GFWC Book Lovers Study Club receives awards
The GFWC Alabama Federation of Women’s Clubs held its 130th annual state convention at the Montgomery Marriott Prattville Hotel and Conference Center at Capitol Hill.
Becky Vansant, president of GFWC Alabama, presided over the 130th convention. Gayle McAlister, Cheri McCain, Patricia Cox and Susie Malone represented the GFWC Book Lovers Study Club.
On behalf of Book Lovers Study Club, McAlister, club president, kept busy receiving numerous awards throughout the convention. Book Lovers received two prestigious awards — the Madelyn Rowell Communications Award and the Julia Bullock Civic Engagement Outreach Award.
Engraved plaques for each of these awards will be displayed in the federation headquarters in Birmingham.
Each year, all the clubs in the Alabama Federation of Women’s Clubs are encouraged to send their yearbook to the University of Alabama’s Communication Department for judging.
The yearbooks are judged on their cover, layout, programs and how they correlate to the federation’s theme for the year.
The university selects four outstanding yearbooks across the state and awards four $900 scholarships to the University of Alabama.
Book Lovers Study Club has received this award several times over the years. This year, the club was one of four state winners for their yearbooks. Other awards Book Lovers received included GFWC Signature Project-Domestic and Sexual Violence Awareness and Prevention; Communication and Public Relations; Membership Club Participation; Women’s History and Resource Center; 2728 Society; General Scholarship; President’s Award of Excellence; President’s Special Project-Mental Health Matters; and Membership Growth.
The Prattville/Autauga Humane Society was selected for the convention’s environment community service project. Patricia Cox, chairman, coordinated the project.
GFWC club women donated 90 pounds of dry dog food; 10 pounds of canned dog food, 22 chew toys, 47 pounds of dry cat food, 72 cans cat food, 11 collars, 20 blankets, two pet beds, eight pet sweaters and $100 in monetary donations.
GFWC Shades Mountains Women’s Club collected the most pop tabs. A member of their club, Roberta Atkinson, was crowned the 2025 Pop Tap Queen.
This is an annual event for Alabama clubs to collect pop tabs throughout the year. GFWC Alabama has contributed 19,300 pounds of aluminum pop tabs over 20 years for Ronald McDonald House Charities. That’s more than 25 million tabs with a value of nearly $10,000 donated to support keeping families close to the children being treated at the Children’s Hospital of Alabama and USA Children’s and Women’s Hospital.
GFWC Alabama Secretary Pam Johnson presented the reading of correspondence from Gov. Kay Ivey, U.S. Congressman Dale W. Strong, Prattville Mayor Bill Gillespie, a State of Alabama House of Representatives Resolution, and Suellen Brazil, GFWC International president.
The convention featured outstanding speakers, including Judge Claude E. Hundley, Alabama District Court and Circuit Bench; Kimberly G. Boswell, Alabama Department of Mental Health; Nan Teninbaum, executive director of the Miss Alabama Pageant; Ingrid Galinat, Jacksonville State University International House director; Ansilit Nattekkadan, scholarship recipient; and Jolie Frankfurth, GFWC first vice president.
