with a member packet and review the history of GFWC, CFWC, Palomar District and everything they need to know about WCC…who we support, our on-going projects, procedures, social activities, member only portion of the website, etc. We can cover a lot of information at these orientations and answer all the new members’ questions in a small setting. At the conclusion of the orientation, new members fill out “Interest Forms” so that they can get involved right away by connecting them with chairpersons in their areas of interest. We have learned that when new members participate early on, they get more involved in the club and can make those crucial connections with other members. This past year, we digitized the interest survey form so that ALL members, not only new members, could update their interests and the responses were compiled into accessible excel docs and distributed electronically to all club project chairpersons. This has made it easier to connect new & current members to committee chairs and projects that they are interested in. At the club business meeting following the new member’s orientation, we introduce each new member formally to the membership and present them with a flower as a welcome gesture. New members seem to love this, and an added benefit is that current members can see who the new person is so that they can make a point of going up to them after the meeting to introduce themselves and welcome them to WCC. This year we also held a “Meet & Greet” before the October 2024 meeting for newer members. The membership committee invited anyone who had joined in the past 12 months and board members were also invited. The purpose of the Meet & Greet, which was held at the chairperson’s home, was to give new members another opportunity to connect with not only board members, but also with other newer members of our club to make those critical connections. This event was very well received, and we plan to hold these gatherings at least 1-2 times a year…most likely in January and In the Fall.
Currently, we recruit members in one of three ways… a current member invites a friend; someone sees our website and fills out the interest form so that we can contact them; or someone attends one of our fundraisers or events and expresses interest in finding out more about our club. We have found that our club website has served a crucial role in our recruitment efforts, as many women who move into our area visit the website to find out about us because they are eager to make new friends and are then motivated to contact us. Due to the website’s importance, our webmaster takes great care to update our site on an ongoing basis to provide members, and others who visit our site, with the most current information about our club so that we always represent our club and community in a professional manner. In addition, the membership chairperson and the webmaster work closely to keep the member’s only section also updated with new rosters each month (or anytime that we have new members join), and the webmaster quickly posts pictures of members participating in our activities. We invite you to visit our club website www.womansclubofcarlsbad.org so you can see firsthand how important this digital tool has been to our recruitment efforts. In addition, we also have public and private Facebook pages to allow current members to interact and to ensure that potential members can easily locate our organization. Our public page can be found at https://www.facebook.com/womansclubofcarlsbad/
Since we have recruited so many new members in the last couple of years, these newer members are now getting their friends and neighbors also involved in our club…which is wonderful to see…and has given our recruitment a boost. Also in 2024, we recruited several members through our fundraising events (i.e. Bingo, Bunco & Holiday Market). At each of these events, the membership committee sets up a table where we display information about our club that anyone interested can pick up. This includes a copy of our club trifold with general information about our club and our goals. We also encourage those who are interested in finding out more about our club to fill out a contact form and our membership chairperson reaches out to them after the event both via email and by phone. These personal contacts have made a significant difference in the success of our recruiting.
This past year, we have also continued to focus on getting our name out there in the local papers. We recognized that in the past, we were not diligent about publicizing our meeting dates, event photos, and information that summarize all the good work we do in our community. Our publicity committee has supported our recruitment efforts by announcing to the community our upcoming activities and inviting non-members from our community to participate, such as with the Comfort Pillow project. We are always amazed when Carlsbad residents tell us that they never knew we existed since we’ve been in the community for almost 100 years. This shows that there is still work to be done, and that our membership can continue to grow with the right publicity and recruitment efforts which we finally have in place.
Regarding retention of members, in 2024 we continued to focus on reaching out to members who do not consistently attend meetings and/or club activities. Membership committee members make personal calls to anyone not attending the business meetings, but this is an area we can continue to improve on. We need to address why some people join, but don’t seem to get involved, and why others leave the club. Whether there is something that we can do differently, or that it’s just people’s personal lives that gets in the way of them becoming more active in our club. Since the pandemic’s toll on our club’s membership, we have lost very few members, and especially for unknown reasons. Most of the time it has been because members have moved away from the area, and/or they have family or health issues that require them to take a break from the club.
Our members form strong friendships, and we are there to support each other when members deal with personal, health, or family issues. Membership works closely with our Sunshine Chairperson to send cards, make phone calls, and/or help make meals for members who need help throughout the year. In the past we have had one or two members that were our sunshine chairmen, but now a committee is being formed because it seems like there is more need for this type of assistance due to our increasing membership, etc.
We are thrilled that once again we are growing our club and adding the energy of new members, with new ideas, to the wonderful group of women that we call…The Woman’s Club of Carlsbad.
Project Title: Sunshine Committee Hours: 30 Donated $0 In Kind $ 150.00
The Sunshine Committee’s mission is to create a culture of caring and connection by acknowledging certain events in the lives of our members. Cards are mailed for events such as personal or family illness, congratulation, milestone or bereavement. We also offer to assist our members with meals, transportation, light housekeeping, etc. during their time of need. Members are to advise the chairperson of the Sunshine Committee for anyone who may need words of encouragement, a card, meals or any assistance.
GFWC Advancement Plans - Community Service Programs - Education and Libraries
Project Title: Mentoring California State University-San Marcos Senior Experience Project. Hours 55 Donated $250 In Kind $ 40
This project was initiated upon learning that the university offered community outreach projects to enhance students’ marketing and business experience. WCC was part of the experience in the Spring and again Fall semesters. Five senior university students and one marketing professor were assigned to the Woman’s Club of Carlsbad for their project. The project’s goals were to expand the club’s marketing efforts to boost visibility about the upcoming centennial, attract consistent donors, grow its membership, and bring in more members. A key aim was to secure sustainable funding to maintain and improve the club’s clubhouse so that the clubhouse could be rented out and produce a passive income to support the club’s broader operations. Members on this project had meetings with the students (via zoom, at three hour-long meetings) to discuss how the students could bring brand awareness to the club. An additional club member served as co-chair on this project and was the primary contact for the students. Students interviewed members and other contacts provided to enhance their experience. Members also attended an on-campus final project presentation by the students, as well as a Senior Experience Trade show, where all students shared their project results on poster boards and tables in a trade show-like setting.
The experience for both semesters was heartwarming to be able to interact with this generation and hear about their future career plans. The portfolio provided by the students at the end of each semester was full of great ideas, tools, and contacts for the club. We learned quite a bit from the students and adopted their ideas on our website, external communications, outreach to promote the clubhouse, grant ideas, etc.
We will evaluate if we continue this into 2025 and if funds are allocated to support this experience.
Project title: Carlsbad High school scholarships Hours: 75 Donated: $3000 In-kind: 0
One focus of the Woman’s Club of Carlsbad is education of young people in our community. Each year the Woman’s Club of Carlsbad awards three scholarships to graduating female high school seniors from the Carlsbad Unified School District. This year the funds allocated from the club’s budget was $3000 enabling three $1000 scholarships to be given to worthy candidates. Three recipients were from Carlsbad High School.
Our scholarship application is posted on the district’s school websites. Students are evaluated on academics, extra-curricular school activities, community service and involvement, and financial need. Their applications include club questionnaires, school transcripts, personal essays, and recommendation letters. Students submit their application packets addressing these areas directly to the club.
The scholarship committee is comprised of a scholarship chair and some club members. Each committee member receives a box of all the student application packets and evaluates them. It takes a good number of hours to review the applications and prioritize possible recipients. Then the committee meets in person to come to a decision on three recipients. Representatives of our club attend the high schools’ end of the year award ceremonies so WCC can personally present the scholarships. The club invites recipients to attend the June business meeting. Currently, the recipients and their accomplishments are introduced to the membership & they are welcome to share their future. Our members are always so pleased to hear about the wonderful youth in our community.
Project Title: Carlsbad Village Academy Graduation Support Hours 20 Donated $250.00 In Kind $200.00
As part of the WCC EDUCATION Outreach the club members support the Carlsbad Village Academy.
Carlsbad Village Academy is a continuation high school serving students 16 years or older, in grades 10-12, who need extensive credit recovery options, flexible schedules to accommodate employment, family obligations, and/or other critical needs. Students are referred to Carlsbad Village Academy through a Guidance Team process with Carlsbad High School and Sage Creek High School and typically serves between 80 and 90 students at a time.
The expectation in Carlsbad Unified School District (CUSD) has always been to support students at the continuation schools with the intent that each student will successfully complete the exact same graduation requirements as well as the same mandated testing requirements as every other student in CUSD. However, students come to CVA with a wide variety of needs or limitations.
The WCC volunteers support the end of the 4 quarters when the principal and staff recognize the students’ efforts with awards and the students that are graduating that quarter. The WCC members set up a table in the ceremony area (lunch area, outdoors, etc.) and bring beverages and cookies to hand out.
The students are always very polite and appreciative of this recognition as it is not something they are used to. The members are so happy to be able to support these students and make their graduation a little bit special as well as the educators that stop by for snacks.
Project Title: Nursing Scholarships Hours: 20 Donated: $_8,000.00___ In Kind: $0
The Woman’s Club of Carlsbad has awarded nursing scholarships to Palomar College, a local community
college in San Marcos California, for more than 25 years. Scholarship awards are funded through an
Endowment fund given by Helen Allman when she passed. In 2024, WCC awarded four $1000 scholarships
to nursing students at Palomar College. Our Scholarship Chair works with the Palomar College Scholarship
Coordinator. Students who apply complete an application packet with a club questionnaire, transcripts,
personal essay and letters of recommendation. The Nursing department reviews applications for
academic achievement, extracurricular activities, community service and financial need & shares the top ones with the Palomar scholarship committee. The committee decides on the final recipients on an annual basis for all the various scholarships. The school shares with WCC the outcome of their process and offers a hard bound booklet with the background and factors of their finalists’ selection.
This year we were able to support 4 recipients receiving each $2000.00 as our fund has been accumulating funds and we voted to share the gains. It was our first year having a male gender recipient.
We have planned for 2025 to expand our scholarship selection pool and will add the other 2 local nursing schools: Mira Costa College and Cal State San Marcos. We have set up a committee of retired nurses to support this expansion.
Project Title: Operation Paperback Hours 3 Donated $0 In Kind $100
UNESCO International Literacy Day is celebrated in September to raise awareness on the importance of literacy. The Palomar District President selected this as our Fall project. Operation Paperback was started in 1999 when a service man noticed there were no books on base for them. The service people needed books to read while deployed and read story books to their children when on calls with them. The families and friends of the base started this project and now ship over 15,000/month to bases worldwide. Paperback is celebrated every October across the military bases. The Woman’s Club of Carlsbad was able, with just a 3-day notice, to collect 38 children’s story books and 50 paperbacks. The books were dropped off at the Quarterly district meeting held in Julian on September 24th.
Project Title: Book Club Hours: 0 Donated: $ 0 In Kind: $ 0
The Carlsbad Woman’s Club Book Club is a group of women who share not only a love of volunteer service to the community, but a love of reading as well. The club strengthens friendships while providing an opportunity for members to grow and learn about people from varied backgrounds and time periods, to discuss ideas, share opinions and to just enjoy being together. The Book Club began very informally over ten years ago, with members meeting in each other's homes to discuss books we had chosen to read. Over the years, the club grew into our Book Club of today with about nine to ten regular members. It now meets in the clubhouse one evening each month from September through June (except for December) to discuss a book preselected by all the members. Members take turns hosting for the monthly meetings. Hostess duties include leading a discussion about the book as well as providing a light snack. In June, all members submit to the Chairman one or two book choices for the upcoming year, and the members select nine to read. Historical fiction, and especially stories of real women from history, are favorite selections. At this time, The Book Club does not officially participate in GSO and therefore does not keep track of reading hours. Thus, there are no hours recorded in the heading above and no hours for Book Club are included in the Statistical Report.
GFWC Special Programs - Advocates for Children
Project Title: North County Lifeline STEM Activities Hours 36 Donated $0 In Kind $100
North County Lifeline provides comprehensive services, such as case management and counseling to victims of human trafficking and to children and their families struggling with a broad spectrum of mental health illness. There is no charge for families to send their children to this afterschool program. Volunteers, organized in small groups (1-2 adults per group), lead pre-planned STEM projects and games in rotating stations, with each activity lasting about 15 minutes. After the activities, lunch or snacks can be provided to both volunteers and participants. The day concludes with volunteers helping clean up and organize.
Project Title: Mother’s Day Boys & Girls Club Hours: 10 Donated: $_0.00_ In Kind: $250.00
This Philanthropy project was a follow-up to our Spring Bling Fundraiser in which members brought their unwanted jewelry and accessories to a meeting. Members were able to "shop" and purchase gently used items. We had left over jewelry and these items were made available to children at the Carlsbad Boys and Girls club on two afternoons during the week before Mother's Day (May 2024). 126 children were able to pick out jewelry for their mothers, grandmothers, aunts or guardians.
We provided small mesh bags, white gift bags, ribbon and gift tags for children to decorate.
A few hours were spent sorting jewelry and setting up the display. Five of our members assisted the children on the two afternoons.
This project was warmly received by the children and Boys and Girls Club staff. The teen volunteers also enjoyed choosing gifts for their mothers.
We plan to bring succulents In May 2025, but will repeat the jewelry gift project in future years.
Project Title: Stitches From the Heart Hours 125 Donated $ 0.00 In Kind __$250.00
The Woman's Club of Carlsbad has adopted a community project called "Stitches from The Heart". Volunteers from the club who like to knit, and crochet give of their time and talents by creating hats for newborns. These hats are lovingly made in different colored, soft yarns that are one hundred percent donated!
The baby hats are distributed to local area hospitals birth centers, such as Scripps Memorial and Camp Pendleton. Special tags are attached to the hats that say, "Lovingly made by the Woman's Club of Carlsbad". The baby hats are always appreciated by the staff when we drop them off and so well received by the new mothers.
Project Title: Jefferson Elementary Garden Beautification Hours 12 Donated $0 In Kind $0
Jefferson Elementary School has a community garden that is maintained largely by students and volunteers. This garden helps to teach the kids about healthy eating and enables a lot of them to taste fruits and vegetables that they haven’t tried before. Three members of the WCC were able to support this worthwhile project by weeding and pruning on a Sunday afternoon under the direction of the Garden and Nutrition Teacher.
Project Title: North County Resource Center LGBTQI+ Awareness Training Hours 50 Donated $0 In Kind $0
The LGBTQI+ is a very victimized and underserved population, but the North County Resource Center helps this group and everyone - regardless of gender expression or sexuality - with housing, food, job counseling, and mental and physical health services. The founder of this organization gave a two-hour awareness training to the thirteen people in attendance, including three non-members and everyone was encouraged to ask questions without fear of being offensive. The result was an open and honest discussion and a deeper understanding of the issues, leading everyone to be better advocates for this group in our personal and professional lives.
OTHER:
Project Title: "Venue and Vendor Showcase: A Celebration of Community and Collaboration" Hours 80 Donated $ 0.00 In Kind $ 150.00
The March Venue & Vendor Showcase a community-focused event designed to highlight the Women’s Club of Carlsbad ,as a versatile venue space available for various events such as corporate meetings, celebrations, and community gatherings. The event featured 13 local vendors, including caterers, restaurants, photographers, and party rental services, florist and an event planner who showcased their offerings to influential community members.
Our primary goal was to promote the rental opportunities at the clubhouse while fostering collaboration with local businesses and raising awareness about the unique amenities and features of our venue.
The project addressed a two-fold need:
Community Need: Local vendors often seek opportunities to connect directly with potential clients, especially community influencers and Club Need: The Women’s Club of Carlsbad wanted to increase awareness of its rental offerings to support ongoing operations and community engagement. This initiative was considered a high priority because it aligned with the club’s mission to support local businesses and strengthen community ties. Planning began months in advance to ensure the event’s success. Local vendors were invited to participate at no cost, with the request to provide samples or tastings for 45-65 attendees. Invitations were sent through email and social media campaigns. The event’s refreshments and supplies were entirely covered by donations from participating vendors, with an additional $150 in-kind donation from the chairperson. Over 50 attendees, including corporate event planners, sports booster members, and local influencers, explored the venue and interacted with vendors. The event increased interest in venue rentals, with several inquiries and follow-up bookings made during and after the event. Vendors expressed gratitude for the opportunity to connect with the community and promote their services. The Venue & Vendor Showcase successfully met its goals, strengthening community partnerships and increasing visibility for the Women’s Club of Carlsbad. It exemplified the club’s commitment to fostering local connections while promoting its versatile venue space. The overwhelming positive response has encouraged the club to consider hosting similar events in the future to maintain and build upon this momentum.
Project Title: Kitchen Remodel Hours: 150.00 Donated: $_ $24,724.70___ In Kind: $150.00
The "Little Kitchen Renovation" project involved a comprehensive update to our clubhouse’s small kitchen. The scope included painting, recessed lighting, custom commercial-grade cabinets, a new refrigerator, garbage disposal, quartz counters, sheet vinyl flooring, and patching and painting walls and the ceiling. The renovation was essential due to a leak under the sink affecting the sub-floor and the outdated, over 60-year-old kitchen. Goals included modernizing the space, increasing functionality, repairing damages, and ensuring ADA compliance. This renovation was part of a broader effort to improve the clubhouse. The renovation was managed by a club member who is a professional realtor, serving as the project manager. The team included the property manager, clubhouse manager, and a club member with interior design expertise, all of whom contributed to design decisions. Subcontractors were hired for electrical work, flood remediation, flooring, plumbing, and cabinet design, manufacturing & installation. The club’s handyman handled painting and drywall repairs. The project had to be managed around the venue rentals and was completed within a two-week timeframe.
The "Little Kitchen Renovation" demonstrates the Woman’s Club of Carlsbad’s commitment to maintaining and improving its facilities to better serve its members and the community. This project highlights the club’s dedication to teamwork, adaptability, and quality service. This successful renovation serves as inspiration for future projects, including a planned major clubhouse renovation in the coming years.
Project Title: Mail collection and distribution Hours: 104 Donated: $ 25 In Kind: 15.00
The Corresponding Secretaries play a vital role in the success of our club, ensuring seamless communication and efficient coordination among members. As key members of the leadership team, we require organizational skills, attention to detail, and strong interpersonal abilities. The Corresponding Secretaries act as the club's communication hub, managing the collection and distribution of mail and telephone messages. These functions are crucial for maintaining the club's operational flow, enabling members to stay informed and collaborate effectively. Leadership involvement extends beyond administrative duties, as the Corresponding Secretaries often serve as a liaison between the club and external stakeholders. By handling correspondence promptly and professionally, this role upholds the club's reputation and fosters positive relationships with donors, partners, and the broader community. The timely distribution of mail ensures critical information—such as meeting updates, event details, and donor acknowledgments—reaches the right members without delay. Similarly, managing telephone messages facilitates quick responses, enhancing the club's ability to address issues or seize opportunities promptly. Together, these functions empower the club to fulfill its philanthropic mission effectively.
The GFWC Woman’s Club of Carlsbad is a philanthropic and social organization dedicated to enriching the lives of others and ourselves through service. The Woman’s Club of Carlsbad was founded in 1925 in coastal Carlsbad which is home of the Carlsbad Flower Fields. Our club has grown to over one hundred members committed to improving our community and fostering strong social connections with each other. Our members are actively working to make an impact with organizations that support vulnerable communities including children and youth, military families, those facing food insecurity and victims of domestic violence and human trafficking. The Woman’s Club of Carlsbad also encourages members to foster strong social connections with each other. We are excited to be celebrating our Centennial this spring and have spent this past year looking at our history, present activity and future legacy.
Project Title: Philanthropy and Civic Engagement Hours 200 Donated $11,305.00 In Kind $450.00
The Woman's Club of Carlsbad has a very active Philanthropy and Service Committee, dedicated to helping worthy organizations within the North County area, both financially and through service projects. Some of the organizations served in 2024 have been:
City of Carlsbad Parks and Recreation, Shelter to Soldier, Carlsbad Village Academy, Kathy's Legacy, Salvation Army, ASYMCA Camp Pendleton, Women's Museum of Balboa Park, Pennies and Pines Program, Got Your Back, Boys & Girls Club of Carlsbad, Brother Benno's, Healing Odessey, Esco Kids, Helen Woodward Center, Got Your Back, TERI, Just In Time, Solutions For Change, Meals On Wheels, North County Lifeline, One Safe Place, Wreaths Across America, Reading Legacies
The members of the Woman's Club of Carlsbad tirelessly work many hours throughout the year crafting, baking, sewing and creating fundraising events. The funds raised through these projects all go to philanthropic organizations in need of financial help.
The Philanthropy committee of 6 members meets about every 30-45 day and review proposed organizations in need of financial support. The members then research the organizations and contact them to confirm they exist, are in need, confirm what they do for the community. Once the data is collected, as a team they review the information and decide if we should support them and the gift size prior to presenting it to membership at our business monthly meetings, for a final vote. At times, members question the organization’s validity or the sum to be given to them and it can be back to the committee to evaluate and return with a final decision.
Project Title: Comfort Pillows Hours 126 Donated $20 In Kind $464
Making Comfort pillows is one of our Community Outreach Projects that the Woman's Club of Carlsbad has participated in for several years. Club members contribute soft fabric materials, old sheets and polyester stuffing. Members gather and have a “sew in” afternoon at our clubhouse twice a year or as needed. We made 392 pillows this year with up to 28 members in attendance as well as friends and people from the community who heard about the project. We cut material using patterns then sew, iron, stuff, assemble and label the pillows. We love to participate in this project & we get to know each other as we keep our hands busy. We take the completed pillows to surgical centers at Kaiser & Scripps Encinitas Hospitals for distribution to mostly breast cancer patients but also other type of surgeries & chemotherapy. This small 8x12” Comfort Pillow aid breast cancer patients in their recovery from surgery or for use during chemotherapy or radiation. The soft pillow has multiple uses: breast incision support, protection from seat belt pressure, armpit comfort, or can be used as an armrest or back support during chemo infusion therapy. A Comfort Pillow is a small thing, but it can be a big help in aiding recovery and lifting the recipient's spirits! Our club has received multiple thank you notes from patients (we attach a label that says “Made with Care by The Woman's Club of Carlsbad”). In September a record 28 members and some community members participated who had seen our notice in the local paper.
Project Title: Meals on Wheels Hours 4090 Donated $ 1,800.00 In Kind $22,542.00
The WCC has been supporting our local Meals on Wheels office for over a decade. Once a contributor to the “We Care” program, the WCC is now in charge of it. We celebrate each of the 740 clients with a Welcome Bag, Birthday Boxes and again a Holiday Box. Each of these contains 15-20 useful, fun and creative items. Including but not limited to puzzle books, toiletry & office kits, soap, wash cloth, potholders, body wash, playing cards & greeting cards, calendars, toothpaste, toothbrush, jar openers, comb, brush, lotion, hand sanitizer, liquid soap, Brain Games, puzzles, tissues, night lights, ornaments, kitchen towel, and party blowers too! If you do math, that is keeping track of approx. 40,000 moving parts throughout the year. Additionally, we make tray favors during the months that the public tends to forget. These come in many shapes and forms from Bookmarks, tic-tac-toe, a folded hug or handwritten note. Just a way to say you are loved and remembered today and always.
I have a great group of 20-25 regular “MoW Angels” who do their designated jobs all year long. Some even get their communities involved. Asking for greeting cards and calendars from neighbors and friends, office supplies and travel toiletries from their next vacation. This project is so big now that “work parties” must be done in small groups more frequently vs.one big group. It is much more than we ever thought possible thanks to the generosity & support of our WCC membership. Together, we get the opportunity to reach over 700 GRATEFUL men and women multiple times per year. We do so enjoy giving to our youth projects but taking care of our seniors - even in just this small way - brings so much joy to so many. We see ourselves supporting Meals on Wheels for as long as they are around.
Project Title: North County Food Bank Hours 67 Donated $0 In Kind $0
In honor of the GFWC 2024 National Day of Service, Woman’s Club of Carlsbad members enjoyed a rewarding morning working closely together at the North County Food Bank in Vista, California. Each shift at the Vista warehouse involves a variety of projects, which may include inspecting and bagging fresh produce for immediate distribution, inspecting, sorting, boxing, and labeling food packages for their Emergency Food Assistance Program, Food 4 Kids and Backpack Program. Our group assembled bags of food for school aged children and boxed them for distribution. It was so rewarding to help prepare 999 bags in 3 hours of food to include nonperishable items for full meals and snacks, many that children could prepare on their own if unattended by an adult. We appreciated each other’s company and how much we accomplished working together as a group to help food insecure children in our community.
Project Title: Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Safety Talk Hours 40 Donated $0 In Kind $0
With summer beginning, it’s important to be reminded of water safety and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation tips. This 2-hr. talk at the clubhouse was organized to educate members on what they need to know to keep themselves and others safe, and how to recognize and respond to an emergency. Fourteen members were in attendance. All attendees found it worth attending and receiving a refresh on this important topic. We may offer more such opportunities in the future.
Project Title: + Box Pack Out Hours 80 Donated $0 In Kind $0
For the first time, eleven members worked together to assemble 100 produce boxes for food insecure families in North County in just one hour. Members reported enjoying this project so much that 20 people signed up for the second date to assemble two hundred boxes of fresh produce for the holidays. The organization wants us to come back every month as we are fast workers, reliable and friendly. We enjoy working with each other and spending time together on hands on service projects.
Project Title: No. County Resource Center Hours 8 Donated $0 In Kind $165
Seven members donated non-perishable food items to the North County Resource Center in Oceanside. The food was collected at the Woman’s Club of Carlsbad business meeting and was then delivered to the food pantry for their weekly distribution.
GFWC Advancement plans - Fundraising & Development
Project Title: Carlsbad Holiday Market Hours: 1610 Donated: $15,388 In Kind: $585
Woman’s Club of Carlsbad created Carlsbad Holiday Market in 2014 The 2024 Carlsbad Holiday Market marked our 11th annual event. The purpose of the market is to raise funds for our club, historically used to support our philanthropic and charitable programs and donations.
Our members work individually or together in small or large groups to create handcrafted merchandise of home and holiday décor, kitchen items, lifestyle and baby/child accessories, greeting cards, clothing, soup and dip mixes, and a café that boasts delicious jams, holiday breads, candies, cookies, olive oil and mixed nuts. Muffins and cookies are available for purchase for consumption on site, along with coffee and free water.
Another highlight of the Holiday Market is the selection of vendors who rent space to sell their merchandise. A co-chair of the event invites, interviews, researches and decides which vendors will participate each year. Vendors can click through on our website or in our social media to apply to participate and also pay online for their booth and add-ons of electricity, table and/or chair(s). Our more popular vendors are those who provide holiday decorations, jewelry and accessories, candles, soaps and items suitable for holiday giving. The vendor chair works from March up to our event in November to coordinate with the vendors, ensure payment is collected, collect their information to help us publicize the event, and also provides them information on set-up and tear down for the day of the market. We like to limit our vendor portion of the market and save space for our own products because we are able to make more money selling our own handcrafted items but do recognize our guests appreciate having a variety of items for purchase.
The Holiday Market committee is composed of members who specialize and chair certain areas such as outside publicity, soup & dip mix production, food and café leadership, coordinating handcrafted items, and preparing succulent planters. The leads on the committee have participated and remained on the committee for many years, resulting in a cohesive group of who work extremely well together.
The co-chair not handling the vendor program supervises and assists all the subcategories listed above, volunteer assignments for the event itself, as well as product packaging design and pricing of merchandise. Packaging and pricing of products is accomplished with the help of other club members on an as-needed basis. Members like being involved in tasks broken out throughout the year to accomplish all that is needed to make an event like this a success and where our members can feel like they assisted and are successful as well.
Carlsbad Holiday Market has become an event that guests look forward to every year. Publicity to promote our annual event consists of postcards mailed to our database as well as email blasts through Mailchimp to our database, posters in local businesses, a large banner on the lawn of our clubhouse, and lawn signs on strategically located members’ homes, and social media posts. Each year, our attendance numbers grow. We also receive requests from guests who are interested in becoming a member of the club: all positive outcomes in addition to the income earned for our charitable projects.
The challenge to putting on an event of this magnitude is to predict what items will be popular and attractive to our guests, keeping abreast of current trends and themes in the marketplace, as well as enlisting the help of enough members to produce items to sell. Some members are naturally more talented and capable of creating products than others, which presents challenges in having enough product as well as not offending a member if an item needs a little reworking. Members are asked to volunteer to bake breads and cookies, involving time and energy of a committee lead organizing those volunteers and checking on the quality of the items and sometimes resulting in products that cannot be resold. It can also be a challenge assigning members to jobs for the day of the event, attempting to recognize their special skill set and abilities to match a needed job position. We find that our members usually happily rise to the occasion and pitch in wherever needed, with their usual cooperative spirit that promotes a positive atmosphere and identity that our club is known for.
After all the years of success with the fundraiser, while it is a labor-intensive and time-consuming undertaking, all in all, because it is our biggest moneymaker, the committee, members and board of directors support continuing this project because of the impact we can make with the funds and the positive light our club is seen in through this event, not to mention the camaraderie fostered from members working together on a feel-good project like this.
Project Title: Graduation & Football Parking Fundraiser Hours 152 Donated $ 7,900.00 In Kind $10.00
The Woman’s Club of Carlsbad is located across the street from the Carlsbad High School Football field which serves as the location to host the annual Senior class graduation and Home Football games. With the tremendous help of a member that has contacts with the various high school organizations & previous donors, we send out an announcement for the fundraiser. Within no time the donations are received & the lot is sold out for 57 vehicles. Volunteers (24) greet the donors and assist with proper parking and exit from the lot. It is a great time for our members to mingle with each other, with the community and have a place for families with elders to easily park and access the field. While we work the event, during the slow times, we support our Holiday Market needs by tasks given to us by the fundraising lead. The funds are allocated to our Capital improvement maintenance.
Project Title: Bunco Night & Bingo Hours: 350 Donated: $10,493.00 In Kind: $450
Bunco is a fast-paced dice game played in rotating teams, with guests competing to achieve points. Woman’s Club of Carlsbad began in approximately 2017 hosting a fundraiser for members and guests where it is hoped 120 participants attend. Guests are charged a flat fee of $30 for an evening of fun gaming, with food and beverages provided, along with 15-20 raffle opportunity baskets of different themes available also. Prizes are awarded for the highest score, lowest score and most buncos and are high-value, desirable prize baskets.
The committee needs about 3 months to plan and publicize the event and also organize raffle baskets. The committee divides up responsibilities for subcategories, such as Game and logistics, raffle baskets and food and beverage donations, and meets at least monthly to keep everything on track. Bunco Night is publicized through personal invitations by email, signs in the lobby of the clubhouse with a QR code link to purchase a ticket, and on our website.
We host a Bingo Night that is very popular and fun with a caller that is the spouse of a member. We have similar set up as Bunco with food and gift cards for the winners.
Our Bunco Night & Bingo Night are great opportunities for guests to see our clubhouse in action, set up in a festive and attractive way, and also to see our members having fun while raising funds for philanthropic projects. We usually have several guests join our club after enjoying an evening like this with our friendly and cordial members.
Project Title: Cookbook “Celebrate Every Day” Hours: 215 Donated: $1310 In Kind: $379
To commemorate our Centennial year, a cookbook fundraiser was undertaken in 2024 as a way to raise funds for needed clubhouse renovation but also as a celebration of the Woman’s Club of Carlsbad reaching our 100-year milestone.
The cookbook organizer and editor gathered a committee to discuss the scope of the cookbook, the look and feel and logistics of gathering recipes. Club members were asked to submit their favorite, tried-and-true family recipes over a 5-month period and had to be reminded many times to make their submissions. Over 150 recipes were ultimately gathered from over 35 contributors, consisting of members and their friends. Some recipes shared a short note about the history of the recipe or the importance to their family and a photo of the finished dish.The cookbook editor spent over 180 hours compiling the recipes into a digital document prepared in Canva from a basic template purchased on Etsy. Most recipes needed to be retyped into a form compatible for graphic display; then images and graphics were added to make the cookbook more eye-catching and appealing. One of the committee members assisted in the final proofreading of the cookbook to ensure uniformity in layout and ease of understanding of recipe instructions.
The cookbook editor obtained bids from 4 local and online printers for printing and binding costs for a full-color, spiral-bound book of 120 pages, and chose a local, family-owned printer who had the best price and customer service. Printing and binding took about 2.5 weeks, and the cookbooks were ready for sale to members at our business meeting and at the Carlsbad Holiday Market for $20 each.
The “Celebrate Every Day” cookbook was very well received by all. It is especially praised for the professional layout, quality of materials used and good variety of recipes, and the release before the holiday season has led to many copies being sold to give as gifts.
The first run of the book printing was 200 copies with a unit cost of about $12 each. A private donation was made to offset the printing cost that resulted in a $10 cost of the book and a $10 resulting profit to our Club’s Capital Campaign program to update our aging clubhouse.
Project Title: Rummage Sale Hours: 140 Donated: $1,500 In Kind: $500.00
The WCC held a rummage sale at our clubhouse in April, 2024 as a Philanthropic fundraiser. We raised approximately $1,500 with 27 volunteers devoting a total of 140 hours of service. All items were donated by members, families and friends. There were no outside costs. We did not set a specific goal and we were pleased with the outcome. We plan to continue having rummage sales: One every two years.
Project Title: Spring Bling Hours: 18; Donated $992; In Kind: $850
Spring Bling is a fundraiser held for the first time in 2024, on one night at the conclusion of our business meeting. Members are requested 3 to 4 months prior to the date to bring their unwanted jewelry, accessories including purses, hats, belts, scarves, shawls, basically everything but shoes. Items are not priced but organized by category on tables for our members and their guest(s) to shop at the end of the meeting. Prices are determined by the shopper who pays whatever they think is fair or they are willing to donate.
The beauty of this fundraiser is there is not a lot of preparation effort, just 30-45 minutes for a team of 3 to 5 members to organize items & cashiers. We estimate 60% of our members donated items and/or shopped or simply donated to the fundraiser. There are no expenses incurred as all items are donated by members.
Any remaining items were sorted and distributed for other projects. Shawls and purses were donated for our prom dress project. Jewelry was saved to be used for the Boys & Girls Club Mother’s Day project. Other items were saved to be sold at our Upscale Rummage Sale occurring the following month.
Project Title: Carlsbad 5000 Hours: 67 Donated: $300 In Kind: $0
The City of Carlsbad is the host of the annual Carlsbad 5000 race, promoted as the fastest race in the United States. Participants from all over the world attend the event to compete in the Majors but also in the amateur level. The event is well attended by the city residents and the students from the local schools. Woman’s Club of Carlsbad members assist in race tasks like stuffing participant bags, assist in registrant’s packet pick-up, manage race routes and work the beer garden. Club members & families volunteer & we raised $300.00. We plan to support future local events in the region to raise funds for the club and spend time with members & see acquaintances that participate in the race.
GFWC Affiliate Organizations
Project Title: St Jude Hours: 0.5 Donated: $150.00 In Kind: $0.0
In support of our 2024 District President, the Woman’s Club donated a check for St Jude.
This affiliate is a District and GFWC affiliate. Our club members donate separately to this organization
Community Service Projects - Arts & Culture Projects
Project Title: Lunch & Learn Program Hours: 195 Donated $0 In Kind: $150.00
To offer an option for members who are unable to attend monthly evening meetings, the Woman’s Club of Carlsbad elected to host monthly Lunch and Learn workshops during the daytime. These workshops are held during the day on the third Wednesday of every month and allow members the opportunity to socialize while also learning a new skill or craft. Several members who are no longer able to drive at night, or have other obligations in the evenings, have benefited greatly from the Lunch and Learn workshops since this allows them to still connect with the Woman’s Club community that they would be missing out on otherwise.
Members and guests can register for the workshop through the Woman’s Club of Carlsbad’s website, via a link in the monthly newsletter or through regular member email updates.
Providing a nice lunch during these events has been a game changer for members, as many of the Woman’s Club members live alone and greatly appreciate the chance to eat a good meal with friends, without the stress of cooking or the expense of going to a restaurant. For some members, these monthly workshops are their main opportunity for regular social interactions.
The Lunch and Learn workshops are held from 11:30am-1:00pm with a fee ranging between $15-$20 depending on the project and cost of supplies. The goal is to keep the cost as low as possible - just enough to cover the cost of supplies and food each month. New ideas are driven by members and the Lunch and Learn committee, which is made up of approximately 8 passionate women and 1 shared Pinterest board. This program gives our members and friends of members the opportunity to shine by showcasing their skills and talents. In addition, another benefit of hosting the Lunch and Learn program is that it provides a fun and engaging outlet for recruiting potential new members. Photos from each month’s workshop are highlighted and shared in the Club’s Monthly newsletter for all to enjoy. Some of the projects that have been presented this year include floral arranging, macrame plant hangers, origami card wallets, pressed flower lanterns, decoupage trays, yarn pumpkins, holiday swag, driftwood centerpieces, citrus-pressed tea towels, and more.
The feedback from members and guests surrounding the Lunch and Learn workshops has been overwhelmingly positive, as members have been able to learn new skills while creating stronger bonds through the program.
Project Title: Art contest Hours: 10 Donated: $ 250.00 In Kind: $ 0.00
Once a year WCC organizes with the 2 local high school art teachers a contest to be judged by the membership.
We ask for 25 entries from each school that are drawings in pencil, chalk, paint and other media they would like to present except photography. We collect the artwork from the school in early May to display at our business meeting where the members vote on their top selection. The top 4 winners receive a gift certificate to Michaels in sums from $100.00 to $25.00.
We have the pleasure to visualize the talent of our local student body and have the pleasure to reward them with art supplies. The students appreciate the recognition by the local community, and it prepares them for the other contest their work will be entered into in May and June.
Project Title: Moonlight Amphitheatre Hours: 85 Donated: $ 0.00 In Kind: $ 0.00
This Federation project was an event at a community outdoor theater in nearby Vista. Thirteen club members and seven of their spouses or friends attended an evening performance of a musical titled, “Escape to Margaritaville” in June of 2024. Members could bring picnic dinners to enjoy before the performance, if they wished. The event was advertised to club members at business meetings verbally and with fliers, in emails and in our club newsletter. The tickets cost $44 each. The venue was very accommodating as the tickets had to be reserved. The event was a great success. Members and their guests socialized beforehand and then enjoyed the show. The event should be repeated to foster friendship and musical enjoyment.
Project Title: Beyond Monet Hours: 60 Donated: $ 0.00 In Kind: $ 0.00
This Federation project was an immersion exhibit at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in San Diego. Through projection technology, and an original music score, the artworks of the painter, Claude Monet were displayed from ceiling to floor. Seventeen members and nine spouses or friends attended in March of 2024. The event was advertised to club members at business meetings verbally and with fliers, emails and in the club newsletter. The tickets cost $40 each. Tickets were reserved in advance. The artwork was beautifully projected and the music went nicely with each piece displayed. The event could be repeated with the artwork of Vincent Van Gogh next time it is offered locally. The event promotes education and enjoyment of the arts.
Project Title: Movie Night Hours: 55 Donated: $ 0.00 In Kind: $ 0.00
This Federation project entailed a night at the Regal Theater in Carlsbad to see a movie. In February of 2024, fifteen club members saw the movie, “Ordinary Angels.” We met beforehand at the Panera Restaurant for dinner. The movie night was on a Tuesday when movie tickets were discounted to $6 each. The event was a success and should be repeated. Club members socialized at dinner and then enjoyed a cinematic experience.
GWFC Community Service - Civic Engagement
Project Title: Angel Tree- Salvation Army Hours 726 Donated $500.00 In Kind $3644.00
The Salvation Army manages a program called Angel Tree. This program provides economically disadvantaged families in the Oceanside, Carlsbad, Vista and Fallbrook area with clothing and toys for Christmas. The activity was well attended with much enthusiasm and hard work by members of WCC with a good number of new and prospective members involved. When the event was announced at the business meeting many members adopted families and single children to fulfill their wishes. The event was managed in part by 2 WCC members who went above and beyond to spend hours organizing the donated gifts and making sure all the orders received from the community were properly filled. In addition, members helped by stuffing approximately 824 bags with gifts donated by the community. Woman's Club of Carlsbad’s participation was MUCH appreciated by the organization. The event brought the holiday spirit to many children, families and to the volunteers too! Next year we will start earlier to receive donations from the community so volunteers have more time to organize the gifts, and we will spread the word in the community and at the club for more adoptions.
In addition, 6 members volunteer year-round at Salvation Army helping weekly sort or pack or distribute food.
Project Title: First Responders' Appreciation Hours 45 Donated $25.00 In Kind $150.00
The members of the Woman's Club of Carlsbad continue to honor the men and women who serve the City of Carlsbad each year by baking and delivering sweet treats to our police, firefighters and first responders at their precincts. Volunteer members of the club graciously donate their time, ingredients and lovingly bake cookies, brownies, cakes and other sweet delights. These delicious goodies are brought to the clubhouse where they are packaged in beautiful trays, tied in pretty ribbons and attached with homemade thank you cards. The treats are then delivered to 6 different precincts withing the City of Carlsbad and our main police headquarters by volunteers.
This small gesture of love and appreciation affirms the gratitude our club members have for the wonderful men and women who put their lives on the line each day to keep our city and its citizens safe. This is a project near and dear to the hears of the women at the Woman's Club of Carlsbad and has become a tradition that we plan on continuing in the future.
Project: Carlsbad Village Academy Teachers Appreciation Hours 4 Donated $250.00 In Kind $ 0
As part of the WCC EDUCATION Outreach the club members support the Carlsbad Village Academy.
Carlsbad Village Academy is a continuation high school serving students 16 years or older, in grades 10-12, who need extensive credit recovery options, flexible schedules to accommodate employment, family obligations, and/or other critical needs. Students are referred to Carlsbad Village Academy through a Guidance Team process with Carlsbad High School and Sage Creek High School and typically serves between 80 and 90 students at a time.
The expectation in Carlsbad Unified School District (CUSD) has always been to support students at the continuation schools with the intent that each student will successfully complete the exact same graduation requirements as well as the same mandated testing requirements as every other student in CUSD. However, students come to CVA with a wide variety of needs or limitations.
The teachers at the CVA are a very special breed of educators. They have no PTA and minimal contact and support from family and relatives of the students. In recognition for their dedication to this special educational institute and in honor of Teachers Appreciation Month, the WCC has provided gift certificates to the full-time teachers on the CVA staff. They are very appreciative, and it is an honor for the volunteers to personally hand them the certificates and thank them for their contribution to the future of these students.
Project Title: Stitches From the Heart Hours 125 Donated $ In Kind __$250.00_
The Woman's Club of Carlsbad has adopted a community project called "Stitches from The Heart". Volunteers from the club who like to knit, and crochet give of their time and talents by creating hats for newborns. These hats are lovingly made in different colored, soft yarns that are one hundred percent donated! The baby hats are distributed to local area maternity wards at local hospitals, such Scripps and Camp Pendleton. Special tags are attached to the hats saying, "lovingly made by the Woman's Club of Carlsbad". The baby hats are appreciated and so well received.
This project is a labor of love showing goodwill and the club's love of community service, supporting our local hospitals. The ladies who make these hats do so all year long. The Woman's Club of Carlsbad looks forward to continuing this tradition for many years to come!
Project Title: San Diego Flood Victim Relief Donation Hours 5 Donated $ In Kind $743
We emailed the membership to bring Flood Relief Victims donations to the general meeting on February 7, 2024. A tremendous number of items were donated and delivered to the Jackie Robinson YMCA in San Diego, who is working with the City of San Diego and the County of San Diego relief program. 32 women donated items. 3 women donated cash.
GWFC Advancement Plans - Communications & Public Relations
Project Title: Centennial Publicity and Communication Hours200 Donated $ 0 In Kind $2336
Woman’s Club of Carlsbad made a commitment to honor the past, celebrate our present and shape our future in the community for its Centennial celebration. We have six very dedicated members working on this project. A google document was created to track all the tasks that the members wanted to complete. One of our members designed a new club logo that will be used in our publicity and communications. The members created a Toolbox for the Woman’s Club of Carlsbad website that allowed club members to use talking points and email signatures to promote our Centennial. One member worked with the club historian and wrote a history document to be used for media and print to be used to publicize the club's Centennial. Members also created and handmade Stickers, License Plate holder and Coffee cups for club members to purchase to advertise Woman’s Club of Carlsbad Centennial. To kick off our Centennial year a member created a design with the club’s new centennial logo for a flag to be placed on the club’s flagpole. A flag raising ceremony was held at the club's October meeting which was attended by the club members, Carlsbad Police Chief and Carlsbad Historical Society. This event was publicized in the San Diego Tribune Newspaper and Carlsbad Neighbor Magazine. Each month a member will write an article for the Woman’s of Carlsbad’s Newsletter to share information about the committee's ongoing projects to publicize the Centennial.
One of our members wanted a long-lasting tribute to the Club’s upcoming Centennial, A bronze plaque will accompany the commemorative bench and be cemented into the ground at the foot of the bench. A seven-member advisory committee was formed. These members worked with club members and raised the required money for this plaque and bench. With the help of the City of Carlsbad’s Parks and Recreation team, we selected a highly visible and iconic spot in the center of downtown Carlsbad. The club will hold an unveiling of the bench when it is installed in early February 2025.
Woman’s Club of Carlsbad Centennial Committees can rely on the Publicity and Committee chairs and members for advice and help in promoting their individual Centennial events.
The coming year the members have a lot of exciting tasks to publicize and communicate about Woman's Club of Carlsbad’s 100-year accomplishments.
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Project Title: Carlsbad Village Association Hours 12 Donated $ 0 In Kind $ 240
The Women’s Club of Carlsbad and the Carlsbad Village Association support each other by combining their strengths to enhance the community. The Woman’s Club of Carlsbad contributes through volunteerism, event hosting, and philanthropic initiatives, while the Carlsbad Village Association provides a platform to amplify these efforts by integrating them into broader community events and promotions in the Village. Together, they create opportunities for civic engagement, support local businesses, and foster a sense of connection through events, advocacy, and shared community-focused goals.
We have a colleague very involved in the Carlsbad Village Association and it was a great opportunity for the Woman's Club of Carlsbad to be involved so we contributed the first year’s membership.
Project Title: “Our Club News” Newsletter Editor Hours 160 Donated $ 0 In Kind $ 0
The Newsletter Editor publishes a newsletter every month on the 3rd of the month, September through June, and one summertime edition to stay in touch while our business meetings are suspended. We have found the digital newsletter to be the best way to get information to our members regarding upcoming events, service opportunities and more.
Every major department/program has a spot in the newsletter. Included in our newsletter are descriptions of upcoming service opportunities with active links to sign up, fundraising events with active links to purchase tickets or volunteer, along with flyers of these and District events. Also included is an officers’ message provided by rotating officers; a two-month calendar at a glance; a message, in-search-of and thank-you board. Federation events, Philanthropy donations, and membership information with a welcome to new members are a big part of the newsletter, along with a “Spotlight on our Members” that highlights one to two members each month with a picture and a brief biography for our members to get to know each other better and find a common bond with each other. Photographs are included of immediate past events. Helpful reminders are spelled out regarding meeting assignments for set-up, greeters and snacks, together with a listing of regular or special collections being taken up that month. Helpful active links are included every month to our website, the latest up-to-date roster, the Palomar District Newsletter, along with links to the CFWC and GFWC websites.
The process begins with an email to board members, committee chairs, event organizers, and functional chairpersons to submit their announcements, articles, new projects, flyers or pictures. All entries are due by the first of each month. The Editor follows a template in the Canva graphics program to insert content, very often embellishing with eye-catching graphics or photos. The editing process is time consuming (12 to 18 or more hours per month) and involves collecting content in a timely manner, formatting the newsletter, searching for quotes, pictures, and arranging it all into a newsletter that is informative and appealing. The Editor also writes an article for the first page and a closing note, both of which attempt to be uplifting and encourage members to become or stay involved.
When the newsletter is ready for publication, it is emailed to all members through the Woman’s Club of Carlsbad email account and also archived on our website for members to download. Newsletters from 2012 to present reside on our website for review by members in our Members Only section because they may contain personal member information. For our members without email, the Membership Director assists the Newsletter Editor by printing out a copy of the newsletter and delivering it to those individuals for their review.
We have found that our members really like the monthly newsletter and find it a valuable tool for updating their calendars, staying informed on all club activities and developing a sense of connection to our club and its leaders and members, in addition to learning more about District, State and National news. Our members seem to be more engaged, entertained and informed as well as have a reference for future use. We have even been told that our newsletter and website so impressed prospective members that it led to their membership in our Club.
The wonderful thing about being the Newsletter Editor is having the opportunity to speak with and communicate with so many club members, especially the board members and chairpersons and our district representatives. Conversations veer off into personal life, family and more - which is a wonderful benefit of the woman’s club - expanding our friendships, our personal connection to others, our community, and our world.
Project Title: Website Redevelopment and Maintenance Hours 140 Donated $ 0 In Kind $ 0
The Woman’s Club of Carlsbad first developed its website in 2012 using an online design and maintenance provider called Weebly. The Webmaster for the club updates the website with content designed to promote publicity for the club and its image and how we meet community needs with service and financial donations. Articles and informational content is added as well as pictures of the club in action at fundraisers and service events. A Members Only tab provides our members with roster and member information, financial statements and minutes of past meetings dating back to the beginning of the website.
Because of and during the COVID pandemic, in 2020, we upgraded our website from purely informational to one that allows collection of payments, and an online shop was created to sell handcrafted items, allowing our club to hold a virtual Holiday Market at the time when public events were not allowed or encouraged. We have maintained this upgraded website since then. The benefit of having an upgraded website, considered a business website by the company Weebly, is that we can collect payment for event tickets, sell items through an online link to our shop, encourage and accept additional donations to category-specific programs or generally for our clubhouse upkeep and renovations.
This past year, we were fortunate to be chosen by California State University San Marcos to participate in their Senior Project where a team from the university with education in business, marketing and communications performed an analysis of our club and made recommendations regarding gaining more community awareness for our club and of our clubhouse facility as a rental venue. This was accomplished by the team interviewing leaders of our club, conducting research, evaluating our needs, plans and setting goals.
Recommendations from this group at Cal State San Marcos regarding improving our website to better publicize our club and its accomplishments were extremely helpful in redeveloping the website, and a relaunch was accomplished in July. A new layout and format was designed by the Webmaster after analyzing the students’ recommendations and researching websites of other philanthropic groups, especially other California women’s clubs. This redesign project occurred over a five- to six-week period and involved over 100 hours of content gathering, designing, reconfiguring and updating of graphics, and resulted in a cleaner and clearer layout and a more user-friendly way to navigate through the tabs and areas of information. Rather than having to scroll through lengthy paragraphs of content, users can click through and go straight to their areas of interest.
Using the talents and dedication of the Webmaster saved the Club hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars in fees normally charged by a professional website designer, resulting in the club being able to use its administrative budgeted dollars more efficiently. The Webmaster is assessing a few club members currently as promising candidates to assist with the website maintenance and has been training them in the use of Canva and Weebly, with an eye to grow their leadership and technical talents, to assist and eventually take over or share the role of Webmaster.
The newly designed website was very well received by the membership who appreciate the updated, modernized look and feel and ease of use. Our traffic to the website has increased substantially since the relaunch, and a new contact box that allows visitors to sign up for club news and events has grown our email database very nicely. We also believe the new design should help us qualify for grants when the donors are able to get a clear understanding of who we are and what we accomplish in the community. We have even been told that our professional-looking website so impressed prospective members that they joined our club after researching other nearby groups.
GWFC Signature Program - Domestic and Sexual Violence Awareness and Prevention
Project Title: One Safe Place Support Hours 5 Donated $ 867 In Kind $35
This past year, our club supported One Safe Place with monetary donations to their art program, Reading Legacies and Holiday gifts for their clients.
Project Title: Speaker Series for Domestic Violence Awareness Hours 5 Donated $ 0 In Kind $0
This year the Deans and Service Chairs planned a Domestic Violence Speaker Series event. It was slated for Sunday, October 20th in the evening to follow our President’s request to not have speakers at our monthly business meetings. Our Speaker Series featured representatives from three local Domestic Violence and Domestic Homicide organizations. We publicized the event in our chapter newsletter, the District Palomar Telescope, at our business meeting and word of mouth. Unfortunately, due to a low expected turn out, the Dean cancelled the event. She personally spoke with all three representatives. After reflection, the Deans determined that low interest was likely due to being on a Sunday at 5:00pm. We are hopeful that these representatives will be able to attend a future meeting as the work they do makes a tremendous impact on women in our community.
Project Title: Kathy’s Legacy Support Hours 50 Donated $ 1300 In Kind $240
Kathy’s Legacy Foundation serves children and pets impacted by domestic violence. They revive hope, restore normalcy, and inspire dreams in the lives of children orphaned by intimate partner violence. Seven club members volunteered for Kathy’s Legacy’s biggest fundraiser of the year at their fifth annual golf tournament and banquet. Volunteers worked various shifts throughout the day including registration, on-course bar service, bonus games and contests, evening silent auction duties, selling raffle tickets and photographing the event for Kathy’s Legacy promotional materials. The Woman's Club of Carlsbad donated an auction basket that raised $350.This lively event was enjoyed by all volunteers, and we plan to continue to support this local charity.
Additionally, our club supported Kathy’s Legacy with monetary donations to support their pet program and other programs that needed funding.
Project Title: Tours of One Safe Place Hours 58 Donated $ 0 In Kind $0
Twenty-two Woman’s Club of Carlsbad members attended tours of One Safe Place, the North County Family Justice Center. Members learned that One Safe Place’s offers free support services all under one roof to anyone who has experienced child abuse, sexual assault, domestic violence, hate crime, elder abuse, human trafficking, violent loss, family violence, or other abuse or victimization. They provide comprehensive help in a safe and judgment-free environment that empowers people to move forward with their lives. Over one hundred affiliate organizations provide services at One Safe Place. The Woman's Club of Carlsbad is committed to offering services to many of these charities that serve the victims who receive help at One Safe Place.
Project Title: Human Trafficking Awareness Talk Hours 79 Donated $0 In Kind $0
A speaker from One Safe Place, the North County Family Justice Center, spoke at a WCC business meeting of 75 members on human trafficking. She herself is a survivor of human trafficking. She spoke of how young people are groomed to fall prey to this horrific, dehumanizing situation. The depth, knowledge and self-reveal was a devastating eye opener of what happens right in our own backyard.
GFWC Community Service - Environmental
The GFWC Woman’s Club of Carlsbad is a philanthropic and social organization dedicated to enriching the lives of others and ourselves through service. The Woman’s Club of Carlsbad was founded in 1925 in coastal Carlsbad which is home of the Carlsbad Flower Fields. Our club has grown to over one hundred members committed to improving our community and fostering strong social connections with each other. Our members are actively working to make an impact with organizations that support vulnerable communities including children and youth, military families, those facing food insecurity and victims of domestic violence and human trafficking. The Woman’s Club of Carlsbad also encourages members to foster strong social connections with each other. We are excited to be celebrating our Centennial this spring and have spent this past year looking at our history, present activity and future legacy.
Project Title: Sustainability Solutions Fair Hours: 25 Donated: $0 In Kind: $0
Over the last year, several members have expressed interest in learning more about sustainability measures. They were interested in composting, recycling, reducing plastics and creative ways to reuse materials. In 2024, eight members attended I Love A Clean San Diego’s Sustainability Solutions Fair held on June 22nd at the Encinitas Farm Lab near the Quail Gardens. Members made homemade bath products, swapped garments and met representatives of various organizations that promote sustainable efforts. They also met with groups that would make potential service projects. The chair promoted this event at our monthly business meeting and in our newsletter. Following the fair, several members had lunch together to share their ideas and suggestions. Attending members commented that they left feeling more interested in sustainability measures and intended to try some of the suggestions they learned.
Project Title: Carlsbad Village Clean Up Hours: 10 Donated: $0 In Kind: $0
Members joined in the periodic Carlsbad Village Clean Up event held on May 18th. The Carlsbad Village Clean Up is a bi-monthly project sponsored by I Love a Clean San Diego and the Carlsbad Village Association. This was a new project for our club and the chair promoted the cleanup in our monthly newsletter and at our May business meeting. Three members attended and enjoyed the cloudy morning as they filled the trash buckets. We were surprised to learn that cigarette butts still make up the bulk of all trash on the ground. The participants were also able to clear away a lot of plastic wrapper style trash too. Attending members reported that they enjoyed the event and plan to participate in more Village clean ups in the future.
Project Title: Cork Recycling: Put a Cork in It Hours: 8 Donated: $0 In Kind:$0
In support of the district’s sustainability objectives, Woman’s Club of Carlsbad members continued to bring their wine corks for recycling through a local commercial facility willing to box and mail the corks to a centralized location in the USA. Three hundred and sixty-five corks, with a value of $0, were collected between January and June 2024 and delivered to the commercial site. Since summer, the facility no longer accepts corks. Since there are no other willing facilities, and corks can now be collected in the City of Carlsbad’s GREEN recycling bin, the program was discontinued.
Project Title: Printer Cartridge Recycling Hours: 0.5 Donated: $ 0.00 In Kind: $ 0.00
We collect our used printer cartridges and periodically one of the members takes them to Staples, who recycles them free of charge. Staples gives points for this to the member who then uses the points to purchase supplies for the club.
Project Title: Coastal Clean-Up Through I Love A Clean San Diego and City of Carlsbad Hours: 20 Donated: $0 In Kind: $0
Four members signed up to clean and record the amount of trash found on Tamarack State Beach in Carlsbad. This event was three hours long and members were able to connect with each other and serve our community.
Project Title: Pennies For Pines Hours: 5 Donated: $ 136 In Kind: $ 0.00
The Pennies For Pines Program began in California in 1941 to help maintain the national forests in California. With wildfires devastating so many of our forests in recent years, we applaud and support the goals of this organization. We support this conservation effort by collecting spare change in our “Pennies For Pines” jar, which is out and available for donations at our monthly meetings. When the amount of $68.00 is reached (the minimum donation), a donation check is sent to the Pennies For Pines organization. We set a goal of three donations this year but only made two (although we got very close to reaching the third). It has been recently proposed, and is currently being considered by our Philanthropy Committee, that we make Pennies For Pines one of our regular yearly beneficiaries.
Women's History & Resource Center (WHRC) Projects
Project Title: WCC Centennial Historical Committee Hours: 700 Donated: $_0.00 In Kind: $ 300.00
The historical committee's report highlights a comprehensive and labor-intensive effort to compile and review historical documents from the past century. Utilizing various sources, including legal papers and library resources, the committee has made substantial progress despite missing years of documentation. Their findings not only contribute to the historical narrative but also engage the community through presentations and newsletters, marking a critical role in the centennial celebrations.
The committee of 3 has spent over 500 hours on this project. The work has evolved into a forensic historical endeavor, the undertaking is significant.
Sources of Information vary from meeting handwritten notebooks and newspaper clippings that are essential for gathering missing years; Strong documentation exists from the ’50 up to current times and now more in binder format; Legal documents (grant deeds, quick claims) used to track properties owned by WCC since 1925. The Cole Library provided significant assistance. Note: The library is named after Georgiana Cole, a past member who helped establish it.
The research Process started in July 2024 and is ongoing as the process is time consuming and tedious.
Notes are taken and then organized in a timeline manner and passed on to our Communication and PR committee to be used in ads and public communication and into a final document. Pictures are collected and organized, and significant ones will be assembled into a wall timeline for all to view in our foyer.
At each business meeting the committee shares anecdotes from the findings to everyone’s fascination.
The Committee joined the Carlsbad Historical Society, and their president presented to the membership a history of the region from 1600 to 1925.
The history committee and the communication /PR committee organized a collection of funds to gift a bench in the heart of the village to be dedicated in early 2025 to the “Mothers of the of Carlsbad Village”.
GFWC Advancement Plan - Leadership
Project Title: Co- Presidents Hours 350 Donated $ 0.00 In Kind $ 210.00
The Co-Presidents work closely with each other, with members of the Board and individual members of the Woman’s Club of Carlsbad. As presidents, we host the Executive Board meetings quarterly (at a minimum), monthly business meetings for the entire membership, generate the meeting agendas and preside over the meetings. We work with the Board members on various projects and keep a pulse of the total membership.
We had Co-Presidents from January 2024-June 2024. Then one President for the remainder of the year. As Presidents we meet with Treasurers to oversee our financial status, we work closely with our Property Management team (a local company that oversees our rentals) and our very dedicated members that oversee day in and out the proper maintenance of our aging clubhouse.
Our Rental committee led by the president has evolved from seeking opportunities to publicize our clubhouse (Open house, Public Relations in all local magazines and media) to Capital Improvements required for the 1962 venue. We are very pleased with the remodel of our small kitchen and now are seeking local space planners to provide plans to meet ADA and local compliances as well as restoration.
The Woman's Club of Carlsbad will be 100 years young in April 2025 and the President led a team to brainstorm via a Mind Map how to organize our celebration. We meet monthly with a dedicated team of historians, fundraisers, publicity and celebration activities committee leads. We have many activities planned (Village bench dedication, Tea and Fashion show, Public open house and Mixer with Chamber of Commerce, etc.) and are thrilled to honor the “Mothers of Carlsbad” and keep their legacy strong and vibrant for the next generation.
We support our District and actively participate in all the Executive and Board meetings as well as the CFWC Southern Calif. local meeting in San Diego. We are honored to make our Woman’s Club of Carlsbad venue available for the April 2025 District Convention. To prepare the President participates in all the preparatory meetings. We support the projects recommended by our District such as Operation paperback, Wreaths Across America, etc.
As President, I share all the appropriate updates from GFWC, CFWC and our District to our membership and see that we participate as much as possible by contacting the respective chairs. For example, our Service team is taking on the suggested reading glasses recycling program.
As the solo president, I rely on the Board of Directors for advice and contact them as need be. Being the solo president of a large club, with ownership of our own venue, is a full-time position and one needs to be available 24/7 to respond to questions and; issues and be able to just listen. I have learned to delegate everything that I can, to ask members to work situations out with their committee chair or appropriate functional lead as I rather not provide them with the answer and finally try not to take things personal. When we don’t have someone stepping up to take on something, then I step in and manage it and then engage members to support in the implementation such as our Appreciation celebration for the Meals on Wheels Chair, who was awarded “Volunteer of the Year“ by the North County Philanthropy Council and the San Diego Business Journal.
We have very talented members with great experience and enthusiasm that I have learned a lot from and so blessed to rely on them. I have learned to generate and run the monthly business meetings on my own and try to become a better public speaker. I am frequently asked to introduce our events in front of many guests and members, such as our 100-year flag raising ceremony with the local Chief of Police. In addition, if have learned to juggle various activities and continue to manage the projects I have in the past such as parking lot
fundraising at Graduation and Football season. I plan to hand over to next club year president(s) the tools that I captured as I took on the position and will make myself available to support them. I have learned so much about the Woman's Club of Carlsbad in the past two years and am grateful to be able to hold the role. It has been a development role so different from my past 40 years of industry work while working with volunteers versus paid employees.
Project Title: Co- Deans Hours 150 Donated $ 0.00 In Kind $ 50
The Co-Deans worked extensively in January 2024 to finalize our annual Narrative Report and assist with District level judging. In the spring, we worked very hard to increase awareness of One Safe Place with our members. One Safe Place is a one-stop support programs for all aspects of Domestic Violence, including Sex Trafficking. We sponsored two tours and booked a maximum of 20 people. We were able to secure one of their representatives to speak to the general membership at a business meeting. There was significant interest in our members getting more involved with organizations like One Safe Place.
At our June Board transition, the Co-Deans focused more on the need to address issues regarding fiduciary responsibility. With our Centennial Celebrations in the works at that point, many members were looking at ways to raise money and address our Clubhouse. It has been the Co-Deans’ position that our Clubhouse is our most important legacy to the future of the Woman’s Club of Carlsbad. We asked questions, participated in District-level Dean training, investigated potential liabilities and participated in an initial attempt in strategic planning. We learned a lot and shared it with the responsible parties.
Project Title: 4th V.P Property Management Hours: 450 Donated: $6,000.00 In Kind: 230.00
The primary duties of the 4th VP Clubhouse Management are to ensure that all venue components are in a workable, safe, user-friendly environment. The main goal from January 1 – December 2024 was to renovate the small kitchen.
The maintenance of our Clubhouse is an essential element in meeting our goals with services to the community, our renters and our members. The building is 62 years old: which requires a full-time on-site inspection schedule.
Major Projects Accomplished: Clear Unused renter storage spaces, Upgrade Parking Lot Lines Upgrade Stair Safety Lines, Kitchen Renovation, Roof Leak Repair, Interior Ceiling Repair, Antiquated Sink removal, Entrance/Exit Motion light Installation/Signage Lights, Sliding Doors Runner Repairs, Upgrade Stage Area (Curtains/Paint), Replace Fans in Main Hall , outside draining systems front and back of building, removing old planters & benches, on and on.
Our local property management team takes care of the venue rentals and customer management and reports to the 4th VP. The 4th VP has her hands full with the constant maintenance and management of the venue and we are all grateful as the place has never so well been managed and maintained.
GWFC Advancement Plans - Membership, Retention and Engagement
Project Title: Federation Activities Hours: 150 Donated: $800 In Kind: $500
The purpose of the Federation Committee is to provide opportunities for club members to get to know each other and spend time together socially. The goal of the committee is to encourage members to form connections and friendships through activities. As we form these relationships, we work better as a team in serving our community through service and philanthropy. Our 18-member committee met in July 2024 to plan out the year’s activities. This is a group of dedicated and committed ladies, with fantastic ideas.
This year is our Centennial 100-Year as a club, we wanted to place emphasis on celebrating the club
and our members. The committee assisted in having a fun birthday acknowledgement at our September
meeting, with balloons, signs and cupcakes for all. We then kicked off the year’s activities with a member Happy Hour in September. Followed by a fun event in October, “Speed Friending”, a takeoff on speed dating, the ladies loved the event and especially learning fun things about other members. In November, we hosted a Paint n’ Sip evening, painting a difficult painting, there was lots of laughter. We had a very successful and well attended Holiday Happy Hour including members spouses and significant others. Moving into our annual Holiday Party, should prove to be an elegant and delicious evening filled with fun and friendship.
On a monthly basis, the Federation/Activities hosts a 1) monthly book club, 2) a game night and 3) a monthly Lunch and Learn afternoon, where ladies learn how to create or make something, have lunch and visit. All these events are attended by many members and have quite the following.
As we continue to celebrate our 100-Year Centennial the plans include a High Tea /Fashion Show, a presentation by the Woman’s Museum of California speakers’ event, an actual birthday party on the day we incorporated and a Summer Solstice event. We have a fantastic group of ladies, and we are honored and blessed to work with each one of them.
Project Title: Membership Hours: 371 Donated $3681.00 In Kind $494.00
During 2024 we recruited a total of twenty-seven (27) new members, and we were able to get back two (2) previous members who had been gone for several years, so a total of 29 new members were added to our roster this club year. We are extremely proud of our membership recruitment efforts, and we’re thrilled to have so many new members, and to now be considered a “Large” club, which has not been the case for many years. We look forward to the new ideas and fresh energy that these new members bring to our club.
Our Membership Chairperson, along with an enthusiastic committee, have continued to focus on recruitment, and we have established consistent procedures. This includes contacting prospects promptly (via email and phone calls) and inviting them to the next business meeting or social event instead of just joining immediately. We encourage women who are interested in the club to attend 1-2 meetings to ensure that our club is a good fit for them. After each meeting (or social event), we contact prospective members personally to answer any questions they may have about our club. When prospective members attend our meetings, we introduce them to the group. In 2024, we also handed them a chocolate bar treat that they could take home which says… “You are SO Sweet” to attend our meeting. This added gesture helps the guests feel extra special, shows them that they are welcome, and it gives them a tangible reminder of us when they get home. This gesture has been very well received by guests.
We are committed to making new members feel welcome and getting them involved right away. Once prospects decide to join, the membership committee conducts a 2-hour “New Member Orientation” where we cover what they need to know to make a seamless transition into the club. We present them with a member packet and review the history of GFWC, CFWC, Palomar District and everything they need to know about WCC…who we support, our on-going projects, procedures, social activities, member only portion of the website, etc. We can cover a lot of information at these orientations and answer all the new members’ questions in a small setting. At the conclusion of the orientation, new members fill out “Interest Forms” so that they can get involved right away by connecting them with chairpersons in their areas of interest. We have learned that when new members participate early on, they get more involved in the club and can make those crucial connections with other members. This past year, we digitized the interest survey form so that ALL members, not only new members, could update their interests and the responses were compiled into accessible excel docs and distributed electronically to all club project chairpersons. This has made it easier to connect new & current members to committee chairs and projects that they are interested in. At the club business meeting following the new member’s orientation, we introduce each new member formally to the membership and present them with a flower as a welcome gesture. New members seem to love this, and an added benefit is that current members can see who the new person is so that they can make a point of going up to them after the meeting to introduce themselves and welcome them to WCC. This year we also held a “Meet & Greet” before the October 2024 meeting for newer members. The membership committee invited anyone who had joined in the past 12 months and board members were also invited. The purpose of the Meet & Greet, which was held at the chairperson’s home, was to give new members another opportunity to connect with not only board members, but also with other newer members of our club to make those critical connections. This event was very well received, and we plan to hold these gatherings at least 1-2 times a year…most likely in January and In the Fall.
Currently, we recruit members in one of three ways… a current member invites a friend; someone sees our website and fills out the interest form so that we can contact them; or someone attends one of our fundraisers or events and expresses interest in finding out more about our club. We have found that our club website has served a crucial role in our recruitment efforts, as many women who move into our area visit the website to find out about us because they are eager to make new friends and are then motivated to contact us. Due to the website’s importance, our webmaster takes great care to update our site on an ongoing basis to provide members, and others who visit our site, with the most current information about our club so that we always represent our club and community in a professional manner. In addition, the membership chairperson and the webmaster work closely to keep the member’s only section also updated with new rosters each month (or anytime that we have new members join), and the webmaster quickly posts pictures of members participating in our activities. We invite you to visit our club website www.womansclubofcarlsbad.org so you can see firsthand how important this digital tool has been to our recruitment efforts. In addition, we also have public and private Facebook pages to allow current members to interact and to ensure that potential members can easily locate our organization. Our public page can be found at https://www.facebook.com/womansclubofcarlsbad/
Since we have recruited so many new members in the last couple of years, these newer members are now getting their friends and neighbors also involved in our club…which is wonderful to see…and has given our recruitment a boost. Also in 2024, we recruited several members through our fundraising events (i.e. Bingo, Bunco & Holiday Market). At each of these events, the membership committee sets up a table where we display information about our club that anyone interested can pick up. This includes a copy of our club trifold with general information about our club and our goals. We also encourage those who are interested in finding out more about our club to fill out a contact form and our membership chairperson reaches out to them after the event both via email and by phone. These personal contacts have made a significant difference in the success of our recruiting.
This past year, we have also continued to focus on getting our name out there in the local papers. We recognized that in the past, we were not diligent about publicizing our meeting dates, event photos, and information that summarize all the good work we do in our community. Our publicity committee has supported our recruitment efforts by announcing to the community our upcoming activities and inviting non-members from our community to participate, such as with the Comfort Pillow project. We are always amazed when Carlsbad residents tell us that they never knew we existed since we’ve been in the community for almost 100 years. This shows that there is still work to be done, and that our membership can continue to grow with the right publicity and recruitment efforts which we finally have in place.
Regarding retention of members, in 2024 we continued to focus on reaching out to members who do not consistently attend meetings and/or club activities. Membership committee members make personal calls to anyone not attending the business meetings, but this is an area we can continue to improve on. We need to address why some people join, but don’t seem to get involved, and why others leave the club. Whether there is something that we can do differently, or that it’s just people’s personal lives that gets in the way of them becoming more active in our club. Since the pandemic’s toll on our club’s membership, we have lost very few members, and especially for unknown reasons. Most of the time it has been because members have moved away from the area, and/or they have family or health issues that require them to take a break from the club.
Our members form strong friendships, and we are there to support each other when members deal with personal, health, or family issues. Membership works closely with our Sunshine Chairperson to send cards, make phone calls, and/or help make meals for members who need help throughout the year. In the past we have had one or two members that were our sunshine chairmen, but now a committee is being formed because it seems like there is more need for this type of assistance due to our increasing membership, etc.
We are thrilled that once again we are growing our club and adding the energy of new members, with new ideas, to the wonderful group of women that we call…The Woman’s Club of Carlsbad.
Project Title: Sunshine Committee Hours: 30 Donated $0 In Kind $ 150.00
The Sunshine Committee’s mission is to create a culture of caring and connection by acknowledging certain events in the lives of our members. Cards are mailed for events such as personal or family illness, congratulation, milestone or bereavement. We also offer to assist our members with meals, transportation, light housekeeping, etc. during their time of need. Members are to advise the chairperson of the Sunshine Committee for anyone who may need words of encouragement, a card, meals or any assistance.
GFWC Advancement Plans - Community Service Programs - Education and Libraries
Project Title: Mentoring California State University-San Marcos Senior Experience Project. Hours 55 Donated $250 In Kind $ 40
This project was initiated upon learning that the university offered community outreach projects to enhance students’ marketing and business experience. WCC was part of the experience in the Spring and again Fall semesters. Five senior university students and one marketing professor were assigned to the Woman’s Club of Carlsbad for their project. The project’s goals were to expand the club’s marketing efforts to boost visibility about the upcoming centennial, attract consistent donors, grow its membership, and bring in more members. A key aim was to secure sustainable funding to maintain and improve the club’s clubhouse so that the clubhouse could be rented out and produce a passive income to support the club’s broader operations. Members on this project had meetings with the students (via zoom, at three hour-long meetings) to discuss how the students could bring brand awareness to the club. An additional club member served as co-chair on this project and was the primary contact for the students. Students interviewed members and other contacts provided to enhance their experience. Members also attended an on-campus final project presentation by the students, as well as a Senior Experience Trade show, where all students shared their project results on poster boards and tables in a trade show-like setting.
The experience for both semesters was heartwarming to be able to interact with this generation and hear about their future career plans. The portfolio provided by the students at the end of each semester was full of great ideas, tools, and contacts for the club. We learned quite a bit from the students and adopted their ideas on our website, external communications, outreach to promote the clubhouse, grant ideas, etc.
We will evaluate if we continue this into 2025 and if funds are allocated to support this experience.
Project title: Carlsbad High school scholarships Hours: 75 Donated: $3000 In-kind: 0
One focus of the Woman’s Club of Carlsbad is education of young people in our community. Each year the Woman’s Club of Carlsbad awards three scholarships to graduating female high school seniors from the Carlsbad Unified School District. This year the funds allocated from the club’s budget was $3000 enabling three $1000 scholarships to be given to worthy candidates. Three recipients were from Carlsbad High School.
Our scholarship application is posted on the district’s school websites. Students are evaluated on academics, extra-curricular school activities, community service and involvement, and financial need. Their applications include club questionnaires, school transcripts, personal essays, and recommendation letters. Students submit their application packets addressing these areas directly to the club.
The scholarship committee is comprised of a scholarship chair and some club members. Each committee member receives a box of all the student application packets and evaluates them. It takes a good number of hours to review the applications and prioritize possible recipients. Then the committee meets in person to come to a decision on three recipients. Representatives of our club attend the high schools’ end of the year award ceremonies so WCC can personally present the scholarships. The club invites recipients to attend the June business meeting. Currently, the recipients and their accomplishments are introduced to the membership & they are welcome to share their future. Our members are always so pleased to hear about the wonderful youth in our community.
Project Title: Carlsbad Village Academy Graduation Support Hours 20 Donated $250.00 In Kind $200.00
As part of the WCC EDUCATION Outreach the club members support the Carlsbad Village Academy.
Carlsbad Village Academy is a continuation high school serving students 16 years or older, in grades 10-12, who need extensive credit recovery options, flexible schedules to accommodate employment, family obligations, and/or other critical needs. Students are referred to Carlsbad Village Academy through a Guidance Team process with Carlsbad High School and Sage Creek High School and typically serves between 80 and 90 students at a time.
The expectation in Carlsbad Unified School District (CUSD) has always been to support students at the continuation schools with the intent that each student will successfully complete the exact same graduation requirements as well as the same mandated testing requirements as every other student in CUSD. However, students come to CVA with a wide variety of needs or limitations.
The WCC volunteers support the end of the 4 quarters when the principal and staff recognize the students’ efforts with awards and the students that are graduating that quarter. The WCC members set up a table in the ceremony area (lunch area, outdoors, etc.) and bring beverages and cookies to hand out.
The students are always very polite and appreciative of this recognition as it is not something they are used to. The members are so happy to be able to support these students and make their graduation a little bit special as well as the educators that stop by for snacks.
Project Title: Nursing Scholarships Hours: 20 Donated: $_8,000.00___ In Kind: $0
The Woman’s Club of Carlsbad has awarded nursing scholarships to Palomar College, a local community
college in San Marcos California, for more than 25 years. Scholarship awards are funded through an
Endowment fund given by Helen Allman when she passed. In 2024, WCC awarded four $1000 scholarships
to nursing students at Palomar College. Our Scholarship Chair works with the Palomar College Scholarship
Coordinator. Students who apply complete an application packet with a club questionnaire, transcripts,
personal essay and letters of recommendation. The Nursing department reviews applications for
academic achievement, extracurricular activities, community service and financial need & shares the top ones with the Palomar scholarship committee. The committee decides on the final recipients on an annual basis for all the various scholarships. The school shares with WCC the outcome of their process and offers a hard bound booklet with the background and factors of their finalists’ selection.
This year we were able to support 4 recipients receiving each $2000.00 as our fund has been accumulating funds and we voted to share the gains. It was our first year having a male gender recipient.
We have planned for 2025 to expand our scholarship selection pool and will add the other 2 local nursing schools: Mira Costa College and Cal State San Marcos. We have set up a committee of retired nurses to support this expansion.
Project Title: Operation Paperback Hours 3 Donated $0 In Kind $100
UNESCO International Literacy Day is celebrated in September to raise awareness on the importance of literacy. The Palomar District President selected this as our Fall project. Operation Paperback was started in 1999 when a service man noticed there were no books on base for them. The service people needed books to read while deployed and read story books to their children when on calls with them. The families and friends of the base started this project and now ship over 15,000/month to bases worldwide. Paperback is celebrated every October across the military bases. The Woman’s Club of Carlsbad was able, with just a 3-day notice, to collect 38 children’s story books and 50 paperbacks. The books were dropped off at the Quarterly district meeting held in Julian on September 24th.
Project Title: Book Club Hours: 0 Donated: $ 0 In Kind: $ 0
The Carlsbad Woman’s Club Book Club is a group of women who share not only a love of volunteer service to the community, but a love of reading as well. The club strengthens friendships while providing an opportunity for members to grow and learn about people from varied backgrounds and time periods, to discuss ideas, share opinions and to just enjoy being together. The Book Club began very informally over ten years ago, with members meeting in each other's homes to discuss books we had chosen to read. Over the years, the club grew into our Book Club of today with about nine to ten regular members. It now meets in the clubhouse one evening each month from September through June (except for December) to discuss a book preselected by all the members. Members take turns hosting for the monthly meetings. Hostess duties include leading a discussion about the book as well as providing a light snack. In June, all members submit to the Chairman one or two book choices for the upcoming year, and the members select nine to read. Historical fiction, and especially stories of real women from history, are favorite selections. At this time, The Book Club does not officially participate in GSO and therefore does not keep track of reading hours. Thus, there are no hours recorded in the heading above and no hours for Book Club are included in the Statistical Report.
GFWC Special Programs - Advocates for Children
Project Title: North County Lifeline STEM Activities Hours 36 Donated $0 In Kind $100
North County Lifeline provides comprehensive services, such as case management and counseling to victims of human trafficking and to children and their families struggling with a broad spectrum of mental health illness. There is no charge for families to send their children to this afterschool program. Volunteers, organized in small groups (1-2 adults per group), lead pre-planned STEM projects and games in rotating stations, with each activity lasting about 15 minutes. After the activities, lunch or snacks can be provided to both volunteers and participants. The day concludes with volunteers helping clean up and organize.
Project Title: Mother’s Day Boys & Girls Club Hours: 10 Donated: $_0.00_ In Kind: $250.00
This Philanthropy project was a follow-up to our Spring Bling Fundraiser in which members brought their unwanted jewelry and accessories to a meeting. Members were able to "shop" and purchase gently used items. We had left over jewelry and these items were made available to children at the Carlsbad Boys and Girls club on two afternoons during the week before Mother's Day (May 2024). 126 children were able to pick out jewelry for their mothers, grandmothers, aunts or guardians.
We provided small mesh bags, white gift bags, ribbon and gift tags for children to decorate.
A few hours were spent sorting jewelry and setting up the display. Five of our members assisted the children on the two afternoons.
This project was warmly received by the children and Boys and Girls Club staff. The teen volunteers also enjoyed choosing gifts for their mothers.
We plan to bring succulents In May 2025, but will repeat the jewelry gift project in future years.
Project Title: Stitches From the Heart Hours 125 Donated $ 0.00 In Kind __$250.00
The Woman's Club of Carlsbad has adopted a community project called "Stitches from The Heart". Volunteers from the club who like to knit, and crochet give of their time and talents by creating hats for newborns. These hats are lovingly made in different colored, soft yarns that are one hundred percent donated!
The baby hats are distributed to local area hospitals birth centers, such as Scripps Memorial and Camp Pendleton. Special tags are attached to the hats that say, "Lovingly made by the Woman's Club of Carlsbad". The baby hats are always appreciated by the staff when we drop them off and so well received by the new mothers.
Project Title: Jefferson Elementary Garden Beautification Hours 12 Donated $0 In Kind $0
Jefferson Elementary School has a community garden that is maintained largely by students and volunteers. This garden helps to teach the kids about healthy eating and enables a lot of them to taste fruits and vegetables that they haven’t tried before. Three members of the WCC were able to support this worthwhile project by weeding and pruning on a Sunday afternoon under the direction of the Garden and Nutrition Teacher.
Project Title: North County Resource Center LGBTQI+ Awareness Training Hours 50 Donated $0 In Kind $0
The LGBTQI+ is a very victimized and underserved population, but the North County Resource Center helps this group and everyone - regardless of gender expression or sexuality - with housing, food, job counseling, and mental and physical health services. The founder of this organization gave a two-hour awareness training to the thirteen people in attendance, including three non-members and everyone was encouraged to ask questions without fear of being offensive. The result was an open and honest discussion and a deeper understanding of the issues, leading everyone to be better advocates for this group in our personal and professional lives.
OTHER:
Project Title: "Venue and Vendor Showcase: A Celebration of Community and Collaboration" Hours 80 Donated $ 0.00 In Kind $ 150.00
The March Venue & Vendor Showcase a community-focused event designed to highlight the Women’s Club of Carlsbad ,as a versatile venue space available for various events such as corporate meetings, celebrations, and community gatherings. The event featured 13 local vendors, including caterers, restaurants, photographers, and party rental services, florist and an event planner who showcased their offerings to influential community members.
Our primary goal was to promote the rental opportunities at the clubhouse while fostering collaboration with local businesses and raising awareness about the unique amenities and features of our venue.
The project addressed a two-fold need:
Community Need: Local vendors often seek opportunities to connect directly with potential clients, especially community influencers and Club Need: The Women’s Club of Carlsbad wanted to increase awareness of its rental offerings to support ongoing operations and community engagement. This initiative was considered a high priority because it aligned with the club’s mission to support local businesses and strengthen community ties. Planning began months in advance to ensure the event’s success. Local vendors were invited to participate at no cost, with the request to provide samples or tastings for 45-65 attendees. Invitations were sent through email and social media campaigns. The event’s refreshments and supplies were entirely covered by donations from participating vendors, with an additional $150 in-kind donation from the chairperson. Over 50 attendees, including corporate event planners, sports booster members, and local influencers, explored the venue and interacted with vendors. The event increased interest in venue rentals, with several inquiries and follow-up bookings made during and after the event. Vendors expressed gratitude for the opportunity to connect with the community and promote their services. The Venue & Vendor Showcase successfully met its goals, strengthening community partnerships and increasing visibility for the Women’s Club of Carlsbad. It exemplified the club’s commitment to fostering local connections while promoting its versatile venue space. The overwhelming positive response has encouraged the club to consider hosting similar events in the future to maintain and build upon this momentum.
Project Title: Kitchen Remodel Hours: 150.00 Donated: $_ $24,724.70___ In Kind: $150.00
The "Little Kitchen Renovation" project involved a comprehensive update to our clubhouse’s small kitchen. The scope included painting, recessed lighting, custom commercial-grade cabinets, a new refrigerator, garbage disposal, quartz counters, sheet vinyl flooring, and patching and painting walls and the ceiling. The renovation was essential due to a leak under the sink affecting the sub-floor and the outdated, over 60-year-old kitchen. Goals included modernizing the space, increasing functionality, repairing damages, and ensuring ADA compliance. This renovation was part of a broader effort to improve the clubhouse. The renovation was managed by a club member who is a professional realtor, serving as the project manager. The team included the property manager, clubhouse manager, and a club member with interior design expertise, all of whom contributed to design decisions. Subcontractors were hired for electrical work, flood remediation, flooring, plumbing, and cabinet design, manufacturing & installation. The club’s handyman handled painting and drywall repairs. The project had to be managed around the venue rentals and was completed within a two-week timeframe.
The "Little Kitchen Renovation" demonstrates the Woman’s Club of Carlsbad’s commitment to maintaining and improving its facilities to better serve its members and the community. This project highlights the club’s dedication to teamwork, adaptability, and quality service. This successful renovation serves as inspiration for future projects, including a planned major clubhouse renovation in the coming years.
Project Title: Mail collection and distribution Hours: 104 Donated: $ 25 In Kind: 15.00
The Corresponding Secretaries play a vital role in the success of our club, ensuring seamless communication and efficient coordination among members. As key members of the leadership team, we require organizational skills, attention to detail, and strong interpersonal abilities. The Corresponding Secretaries act as the club's communication hub, managing the collection and distribution of mail and telephone messages. These functions are crucial for maintaining the club's operational flow, enabling members to stay informed and collaborate effectively. Leadership involvement extends beyond administrative duties, as the Corresponding Secretaries often serve as a liaison between the club and external stakeholders. By handling correspondence promptly and professionally, this role upholds the club's reputation and fosters positive relationships with donors, partners, and the broader community. The timely distribution of mail ensures critical information—such as meeting updates, event details, and donor acknowledgments—reaches the right members without delay. Similarly, managing telephone messages facilitates quick responses, enhancing the club's ability to address issues or seize opportunities promptly. Together, these functions empower the club to fulfill its philanthropic mission effectively.