Make new friends and keep the old is the theme for the 2011-12 year!

Club meetings are held at 7pm the 4th Monday of each month, September thru May
(excluding December), at the
Woodcroft Professional Building, 5501 Fortunes Ridge Dr, Suite K

MEETING MINUTES

WWC 2010-2011 SCHEDULE OF PROGRAM PRESENTERS

DATE	EVENT
Sept 26, 2011	Kick Off Meeting and Introduction to program topics & tips; call for volunteer presenters
Oct 24	General Meeting and Social - Quick Holiday Decorations
Nov 28	Sharing Holiday Traditions
Dec 2	HOLIDAY AUCTION and Social (no general meeting) - Happy Holidays!
Jan 23, 2012	"Best Advice" Round Robin
Feb 27	Member Travels
Mar 26	Pot Luck Dinner & Member Business Expo
Apr 23	Women’s Health Topic
May 12	YARD SALE
May 28	Year End Dinner and Celebration
Sept 24, 2012	Kick off for next year

Upcoming Events

In February, please nominate your favorite local charity for inclusion in the list of charities to be selected at the March meeting. In March, we will present a slate of officers for the 2012 – 2012 WWC year. Please consider “throwing your name in the hat” for a committee, interest group leader or a board position. We will vote for the 2012-2013 Board of Officers in April.

Every year WWC presents local charities (with no national funding) with checks from money we have raised during the Club year. Last year we presented checks to 6 charities- Send a Kid to Camp, Food Bank of Durham, Independent Animal Rescue, Genesis Home, Durham Crisis Response Center & the Durham Rescue Mission. The number of charities this year will be determined by the amount of funds we raised through the Holiday Auction and Yard Sale.

In February, nominations for local charities may be made in writing at the General Meeting or e-mailed to a board member. The Board will prepare a complete list and make it available in March. We will vote at the March General Meeting. The Board will then tally the results and announce this year’s recipients at the April General Meeting. At the end of year dinner in May, representatives of our charities will be invited to enjoy a dessert, share with us information about their charity and receive our donation check.

Prior to the March covered dish dinner, we will have an opportunity for members with home-based and/or professional businesses to display information, examples, and materials about their respective businesses. Those wishing to display information about their business can “rent” a 6’ table for $5, which will go toward the Club’s yearly charity donations.

The tables will remain up during the networking event and dinner, so there is ample opportunity for everyone to visit each exhibiting member’s table. Exhibitor signup sheets will be circulated at the February meeting. For additional information, please contact Karen Knox at vicepresident@woodcroftwomensclub.com, and don't forget to send your website url to the WWC webmistress so she can add you to our links page here.

The March meeting will host one of the Club’s favorite programs – a covered dish dinner. Members are asked to bring their favorite dish and if possible, a copy of the recipe to post on the WWC website after the meeting.

There’s lots of fellowship, good food, and exciting tales to be told in the coming months! Please join us for the fun!

January 2012 Meeting

The best advice you ever got was the topic of the meeting. Everyone volunteered their best remembered tidbits and shared with the rest. Here are some examples of the offerings:

* You’re not finished with school until you graduate from college.
* Don’t let others make you feel bad about yourself.
* Never go up or down stairs emptyhanded.
* Job ads are “wish lists.” If you have MOST of the requirements, apply!
* Always make time for family.
* It’s as easy to fall in love with a rich man as it is a poor one.
* Don’t get married.
* Don’t go to bed without removing your makeup and applying moisturizer. (Mom had a beautiful complexion until the day she died.)
* Never speak “ill” against anyone.
* There’s only so much satisfaction in having a clean house.
* Don’t date copies of your ex. Run the other way.
* Conceit is like any other seat. It should be sat upon!
* Never go to bed mad.
* Always wear clean underwear.

Linda and Liz discuss the wisdom of the advice offered at the meeting.

November 2011 Meeting

Karen reviewed ideas listed on the sharing board concerning “Best Gift Received or Given”. The ideas included:
40 roses for 40th Birthday
Lasik Surgery
Hot Air Balloon Ride
Segway Tour of Raleigh
Jewelry
Antelope Chandelier
Cruise
Gift card to Spa
Chocolate (served on Silver Tray)
Christmas Tree for Grandmother that was decorated by all visitors
Brooklyn autumn leaves when living in Fl
Cookbook
Anniversary Ring
Scrapbook
Laundry done for 1 year
House cleaning
A Flying Lesson


Club members who spoke on their families holiday traditions:

Kae Huggins described how Christmas was celebrated in Panama and shared Christmas molas with the group.

Kae shows off the lovely molas handmade in Panama for the holiday celebration.

Summer Kinard spoke on Advent and its Feasts, the Twelve Days of Christmas & Epiphany. In her family all Christmas books are stored until December then pulled out for reading. The family has a Nativity Set which is filled in accord with the celebrations of Christmas - the baby is placed in stable on Christmas Eve. The Three Wise Men arrive on January 6 (Epiphany).

Kathy does a presentation on Brittish holiday traditionals.

Kathy Rigby spoke on her holidays in England which were celebrated with 4 course dinners and formal table place settings. She provided recipes for Chestnut stuffing, fruit cake and pudding. Members opened “crackers” and wore crowns. Kathy provided all handouts related to each discussion to members in advance of meeting.

Heather Hester described how events that bring joy to the family become holiday traditions after only one year. Examples included leprechans turning room upside down, making a “from scratch pumpkin pie”, hiding the Christ Child until Christmas eve and poppers.

October 2011 Meeting

Best hostess gifts ideas listed on the sharing board for October included:
Hot Chocolate Mix
Flowers
Wine - (or beer or openers or glasses)
Seasonal napkins & plates
Chocolate dipped spoons
Seasonal baskets
Homemade anything - cookies, jams, pickles
Food Items in basket from Southern Seasons or Trader Joe’s
Cheese/Crackers

Karen writes members ideas for the best hostess gifts on the board for the October meeting.

Karen demonstrated several quick and easy holiday projects to include:
Basket of Thanks
Napkin Rings with holiday balls & ribbon
Scented pine cones
Gravestone Lollipops
Chocolate covered spoons for use with coffee

Valerie and Lorre admire Mary's centerpiece at the October meeting.

Mary shared instructions for how to make Halloween centerpiece that was displayed on the food table and later given as door prize.

September 2011 Meeting

The September meeting was busy as old friends caught up from the summer break and new ones happily welcomed.

Teresa (in pink) and Mary (right) sign up new members at the September 2011 kick off meeting.

A packed house.

There is always something new to experience with the Woodcroft Women's Club! Contact our Membership Chair for more information.
Don't forget to bring your donations to the meetings!