Dear GFWC Ohio Federation Sisters,
Thank you so very much for the opportunity and honor to serve as the GFWC Ohio Director of Junior
Clubs for the 2022-2024 Administration. I am excited, and to be honest, a little nervous to begin this new journey ahead of me. As I look ahead, I also need to reflect back on our last two years and I am in
absolute awe of all of our ladies in the great State of Ohio. It is unbelievable the programs, projects and work that we have accomplished even in a pandemic! It’s amazing to see what can happen when we work together!

The area that I will be focusing on in this administration is Membership. It is so important to our future as club women. In order for us to continue and grow, we need to remind our members of our past while promoting new members to join as we head into our next era. My theme is “Our Roots Run Deep”, which is why I have chosen the Celtic Tree of Life as my symbol for my pin. The Tree of Life is a nod to our State President, Yvonne Ford and our shared love of gardening and to my mom’s all Irish roots. While the Celtic tree symbolizes balance and harmony, the tree also represents being grounded and strong while we continue to grow which is what our clubs need to do. It is a symbol of personal growth, strength and beauty while representing individual development and uniqueness, as we work as one. It is my hope that by incorporating our wisdom from our past and open mindedness for our future we will be destined to grow and flourish.

I will be asking all Junior Clubs to do one or more programs on our rich history of GFWC. After all,
“You can’t really know where you are going, until you know where you have been.”* and Our Roots do
Run Deep! It is amazing what all has been accomplished by the wonderful ladies that came before us and our history needs to be celebrated and preserved. On the flip side, we also have to embrace change, because that is what life is all about. Be open and welcoming to new members, and their ideas. Just because you have done something in the past, does not mean you can’t try something different or a new way this time around. Additionally, I would like to see all Junior Clubs branch out like the Tree of Life to at least 3 new members each year of this administration. Let’s try to embrace our past, enjoy the present and transform our future. Together, we can do this.

My Junior Special Emphasis will be “Bundles of Love” working through the USO. This program is
designed to provide a special package of essential items for a military family as they welcome a new baby into their lives. The items will consist of pacifiers, outfits, books, blankets, wipes, bibs, lotions and things that a newborn would need. This project will also align with Advocates for Children by ensuring that these necessities are available to the newborn while showing our support to our veterans and their families who give so unselfishly of themselves. To tie it in with membership, I will be working with our District Junior Directors to put into the package a flyer or pamphlet of their districts clubs with contact information that describes what we do around our community and what GFWC is all about. I do realize that the new moms may not be ready to join a club just yet but their mothers, sisters, aunts and friends may see what we have to offer and hopefully it will encourage them to join.

I am looking forward to be working with all of our Ohio Clubs and to see the exciting things that you
have planned for the future. Please don’t hesitate to contact me, I would love the opportunity to visit your clubs and meet with our GFWC Clubwomen throughout Ohio. Thank you again for the honor of allowing me to serve as the GFWC Ohio Director of Juniors.

In Federation, Sisterhood and Friendship,
Karen Margala
*Quote from Maya Angelou