VALDOSTA —
VALDOSTA — Last year, Azalea City Woman’s Club spent more than 8,000 hours and $23,000 on more than 400 service projects in the community. Their hard work did not go unrewarded as they landed the Georgia Federation Cup for best overall woman’s club in the state at the recent Georgia Federation of Women’s Clubs convention on Jekyll Island.
“Being state convention chairman at Jekyll Island, us winning the Federation Cup was icing on the cake,” said 87-year-old Jeanette Coody, who has led the Azalea City Woman’s Club as president for 12 years.
Coody credited the success of the club to “committed, dedicated and great leadership qualities among our membership.”
It was the fourth time in the last nine years that the club of 20 members (10 of them active) has brought home the top award. It was another David and Goliath scenario as tiny Azalea City battled other clubs, including Stone Mountain and Dunwoody, which have more than 100 members.
“I like the challenge,” Coody said.
Azalea City triumphed to win first place in all six departments of work: Arts, Conservation, Education, Home Life, Public Affairs, and International Affairs and Best Overall among general and junior clubs in Conservation and the Arts. The latter two landed them silver trays, and the club was to go home with an additional two for the Performing Arts Award and Patriotism Award (which also carried a cash prize of $100). For the club’s Domestic Violence Prevention work, they earned a cash award of $50.
Coody herself won second place in photography for a photograph of club members planting camellias in the park area where the walking and bike trail crosses Lee Street.
Levi Strauss & Co. supports Azalea City Woman’s Club through grants for volunteerism to the club’s five Levi retirees.
“Levi awards retirees grants of $2,400 per person for 60 hours of volunteer work,” Coody said. “Levi is a wonderful corporate citizen. They honor active and retired employees with grants for volunteerism through a tax-exempt organization.
“We are able to do a lot of community service because of their grants. We couldn’t do the things we do without their assistance.”
Some of the things the club members have done include:
— Assisted one spouse in getting her deceased husband’s Veterans Administration pension. The woman had tried unsuccessfully for three years to get it.
— “Dressed” 75 teddy bears for Children’s Advocacy Center. Coody said studies show abused children will reach for dressed teddy bears over those with no clothes on.
— Supported one girl in Bogota, Columbia, for seven years at $22 a month.
— Sang and danced in nursing homes.
— Participated in Rivers Alive, Great American Clean Up projects.
— Provided funds for the Summer Reading Program at Valdosta/Lowndes Public Library.
In addition to Coody, Azalea City Woman’s Club members who attended the state convention were Avernell Rogers, Janice Whittle, Lynn Taylor, Charlie Oliver, Carolyn Beall, Annie Roberts, Dorothy Llobet, Anga Hill and Gail Berry.
In August, the club will learn if they have won any international awards for their woman’s club work.
Features
Georgia Federation Cup: Azalea City Woman’s Club captures best woman's club in the state
- Features
-
-
Sons of Jubal performs in N. Korea, China
While the male singing chorus Sons of Jubal was in China planning to enter North Korea where they had been invited to perform, the North Koreans shot off their long-range rocket. But that didn’t deter the Georgia Baptist group of 150 primarily ministers of music which has been sharing its songs in the U.S. and overseas since 1954.
-
Play Review: Get ‘Caught in the Net’
Theatre Guild Valdosta’s “Caught in the Net” isn’t just a comedy.
It is a marathon. -
Movie Reviews: Dark Shadows, The Avengers
Dark Shadows, The Avengers
-
Man’s life reveals a fisherman’s tale
Meet Doug Moxley, power fisherman.
-
Want to take your job and shove it?
Regardless of whether you are unhappy with your job, unhappy with your location, just generally unhappy, or are having a mid-life crisis wondering why things seem to be going downhill on a daily basis, we are going to provide some alternatives to change things!
-
Translation is not all Greek to Valdosta writer
Harikleia Georgiou Sirmans of Valdosta understands the precision necessary to translate a book. She translated Dr. Spyros Vrettos’ “The Agony of Survival” from Greek into English. A big job given the philosophical scope of Vrettos’ novel.
-
PSST! It’s Back
Peach State Summer Theatre is only a few weeks from its first opening night, bringing three professional musicals running into the summer. This season’s shows are “Legally Blonde,” opening June 2; “Go, Dog. Go!” opening June 15; and “The Light in the Piazza,” opening June 22.
-
Four compete for Woman of the Year
Four women are vying for the coveted title of Woman of the Year in the annual contest sponsored by Valdosta Junior Woman’s Club. The women and the organizations which nominated them are Sharah Denton, National Council of Negro Women; Diane Howard, The Pines Family Campus; Eliza McCall, Leadership Lowndes; and Suzan Griner Prince, Valdosta Junior Service League.
-
Author shares the ‘Only Way to Heaven’
South Georgia author Billy Bryan believes his book has the power to save souls. ... At least, it offers the opportunity for readers to save their souls through Jesus Christ.
-
Movies: 'The Raven': Nevermore
Adann-Kennn Alexxandar reviews ' The Raven,' 'The Five-Year Engagement,' 'The Pirates! Band of Misfits,' 'Safe'
- More Features Headlines
-
