Looking over Our Year

Borrow the beloved’s eyes.
Look through them and you’ll see
the Beloved’s face everywhere.
No tiredness‚ no jaded boredom.
“I shall be your eye and your hand and your loving.”
Let that happen‚ and things you have hated
Will become helpers.
— Rumi

In this last newsletter of the year‚ we look over our program and activities and find again how they so beautifully reflect the talents and interests of our many members.

The most ambitious project of the year was inspired and produced by Heather Davis‚ a talented and wonderful local poet and member of the FRWRC. Heather‚ along with Catherine Wolniewicz worked with the Blue Ridge Arts Council and the Front Royal Downtown businesses to put on the Bathroom Poetry Project that included the Poetry and Open Mic evening at “Changes” celebrating Women’s History Month‚ two poetry walks conducted with 15 downtown merchants‚ and two poetry workshops held at the two local high schools led by the Director of the National Poetry Museum. These events connected businesses‚ local poets and high school students at a level of creative involvement that was exciting and soul-filling. Thank you so much‚ Heather and Catherine for this gift of poetry to our community.

Catherine‚ the program chair this year‚ led a beautiful meditation walk in June at Blandy‚ the State Arboretum‚ with community members that have not participated before in any event. Atusko’s cooking class in September was another sell-out and we all experienced a “hauntingly” terrific evening at the Halloween Soup and Soul at Janet Brome’s amazing school house home.

The highlights of the year are always the March breakfast where our annual Dare to Dream Grants are presented and the September breakfast that featured Tracy Fitzsimmons‚ the dynamic new President of Shenandoah University. This year we were able to present 7 Dare to Dream grants to local women totaling $4‚500 and in cooperation with the local schools‚ Mary Ellen South presented our 4th Annual Girl Grant of $500 to Lillie Jenkins of Warren County Middle School. Lillie’s dreams of becoming a fashion designer are a little closer now that she has a brand new sewing machine. These grant programs continue to be the “star in our crown.” It is through these grants that we reach out to women in our community to help them move forward in their lives. In every community study done worldwide‚ the most important step that must be taken to uplift a community is to improve the lives of women. It is our fervent hope that we are helping to bring this about through the grants and through our network of caring women. Our goal next year is to increase the grant fund so we can reach out to more women. We have included a Dare to Dream application in this newsletter. Do consider applying yourself or copy and give to women you know who could use this “hand up” in their lives.

To everyone who showed up for meetings and events and gave of their voice‚ finances and time‚ we say thank you from our hearts. This community of women is invaluable‚ a true treasure. We hope that you will continue to add your energy to this “web” of women in the coming year.

Wishing all of you a most joyous holiday season and hopefully we will see you at our annual holiday celebration.

Members Misc

Upcoming events Sponsored by the FRWRC

A Holiday Celebration

Join us for our annual potluck dinner. Bring a dish to share and a story and/or photo of someone who has brought light into your life this year. This is always a magical evening so please mark the date and bring a friend. RSVP to our office at wrc@frwrc.org.

When: Friday, December 18, 6:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Where: Molly Steadman’s home near Reliance (flyer and directions in newsletter)

Eat Chinese and Help our Dare to Dream Grant

Date: Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Time: 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Location: Front Royal Panda Express, 236 Crooked Run Plaza

On December 29‚ 20% of your food purchase at Panda Express (near Target) will be donated to the Front Royal Women’s Resource Center. This is a community service that provides an easy source of funds for non-profits so we are hoping that you will all take a much needed break from cooking after the holidays and enjoy having something different to eat. For your purchase to count‚ you must present a flyer. Get the flyer Print out‚ copy them‚ hand them out to your friends and family to help us raise funds for our Dare to Dream Grant. Flyers can also be picked up at our office. For take-out orders, call Panda Express at 551-9975 – make sure to bring the flyer.

Holiday Gift Ideas

This year why not shop with the ladies of the FRWRC? Following are some ideas of terrific presents that also support our member’s businesses.

Give the Gift of Health!

Call one of these gifted practitioners for a gift certificate:

Tammy Battista‚ 622–4425‚ Yoga classes and meditation
Pam Brown‚ 683–1675‚ licensed Esthetician offering European Facials and skin care
Deyanne Davis‚ 6300–2545‚ Reiki with intuitive guidance or light energization
Ginger Joy‚ 635–2113‚ Shiatsu‚ Well—Woman Consultations
Eka Kapiotis‚ 634–7244‚ Cranial‚ Reiki‚ Lymph Drainage‚ Energy Work
Dr. Sally Murray D.O.‚ 635–4100. Cranial—Sacral Therapy
Ellen Seide‚ 636–4551‚ Myofacial Release‚ Cranial‚ Reiki
Carol Toba‚ 636–4591‚ psychic readings
Charlotte Watson‚ 635–7003‚ Herbal Wisdom consultations

For Beautiful Art

Janet and Chuck Brome at their open house — Dec 5‚ 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. (See Bulletin Board for details)
Sun Studio‚ 20 E. 8th. St.
Blue Ridge Arts Council Gallery — Located at 305 East Main Street.
Delia’s — Unique gift boutique on Main Street Front Royal.
The Gift Shop at Warren Memorial Hospital.

To Support our Dare to Dream Recipients

Teresa Begida of Twin Hearts Bakery has delicious gluten—free‚ natural organic fruit and nut cakes along with other delicious healthy baked goods. Call 631–9164 to order for the holidays.
Cheryl Urbanski creates wild and wonderful cement faces and metal sculptures for your garden. She is also a wonderful massage therapist. Contact her at 631–4866.

Shop locally with our downtown merchants and consider contributing to one of our many community service organizations.

Dare To Dream and Girl Grants

We are beginning our Dare to Dream cycle for 2010 grants. Applications are now available. Any woman‚ age 18 years and older and a resident of Warren County may apply. The grant’s goal is to provide women with an opportunity to take a bold step forward in their lives or to support the momentum if they are already on their way. Past applicants have used their grants to attend classes at Lord Fairfax Community College‚ purchase computers‚ buy books‚ attend beauty school‚ create a garden for hospice patients‚ start a business or create a non–profit.

To read about last years winners see the Warren Sentinel article or read about them in the WRC newsletter the Weaver.

Past applicants and recipients may reapply every year. Grants range in amounts from $500 – $1‚000. Consider applying yourself or give it to another woman that might be ready for a new dream in her life. Download the application here at www.frwrc.org. They can also be picked up at the FRWRC office at 316 N. Royal Avenue on Wednesday mornings or they may be mailed to you by either calling our office at 636–7007 or emailing wrc@frwrc.org.

Mail all applications to:

316 North Royal Avenue
P.O. Box 1748
Front Royal, VA 22630

Deadline – all applications must be postmarked by February 1‚ 2010.

If you have a dream‚ this may be your chance to see it come true.

FRWRC Events

For more information of the above listed events see our Calendar of Events page. Click here for the information on upcoming community events.

For more about the FRWRC and Membership

Get the PDF icon FRWRC Brochure!