Elizabeth Butler
The Valdosta Daily Times
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.
