TVFC was once again happy to send some of our members to serve as judges for the annual 4-H Fashion Show, Beef and Sugar Cookery and the Egg, Poultry, and
LA Commodities Cookery held on February 25, 2025 at the Florida Parishes Arena. There were also members of the Tangipahoa Master Gardeners Club and staff from
the Northshore Technical College there offering their expertise as judges.
The attending TVFC members were Jean Hebert, Donna Bouterie, Gwen Domiano, Gloria Messenger, and Susan Melancon. Accompanying the members to the event
to help with the judging were Rachel Johnson (Daughter of Donna Bouterie), Tracy Hebron, and Janet Weeks. Ms. Messenger was one of the judges for the egg
category, Ms. Bouterie judged the pecan dishes category, Ms. Johnson judged the dessert category, and Ms. Weeks judged one of the beef dish categories.
Ms. Hebert and Ms. Melancon served as judges for the Sewing and Fashion competition. On behalf of TVFC, Ms. Hebert presented a pair of quality cutting
scissors to the Homemade Sewn item winner, Miss AnnaBella M., who attends Oak Forest Academy. AnnaBella’s entry was a prairie women outfit. Knowing
how to sew is a homemaker skill that will carry through a lifetime, and TVFC was proud to award this young lady with the scissors to aid in her future projects.
Earlier this month, several members of WVFC gathered at the home of club secretary, Gloria Messenger, to stuff Christmas gift bags with personal care items purchased in
advance with club funds by Ms. Messenger. On November 25th, Ms. Messenger, along with members Millie Meyers, Jean Johnson, Carla VanVrancken, and Sharon Miano, took
the bags to Belle Maison Nursing Home in Hammond and distributed them to the 34 residents in attendance at the club sponsored Bingo activity.
Millie Meyers is WVFC’s chairperson for the monthly activity. After the activity, the ladies served refreshments to the residents.
Several members of WVFC, along with a few guests, gathered at the “Painting with a Twist” Gallery in Hammond on November 18th for a fun night of painting and socializing. The event was a fundraiser activity for the club and was planned by the Fundraiser Committee whose members are Gloria Messenger, Gwen Domiano, Susan Melancon, Jean Hebert, and Jamie McDonald. The owner of “Painting with a Twist,” artist Marilyn Kennedy, directed the attendees in the painting of a nativity scene, while art instructor, Billie Vicknair, circulated around the room assisting the attendees with their projects.
L to R: Standing/Sitting - Jean Hebert, Susan Melancon, Pam Villagran, Maureen Felder, Sue Nelson, Guest Lucie Hanewinkel, Gloria Messenger, Jamie McDonald, Karen Moran, Guest Jeannie Luckett
Kneeling - Gwen Domiano,Julie Desselles, Lynn Garro
Not Pictured - Jean Johnson
On November 6, 2024, nineteen members of WVFC and a guest gathered at the home of club secretary, Gloria Messenger, for their final monthly meeting for 2024. After the normal monthly business was completed, nominating committee co-chairs, Gwen Domiano and Susan Melancon, installed the new WVFC officers for 2025 in a short ceremony. The new officers and chairs will be serving a two-year term from 2025 to 2027.
Donna Bouterie and Pam Villagran will both be staying on in their positions of President and Vice President respectively for the new term. Gloria Messenger and Betty Bankston will also be staying on in their positions of Secretary and Treasurer respectively for another term. Jean Hebert will be taking over the position of Parliamentarian from Sue Nelson, and Jamie McDonald will be taking over the position of Reporter from Pam Villagran.
New Educational Chairs were also recognized. They are Gwen Domiano for Environment, Susan Melancon for International, Jean Johnson for Literacy, and Julie Desselles for Family Life. Sue Nelson will remain in charge of membership and scrapbook while Karen Moran will be taking over the responsivities from Cathy Vilardo for Hospitality. After the meeting, Ms. Messenger along with her co-hosts, Gwen Domiano and Jamie McDonald served a delicious luncheon meal.
1st: Jamie McDonald, Donna Bouterie, Jean Hebert, Gloria Messenger, Pam Villagran, Betty Bankston
2nd: Sue Nelson, Karen Moran, Jean Johnson, Julie Desselles, Gwen Domiano, Susan Melancon
Each year during the fall, members of WVFC make visits to two elementary schools in Tangipahoa Parish to present dictionaries to the third-grade students and their teachers. WVFC purchases the dictionaries each year through a nonprofit national organization called the Dictionary Project. The WVFC conducts various raffles and fundraisers earlier in the year in order to raise funds for the purchase of the dictionaries as well as to support their other volunteer projects. Occasionally, they will receive a donation from a generous donor to put towards the purchase of the dictionaries.
Ms. Bouterie and committee member, Ethel Gilless, met at Ms. Villagran’s home on September 27th to put labels in all of the dictionaries. The labels read “This dictionary was donated by Wednesday Volunteers for Family and Community to assist you in becoming an active reader, a skillful writer, and a creative thinker.” On October 9th, Ms. Bouterie and Ethel Gilless, delivered dictionaries to the third graders and their teachers at Midway Elementary School, and Ms. Villagran along with help from members Jamie McDonald, Sharon Miano, Julie Desselles, and friend Gail Calderone delivered dictionaries to the third graders and their teachers at Eastside Magnet Elementary. Before passing out the dictionaries to the eager students, the ladies gave a short presentation on how to access information in the dictionaries. A total of 230 dictionaries were given out by WVFC in all.
On October 2, 2024, WVFC held their monthly meeting at the BBQ Station Restaurant in Independence, LA. Hostesses for the meeting were Maureen Felder, Sue Nelson, and Susan Melancon.
Following the business part of the meeting, members put individually written cards and personal hygiene items into gift bags. Afterwards, WVFC secretary, Gloria Messenger, and members, Julie Desselles and Sharon Miano, delivered the gift bags to Southeast Advocates for Family Empowerment (SAFE) in Hammond.
The mission of SAFE is to promote social change by providing services that empower battered and abused individuals and their dependent children to achieve safe, violent-free lives.
On behalf of the WVFC, club President Donna Bouterie and Secretary Gloria Messenger recently visited St. Margaret Queen of Scotland Catholic Church in Albany to make a
donation of several baby items, nursery furnishings and maternity clothes for their Walking with Moms In Need program. The goal of the program is to offer a support system
for pregnant and parenting mothers. The organization tries to ensure that any woman, who finds herself unexpectedly pregnant, or parenting in difficult circumstances,
can turn to them and be connected to the resources she needs. Their volunteers walk with moms throughout the journey of motherhood, offering them authentic Christian
mentorship and ongoing support while connecting them with resources within their communities.
The Director of Working with Moms In Need, Janeen Broussard, wholeheartedly
contributes their success to the support of their St. Margaret Queen of Scotland church community and its generous and kind volunteers who help them answer the needs
of the ministry. If you know any woman who is in need of support with an unexpected pregnancy or who is a parent currently having difficult circumstances, please tell them to
call St. Margaret of Scotland Church at 225-567-3573 ext. 104 and leave a name and number. Someone will get back to them as soon as possible.
On March 6th, WVFC held their monthly meeting at the home of club president, Donna Bouterie. Following the business part of the meeting, members put individually written cards and personal hygiene items into gift bags that members would later deliver to Southeast Advocates for Family Empowerment (SAFE) in Hammond. The mission of SAFE is to promote social change by providing services that empower battered and abused individuals and their dependent children to achieve safe, violent-free lives.
After filling the bags, the members were treated to a delicious meal of soup, salad, and dessert prepared by Ms. Bouterie and her co-host, Jean Hebert. When everyone was finished eating, Ms. Bouterie invited all those who would like to stay longer to join her in a decoupage activity.
L to R:
Beverly Webre, Donna Bouterie, Ethel Gilless, Maureen Felder, Gwen Domiano, Julie Desselles, Karen Moran, Carla VanVrancken, Cathy Vilardo, Betty Bankston, Susan Melancon, Jean Hebert, Sue Nelson, Pam Villagran, Millie Meyers, Gloria Messenger.
Not Pictured: Karen Acuna, Kathleen Hayman, Jean Johnson, Ann Marie Kenny, Cecilia Miller, Lauren Moore
On February 7, 2024, WVFC held their monthly meeting at the home of member Gwen Domiano. One issue discussed including ticket sales for the club’s fundraiser event for this year. Monies raised from the fundraiser will help defray the cost of many of the club’s charitable projects such as buying dictionaries for third graders at two elementary schools in the parish, their monthly bingo activities at Belle Maison Nursing Home, sewing burp pads for the new mothers at North Oaks Hospital, their participation in Samaritan Purse’s Operation Christmas Child Shoe Box program, and their work supporting women’s shelters in the area.
The fundraiser chairman, Ms Domiano, was able to secure a generous donation from the Steamboat Natchez Company for a Creole Lunch Jazz Cruise for two on the Mississippi River aboard the New Orleans Steamboat Natchez. The price for one ticket is $5.00, and the drawing will be held on May 1, 2024. If you would like to purchase a raffle ticket, you can contact Ms. Domiano at GwenDomiano55@icloud.com.
L to R:
Gloria Messenger, Susan Melancon, Jean Hebert, Betty Bankston, Gwen Domiano, Millie Meyers, Cathy Vilardo, Julie Desselles, Donna Bouterie, Karen Moran, and Maureen Felder
Present but not pictured: Ethel Giless and Pam Villagran
Photographer: Pam Villagran
On December 6, 2023, WVFC held their annual Christmas luncheon at Murphy’s Seafood Restaurant in Hammond, LA. Eleven club members attended the event along with two guests. One of the guests was Deputy Susie Cambre with the Tangipahoa Sheriff’s Office. WVFC President, Donna Bouterie, presented Deputy Suzie with a check from WVFC to help fund Sheriff Edwards’ Christmas Crusade for Children. WVFC has donated to this worthy cause every Christmas for several years
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