Advocates for Children

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Women's Club of Sweetwater County-
WCSC used $500 gained through various fundraisers the club has had over the year and received a donation from Edward Jones for another $1000. Edward Jones felt that this was a worthwhile project and wanted to be part of it. They are part of the business networking group, BNI, that the club has been part of for the past year. This money was given to Stage Coach Elementary school for the purchase of an adaptive swing for the swing set they are adding to their playground. Their playground currently does not have a swing set. This will help children with disabilities to have the emotional and physical benefits of swinging. It will help peers see those with disability in a different light as they are able to swing with their peers. 

XJWC-X Junior Women's Club-
XJWC Responded to a need seen on social media for items needed at a high school for an emergency closet. Items included shampoo, toothbrushes and toothpaste, male and female deodorant and women's menstrual hygiene products. The school typically serves students in lower income brackets and at-risk students. Many of the kids sofa surf and are trying to stay in school to graduate. These items were collected at two general meetings and taken to the high school.

Women's Club of Sweetwater County-
The literature section of the club donated to toys for kids a program done by the local firefighters who distribute toys to hundreds of underprivileged children. Many parents depend on this distribution of toys to help their children have a Merry Christmas. Sweetwater County has been suffering from a busy economy in the last few years. Our trona mines and chemical plants have been laying off and cutting hours. This is a way for the club to help families in need at this time. 

​GFWC Meadowlarks- collected Christmas gifts to be donated to Collection for Threads of Hope. Foster kids in the Cheyenne area received the gifts through this organization. Foster kids are often given minimal or no gifts at Christmas time. This helps them to know there are people who care and that they are important. 

Civic League of Cheyenne made quilts to be given to Blankets for Laramie County Kids a nonprofit that distributes handmade blankets to kids. Blankets distributed to the county hospital, ER, Pediatrics, same day surgery, Safe House and Safe Harbor. At the end of 2024 this organization was dissolving and gave their inventory to the United Way who gave them to a reading event at South High School, Reading Under the Lights. The remaining blankets would be distributed to students at school in the triad through their school counselor and social workers. A lot of work went into the project with 3 quilters the club also had a Make a Blanket Day where 5 members tied fleece blankets. 

Women's Club of Sweetwater County-
The Club has an ongoing project of collecting fidget items, coloring books, and coloring books/crayons to donate to the Green River Police Department which are in bags for police to carry in their vehicles or be given to kids at forensic interviews as a way of keeping kids calmer. This year the club added small fleece blankets to the bags made by members and a Girl Scout Troop. Young people in traumatic situations will have comfort items to fidget with or hold and then will be able to keep the bag of items. 

​Laramie County Women's Club-
New toys were collected for Toys for Tots which distributes toys to less fortunate children at Christmas. The club collected 82 toys. These toys will help the children have a better Christmas, and help parents be able to provide more for them. 

21st Century Club donated $230 to an elementary school for children's clothing. The needed items included coats, sweatpants, and socks among other items. Children often show up in need of these items at school. To participate in outdoor activities coats and other winter clothing are often needed. Appropriate clothing for the season is also needed at times as children may come in outfits that are not suitable for the season. 

​Women's Club of Sweetwater County-
Blue and Silver pinwheels were placed outside of the HeadStart Building in Rock Springs along with a sign. They were to remind people that all children are entitled to a carefree childhood. 

Women's Club of Sweetwater County-
This is a continuing project for the club. A smile cup is passed around at general meetings to collect money for this project. Members also contribute individually to this effort. Children around the world benefit from this program which does cleft palate surgery on children around the world. It was a way for the club to reach out and improve children's lives around the world. 

​State project for GFWCWyoming was collecting dimes to reach a mile of dimes for March of Dimes. Attendees at the 2024 GFWC Annual Meeting brought dimes (and other coins/bills) to support Wyoming's ongoing efforts to reach a mile of dimes. 

Each time we have met for workshops and annual meeting for the past three presidential terms, we have asked for dimes from the clubs in Wyoming to support our efforts. We don't hold the money, but rather send it off shortly after gathering it. This allows March of Dimes to do its great work to improve the health of mothers and babies. This gives children a fighting chance to live healthy productive lives.
30 Members / 30 Hours donated as well as in 2024 $196.20 was raised and donated.

The project chosen is one done by XJWC of GFWC Wyoming. Members made fleece and cotton quilt blankets for the Blankets for Laramie County Kids project that provides free blankets to children in crisis. XJWC members coordinated with and contributed to BLCK for the emotional wellbeing of children through blanket donations. Blankets for Laramie County Kids, (BLCK), is a non profit organization for the purpose of collecting and distributing handmade blankets to children in crisis to provide comfort during times when a children might need additional support. At the end of the summer 2024 BLCK was dissolving and gave their inventory to the United Way of Laramie County to be distributed to the students from the Southern triad schools at their event, Reading Under the Lights held at South High School in the fall. The remaining blankets would be distributed to students at schools in the triad through their school counselors and social workers.  

The blankets donated by XJWC members were made in three ways: 

1) 51 cotton quilts made on a long arm sewing machine by one member with other members contributing materials. 

2) Another member made 5 cotton quilts while snow birding in Texas and had another member sew them together. 

3) 42 fleece blankets were made by 5 members who attended the Make a Blanket Day held by the group, Blankets for Laramie County Kids, for a couple of hours of cutting and tying fleece blankets. Due to closing of BLCK leftover fleece was made into blankets by 11 members and given to United Way. 

During the period that the Blanket group was in operation, the blankets were distributed to children in crisis at the county hospital-ER Pediatrics and same day surgery and to Safe House and Safe Harbor. 

Blankets were made throughout the year with 12 members participating, contributing 409 hours. One member spent an hour and half at the Reading Under the Lights event passing out blankets. The members donated $625 in materials for this blanket project.