Appalachian Women’s Fund Celebrates Achievements at Holiday Luncheon, Anticipates Helping More Women in Future

Story by Corinne Saunders

Jennifer Herman, director of OASIS; Marnie Werth of WAMY; ASU sophomores Hannah Copeland and Lucy Binning; and Lindsey Smith and Sierra Frerer of LIFT (Leadership Initiative for Female Teens) at Watauga High School smile amid the pile of gifts that will brighten Christmas Day for many local women. Photo by Corinne Saunders

The 3rd annual Appalachian Women’s Fund Holiday Luncheon for Members and Friends was held at Crave in Boone on Tuesday, December 8, to celebrate the accomplishments of the organization and to collect gifts, valued at $25 to $50, that will be distributed to women at OASIS (Opposing Abuse with Service, Information and Shelter), WAMY (Watauga Avery Mitchell Yancey) Community Action and Hospitality House.

“On behalf of all the women, older and younger, their children and young girls, we thank you for coming,” said Patti Turner, AWF president.

This year, the Appalachian Women’s Fund (AWF) distributed a total of $55,500 to programs to help women and girls in the Appalachian Mountain area. Programs ranged from combating homelessness, domestic violence, substance abuse, hunger and poverty to providing gap tuition at ASU and meeting healthcare needs through the Community Care Clinic.

“We have funds that went out to seven different counties,” Turner said, adding that while the monetary gifts are important, the AWF encompasses more than just financial support.

The gifts attendees brought to the luncheon will be opened on Christmas morning “by tired moms, grandmothers and girls who put all their time and energy, probably, into making Christmas happen for their families,” Turner said, thanking everyone for warming the hearts of local women.

Additionally, Turner highlighted the ongoing “Basic Buckets for New Beginnings” project of the AWF Community Projects Committee, which began about a year ago and involves recycling Kilwin’s ice cream buckets by filling them with household cleaning supplies and personal hygiene products.

“Our goal is to try to provide 10 buckets a month to OASIS and 10 buckets a month to Hospitality House,” said Susan Geldmeier, a member of the committee.

Two buckets—one of cleaning supplies and one of hygiene products—go to each client about to move out of the shelters and into their own residence, so by meeting the goal of 10 buckets per agency, five clients from each organization would be served, Geldmeier explained.

“We are getting close to that goal,” she said, adding that people can contribute money or products to the bucket project.

“You really can change a community,” Geldmeier said. “One person, one agency at a time. That’s the goal.”

During the luncheon, ASU students Hannah Copeland and Lucy Binning announced that they will begin an Appalachian Women’s Fund Club at ASU in January, or February at the latest.

Members of the club will raise money for the AWF and volunteer with local nonprofits supported by the organization.

Both ASU sophomores grew up in Boone, and Copeland’s mother is “really involved” with the AWF, Copeland said.

“We were talking about it and thought probably a lot of girls would like to volunteer to work with women and children,” she said.

Representatives from OASIS spoke at Copeland’s and Binning’s schools when they were growing up, and that also made a lasting impression on them, they said.

Binning looks forward to “getting people involved on campus and in the community” and “helping out kids who are less fortunate and the moms that support their own families.”

The university club will be open to students ages 16 to 22, and members will be encouraged to join the AWF after they graduate, Binning said.
“It’s kind of a lifelong thing,” she said.

Copeland encouraged students to get involved in the club even if they already participate in a sorority, fraternity or another club.

For more information about the club, students can email Copeland at copelandhl@appstate.edu.

To donate items or money toward the bucket project, call Geldmeier at 828-262-9935. For more information about the AWF, click to www.appalachianwomensfund.org or call 828-264-4002.