GFWC LUTZ-LAND O’LAKES WOMAN’S CLUB celebrated a successful 43^rd Annual Arts & Crafts Show during a gorgeous weather weekend recently.  Our Florida Santa (member husband Les Saland) was very popular with both children and the shoppers.  Many vendors presented a great variety of beautiful and crafty items making for fun Christmas shopping.  Crowds were estimated at well over 30,000 visitors over the weekend.

The clubwomen work very hard to present this well-run show which is its largest annual fundraiser helping to support its community projects and many needy local organizations.

 

GFWC LUTZ-LAND O’LAKES WOMAN’S CLUB members have had a very busy week delivering Christmas bags filled with gifts for several families at the club’s three supported local schools:  Lutz Elementary, Denham Oaks and Miles Elementary.  Two teams of clubwomen also delivered Christmas gifts to the other two schools to provide extra cheer to selected families who are in need at this time of year.  The club has many, many other holiday projects and deliveries to make at local senior centers, meals on wheels clients and assisted living facilities, to name a few.

GFWC LUTZ-LAND O’LAKES WOMAN’S CLUB members twice visited and enjoyed very informational tours of Quantum Leap, a therapeutic riding facility in Odessa, which provides equine-assisted adaptive therapy for children and adults with physical and mental disabilities, wounded veterans, children with cancer and military service members.  The farm is currently home to 12 horses, 2 donkeys and 3 goats, all of whom are trained therapy animals.  The club members presented a generous donation to this facility and look forward to further support in the future.

GFWC LUTZ-LAND O’LAKES WOMAN’S CLUB members spent hours decorating their “club” tree at the Historic Old Lutz School, where many other local organizations and families provided individual trees.  The club women crafted very clever ornaments coordinating them with their President’s theme of “Hearts & Hands” Serving Our Community.  There are also themed classrooms featuring a huge Nutcracker collection, an elaborate train display and all sorts of Christmas decorations and outdoor lighting.  The entire community is delighted that this wonderful annual holiday event has returned to the Old School for the first time since Covid had prevented it.  Generations of families always look forward to the Old School decked out as a Christmas Wonderland.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GFWC LUTZ-LAND O’LAKES WOMAN’S CLUB member volunteers showed up in force at the Tampa offices of Meals on Wheels to wrap the large Christmas gift donation boxes which will be spread throughout the community. Hopefully these boxes will be filled to the brim with Christmas gifts for the shut-in clients of Meals on Wheels.  The elderly and infirm will enjoy their Christmas surprises since often this is the only social contact they may have during the holidays.

GFWC LUTZ-LAND O’LAKES WOMAN’S CLUB members very much appreciated the opportunity to participate in an important CPR class presented by Advent Health.  Two Community Outreach staffers with Advent Health presented an informative video while citing the statistics of saving lives via this “Hands-Only” CPR method, followed by a hands-on demonstration.   Advent Health generously provided practice mannequins to each member, as well as an instructional video, to teach and share with friends and families.  This was a very important class to prepare for should an emergency situation arise within one’s own home or in public and could be lifesaving.