GWC Highlights 2023

January 23, 2023   GWC Social, “New Year, New Friends”, held at Synergy Counseling of Greenwood, hosted by the Social Committee

February 7, 2023   New Members Soup Supper for new 2023 Members held at the home of Martha Ann Davis to welcome our 13 (now 18!) new members; hosted by the Membership Committee

February 14, 2023 and August 1, 2023   Half-Year Highlight: GWC Biannual Newsletter; edited by the Communications Committee

February 21, 2023   GWC Quarterly Meeting, “Serving the Community Through Safety in Schools”, held at Genesis Education Center and featuring a reception and presentations by Natalie Talbert, Greenwood School District 50 Safety Manager, and Lt. Will Stroup, School Resource Officer; hosted by the Programs & Education and Social Committees

March 13, 2023   GWC Annual Meeting, “GWC: The Place to Be!”, held at Greenwood Community Theatre and Uptown courtyard and featuring a reception, fun and games, door prizes, member testimonials, and the unveiling of Greenwood Women Care: Five Years and Growing, our wonderful and unique history conceived of, composed, and compiled by Laura Stowe, Advisory Board Co-Secretary; hosted by the Advisory Board and Social Committee

April 19, 2023   GWC Women’s 2023 Health Grant of $6,700 awarded to Helping Hands Women’s Organization to assist women receiving treatment for cancer with clothing, wigs, and other needed supplies

May 16, 2023   GWC Quarterly Meeting, “Serving the Community Through the Arts”, held at Greenwood Soup Kitchen and featuring a reception and presentations by Norm Fawcett, Board Chair of Greenwood Soup Kitchen, and Barbara Warner, Greenwood Area Studio Potters; hosted by the Programs & Education and Social Committees

July 13 and 18, 2023   GWC Grants Information Sessions for prospective applicants, held by the Grants Review & Awards Committee

July 25, 2023   Grant Writing 101 workshop for 18 participants from local nonprofits, held at West Side Baptist Church; hosted, prepared and presented by the Grants Review & Awards Committee

August 1 – 31, 2023   GWC 2023 Grant Applications received

August 14, 2023   GWC Quarterly Meeting, “Giving is in Our Genes” held at Greenwood Genetic Center, featuring a reception and our 2022 GWC Grant recipients, and including the premiere of a video produced by Rachel Strayer, Advisory Board Vice Chair, and Caleb Kidd Coy, volunteer, highlighting our grantees and their funded programs and projects; hosted by the Grants Review & Awards and Social Committees

August 29, 2023   New Members Welcome Dinner for our most recent new 2023 Members held at the home of Betty Adams, hosted by the Membership Committee

September 12, 2023   GWC Social, “Two Are Better Than One”, held at Emerald Trading Co.; hosted by the Social Committee

October 1 – 31, 2023   GWC’s Scarecrow, Ms. Carey Givings and the Caring Arms of GWC, on display in Uptown Greenwood; created by the Communications Committee

October 16, 2023   “Kick Off the Vote!” informational social for Members held at Harley Family Center; hosted by the Grants Review & Awards and Social Committees

October 16 – 18, 2023   Member voting on 2023 grant requests by anonymous, ranked, online voting

October 26, 2023   GWC 2023 Grants Announced! $75,000 awarded to 10 local nonprofit organizations

November 14, 2023   GWC Quarterly Meeting, “Serving the Community Through Second Chances”, held at the Arts Center of Greenwood and featuring a reception and presentations by: Jerry Blassingame, Founder and CEO of Soteria Community Development Corporation, and Denise Mock, Community Service Coordinator, Alston Wilkes Society; hosted by the Programs & Education and Social Committees

Also in 2023   GWC presentations in the homes of Betty Adams and Karen Smith and at Ivy Garden Club and Emerald City Rotary Club meetings

December 31, 2023   GWC 2024 renewal due date

Greenwood Women Care (GWC) members and 12 most welcome guests met on Tuesday evening, November 14, at the Arts Center. Our theme was “Serving the Community Through Second Chances” which resonated with all of us as we all have been the happy recipients of grace and forgiveness to experience second chances.

Mini sandwiches, vegetarian wraps, spicy chicken nuggets, and a wide array of delectable desserts along with a lively punch and wine awaited us. Our talented and dedicated volunteer GWC photographer, Catherine DiBenedetto, who we learned is also a gifted whistler, called us from our happy socializing and herded us to pose for a group photo.

At 6:00 sharp, we congregated together for our program. Rachel Strayer, Vice Chair of GWC’s Advisory Board, recognized our guest attendees and delivered a gracious welcome to all, along with a thought-provoking introduction to our program. Rachel noted: “This is a big topic that stirs different thoughts and feelings around the room. There is no pretending – we are human which makes us far from perfect. Sometimes people make bad choices that result in profound consequences. Other times being in the wrong place at the wrong time can result in equally dire consequences. Neither of these scenarios should cause a person to become an outcast or have judgement passed against them for the rest of their lives.” She continued, “Bad choices or mistakes are a part of life. We have all been there in some manner of speaking. Thankfully, we have been shown grace and have been allowed, even encouraged, to succeed despite them. That same mercy should be offered to those engaging in reentry to society following incarceration”. Rachel concluded her remarks by thanking us “as always, for your interest in looking at topics we may not often encounter with an open mind.”

Sylvia Martin, Executive Director of the Arts Council and GWC member, generously welcomed us to the Arts Center. She expressed thanks for the GWC grant award last year that allowed outreach enrichment opportunities focusing on the Gullah Geechee culture that culminated in a beautiful exhibit of art by Jonathan Green and dance by the Columbia City Ballet, “Off the Wall and Onto The Stage.”

Debra Coleman, Programs and Education Committee member, introduced Denise Mock, Community Service Coordinator of Greenwood and Abbeville Counties for the Alston Wilkes Society (AWS). A multistate nonprofit organization, AWS provides supportive services to individuals with justice system involvement, veterans and their families, and at-risk youth and adults in our community. Denise also coordinates resources with other agencies for those who are transitioning back into their communities as productive and successful citizens. Denise described AWS services and then introduced Candace Adams. Candace is a successful realtor in Greenwood who gave us insight into the struggles and challenges faced by the formerly incarcerated as they reenter society.

Sabrina Miller, of the Programs and Education Committee, introduced our next speaker, Jerry Blassingame, Founder and CEO of Soteria Community Development Corporation. Soteria CDC is committed to empowering and assisting individuals to reach their full potential as citizens in the Greenville community. From financial-planning and goal setting to positive decision-making, job training, and affordable rental housing, their programs assist previously incarcerated individuals. For those who complete the 12 months training, the recidivism rate is 0! Jerry conceived of Soteria while he was an inmate charged with drug offenses. Six months after his release, Soteria CDC was incorporated. Residents attend classes, learn a trade, participate in weekly church services and meetings with mentors, and share in daily devotions. Soteria now occupies eight buildings in the neighborhood of his former home and of his mother’s murder when he was a young child. In the Q & A portion, Jerry explained that Soteria is the Greek word for “salvation”. (Please see this link for Jerry’s stirring presentation at TEDx Greenville in 2018.)

Helena Wardlaw, Programs and Education Committee member, presented two books to be given in honor of our speakers to the Children’s Collection of Greenwood County Library. Trying by Kobi Yamada was given in honor of Jerry Blassingame and Maybe, also by Kobi Yamada, in honor of Denise Mock.

Mary Woodiwiss, Chair of the GWC Advisory Board, ended our evening with gratitude to our Social, Programs and Education, and Communications Committees for their preparations for this reception and program and to the Grants Review and Awards Committee for “leading us though our fifth granting cycle with aplomb, resulting in 10 GWC Grant awards totaling $75,000! This year’s awards bring our cumulative total awards in 5 years of grantmaking to 51 grants totaling $331,800!”

Mary also extended heartfelt appreciation to our speakers, noting that the book given in Jerry Blassingame’s honor is “a story of persistence and perseverance to achieve works of beauty and meaning. For decades, you have persevered – in shaping your own life story and the stories of those you have served faithfully and well” and that the book recognizing Denise Mock’s presentation is “a story of hope and possibility. You have encouraged hope and opened possibilities for many who may have lost sight of these intangible necessities”. She added: “You both move toward the hard things in life, and lives are reclaimed and renewed because you do. You encourage hope in us as well by sharing with us your heartfelt work for the betterment of our community as a whole and for so many individuals and families within it. Thank you again for taking time to share your commitments and visions with us. We hope for every blessing for you and your organizations as you persevere.”

Our delightful GWC scarecrow, Ms. Carey Givings, has returned to Uptown Greenwood! She is on display on Main Street in this year’s Annual Scarecrow Contest.

Ms. Carey Givings may be seen at the lamppost in front of The Grose Law Firm (305 Main St.).

Please pay Carey a visit and then honor her – and GWC – by voting for her as your favorite Uptown scarecrow! Click this link to cast your vote for Carey! Votes may be placed from Tuesday, October 3 at 10:00 am through midnight on Tuesday, October 31. (Winners will be announced on the Uptown website, Facebook, and Instagram on November 2.)

The GWC scarecrow is a GWC Communication Committee project initiated last year by Rachel Strayer. This year, Ms. Carey Givings features “caring arms” that hold scarecrow children representing a number of our GWC Grant recipients that provide essential services in our community.

Communications Committee members Catherine DiBenedetto, Sandy McCord, Laura Stowe, and Rachel Strayer spent a lovely autumn evening creating this scarecrow on Catherine’s farm.

We hope that Ms. Carey Givings will serve as our Uptown ambassador throughout the month of October, encouraging more women to join us in GWC as we care for Greenwood, and give for the benefit of our whole community!