GFWC Bitterroot Woman's Club
A snapshot of the projects we have participated in over the years.
~~~Please note: we do not do every project, every year.~~~
Our members participate in the projects, programs, and fundraisers that appeal the most to us.
Some projects involve very little time or work, others may require more.
We appreciate our volunteers and know that you will have a great time helping in our communities.
We can fulfill our need for flowers and plants with our Flower Power Fundraiser. We order our items and receive 50% of all orders back to the club placed during a certain time period. Orders can be placed in person from our chairman or online and be delivered right to your home.
We founded the pie and plant sale at the Annual Corvallis Memorial Day parade. In May of every year, we continue providing this longstanding tradition for the local community. Some of our members make homemade pies others grow plant starts and seedlings. We sell our items before and after the Memorial Day parade.
We participate in the Trunk-or-Treat on Main street Corvallis. We enjoy handing out candy and non candy treats. We had a 6 foot Plinko game that kiddo's could play and win pieces of candy. We also provide our club information to the ladies bringing their children through.
The Corvallis Tree Lighting is an annual event that we participate in. We collaborate with the Corvallis School District, The Corvallis Civic Club, local churches and the Corvallis American Legion. We ask our members to donate cookies for the enjoyment of those attending the Christmas Tree Lighting. We visit with our neighbors, set up, serve cookies, and clean up.
The Bitterroot Community Band puts on a concert every year at the Daly Mansion. During intermission of the concert we have help serve strawberry shortcake to the concert attendees, this is the Community Band Fundraiser. We are happy to serve our community.
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We have donated non perishable and canned goods to the Haven House in Hamilton for our fellow community members.
The Spring Online Auction Fundraiser is our largest fundraiser of the year! As a group we collect gift certificates and/or items for our online auction from local community members and businesses. There are a multitude of different ways to volunteer for this project. We are very thankful to have an amazing community to support us in this effort. This project help us sustain many of our yearly projects and activities.
The Darby no-sew dog/cat tie blanket kit project is a combined community effort. Our members purchase fun fleece materials to donate to this project. We get together and cut the fleece to size. We then fold the fleece and put the instruction label on the front with ribbon to complete a kit. When the patrons from the library receive the kit they can take it home and make the Tie blanket. It is the perfect size for a dog kennel or a cat crate. This blanket can then be lovingly donated to the animals at the Bitterroot Humane Association in Hamilton.
The Staff Luncheon is a historical annual project which started in 1915. As a welcome back treat to the school year for the staff members we decorate the lunch tables and provide the desserts for the staff to enjoy. This is during the school provided luncheon on the teacher work day which happens before the students arrive back to school for the year. The food service staff provides lunch for the School District staff and our members.
The craft fair at St. Mary’s in Stevensville is a fantastic opportunity to meet others within the Stevensville community. As a group we collect items from our members for this craft fair and members sign up for times to sell the items at the table. This is just as much a membership opportunity as it is to help sell items.
We helped complete the leaflets by puttting a white ribbon in the booklets they give out to many local organizations and businesses. These booklets are then dispersed to the community for all to wear in recognition of Domestic Violence Prevention Month.
The display included various Women's Service uniforms and vintage photos from all Armed Services and most eras. A poster summarizes 200+ years of contributions of women in the service. We attended the unveiling of the exhibit and provided a donation in support of the event for food and a cake. Additionaly a member created a wreath for the wreath laying service.
The benches on Mainstreet in Corvallis were showing their years of being out in the elements. We joined up with the Corvallis Civic Club and gave them a sanding and a new coat of paint.
We help with community meals for our housing and/or food insecure neighbors. A local church has a pantry to choose items from. We plan, cook, and serve the meal. This is a very worthwile project that helps so many.
We participate in the 50 mile garage sale as a fundraiser. We collect gently used items from our members to sell during the Bitterroot Valley Event. There are lots of easy ways to participate in this event. In the past we have also sold hot dogs, drinks and individually packaged desserts.
We help facilitate a kid’s craft day at the Darby Public Library. The Darby librarian provides an opportunity for children to come in during a 3-hour period to create crafts or ornaments centered around a Christmas theme. We provide the craft items and we work at a station where the children can come by and create their work of art to take home.
We decorate pumpkins for nursing home residents. You can decorate a pumpkin using your glue gun, fabric, ribbons, sequins, jewels, and anything else you can think of. This is a fun project whether you have artistic talents or not! We either get together to do this project or we make them ourselves and drop them to the chairman and she deliveres them to the care facilities in the area.
The Corvallis Bazaar is the largest craft fair in Ravalli County. As a group we collect homemade items from our members to sell. This is a big craft fair which allows a lot of opportunity for volunteering for shifts at the sale. We also have the opportunity to chat with our neighbors about our club.
We have ran the concessions stands in Corvallis for various sporting events as a fundraising opportunity. This also allows exposure for our club in the communities we serve.
We can recycle our mascara wands through the Wands for Wildlife Program. We collect clean mascara wands and send them to a group who reuses them to help rehabilitate wildlife.
We create homemade Valentines for a demographic of our community who are often overlooked. In the past we have sent them to some of our elderly care facilities, shut-ins and our first responders.
Books for Babies is a project we do in conjunction with the Bitterroot Public Library that benefits all babies born at Bitterroot Health Hospital throughout the year. We get together once or twice during the year to put together a resource folder for new parents. This folder includes a board book for the new baby to enjoy. We normally meet in the community room at the Bitterroot Public Library and assemble the folders. This folder also has a slip of paper with a QR code that is attached to a google form which gives us immediate feedback on the folder from the new mother.
We set up a booth at our local Spring Into Summer community nonprofit fair event. This event allows residents to connect to volunteer organizations. The club decorates our booth with pictures of club activities. We have a freestanding banner and members engage with interested visitors, we pass out informational pamphlets, and gave out free seed packets labeled with club contact information. Members update the club contact list with the people who showed interest in our club.
We were able to provide W.H.A.L.E. kits to our local preschools, daycares and doctors offices in Ravalli County through a grant from the Power of Change. We purchased custom pre-made kits that enable parents to provide information specific to their child on a sticker that affixes to the child’s car seat. If there were an emergency where the parent or guardian could not communicate vital information specific to their child the emergency responders are trained to look for this information on the stickers and use it for the benefit of the child. This was a past GFWC Montana State President’s Project.
Speech, Drama & Debate Tournament in Corvallis. Judging and information hostess opportunities abound. These students are amazing and this is a perfect way to see our youth perform at a very high level.
Emma's house is a local non-profit where children and their families can receive crisis intervention counseling. They advocate for victims within the criminal justice system. We donated snacks to for the children who need to use their services.
These are very difficult times for the children and the facilitators like to have craft items to help distract the child/ victim while they tell their stories or are being interviewed. Busy hands help with the conversations. We were asked to provide craft kits for the use of the children.
Marcus Street Safety Project is a new project in 2022. We would like to help get flashing lights and perhaps an electronic speed limit sign installed for public safety. This project could include helping write letters, attending community meetings and gathering signatures. We will update the club on our progress and volunteer needs.
We started an ongoing project to increase the habitat for bees, birds and butterflies in a small pocket park that was started by some of our club members decades ago. Some species like monarch butterflies need specific plants to regenerate and we hope to be able to supply the need in the future. Weeds were pulled, soil was enriched and perennials from our gardens were planted. This is now a wonderful habitat for bees and butterflies.
Many women veterans attend the VA 30 day residential treatment programs for substance abuse, PTSD, Military Sexual Trauma, etc. Many do not have clothes other than what they are wearing. We donated a large amount of new and used clothing and personal care items. The new donations helped to start their “Women Veteran Clothes Closet”.
Missoula Gives & Bitterroot Gives, is an initiative of The Missoula Community Foundation, it is a 26-hour fast-paced online celebration of the very giving Missoula/Bitterroot Valley communities. It connects generous Missoulians and Bitterrooters with the causes they care about. It is a day to celebrate all that Missoula and Ravalli counties are and the role nonprofits play in making our community great.
We recieved a grant from the Power of Change Program for $2000 to purchase items for a Diaper Giveaway in our local community.
We purchased 45 boxes of diapers and pull-ups along with 10 boxes of wipes to giveaway for free!
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The Corvallis American Legion Post #91 conducted their annual Memorial Day Parade for the 103rd year, the theme was “Be The One”, with the goal to Reduce Veteran Suicide One Veteran at a Time. We recieved the Grand Champion Ribbon!
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The theme aligns with the GFWC Civic Engagement and Outreach Community Service Program.
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We appreciate the sacrafices our armed services have made for us and will never forget them.
Our dream team of designers created a beautiful Gingerbread themed baking wreath that inspired an amazing lady to bid 1350.00! We do not know her but we can't wait to provide her with a year of desserts made with tender loving care from some of our members. Loads of Dignity is very thankful and excited about our donation, to say the least! Thank you to all of the members who helped with the wreath!
Our dream team of designers created a beautiful Gingerbread themed baking wreath that inspired an amazing lady to bid 1350.00! We can't wait to provide her with a year of desserts made with tender loving care from some of our members.
Loads of Dignity is very thankful and excited about our donation! Thank you to all of the members who helped with the wreath!
We maintain the barrels in front of the business on Main Street in Corvallis. Depending on the time of year, we decorate the barrels with pine boughs, ornaments and a cute wooden snowman or penguin. Some years we create a new wooden accent. We redecorate the barrels for Valentines Day, Easter, flowers in the Spring with flags for the Memorial Day Parade. We meet at the Corvallis Post Office and decorate the barrels. This project is always greeted with thank you’s and excitement front he community members watching us put them together.
We love helping our community through the numerous projects we participate in.
We hope you will join us in continuing to help the Bitterroot Valley be the last, best place.