GFWC of Missouri Epsilon Sigma Omicron (ESO)
New! GFWC of Missouri August ESO Newsletter Available. Click Here.
GFWC OF MISSOURI ESO PROJECT FIRST PLACE IN CATEGORY THREE AT GFWC
CHICAGO CONVENTION!!
GFWC of Missouri President 2006-2008, LaDonne Snavely, and GFWC of Missouri ESO Chairman, Lynn Noyes, receiving 1st Place Award, Category 3, from GFWC 2006-2008 President, Jackie Pierce and GFWC 2006-2008 Director of Junior Clubs, Jeri Lyn Cancel.
ESO News
SUCCESS!!! What a great group of readers we are growing at Missouri
Girls Town!!!! I wanted to report immediately to the ESO members about
the incredible time we all shared with Missouri Girls Town. The
excitement and fun were apparent with ALL the MGT girls attending the
Third RAP Banquet at Missouri Girls Town today. President Pat Zachary,
President-Elect Carolyn Lovelace, Treasurer Shirley Guevel, Nancy
Addleman, Hallie Yunt-Silver-RAP Chairman and Joe Zachary celebrated
with MGT Director, Kathy Becker and me, as Kathy orchestrated all these
lively young ladies into the Wirts Dining Center on a very hot muggy
day. Our gratitude to the staff of MGT for allowing us to share this
time with the girls.
Following introductions, we honored 11 girls this summer who have read a
total of 70 books! Amazing!!! Eight girls received various certificates
(Membership, STAR, TORCH and Century) for their reading and were
rewarded with prizes from the Mystery Grab Box. The prizes were spread
over a table so the girls could make their selections. Three girls
received Certificates of Merit which showed they had read at least one
book - and they immediately saw the benefit of reading more books the
next time so they could take their turn selecting a prize. Just because
a girl attended the banquet didn't mean she was entitled to a prize -
that had to be earned by participation in the RAP program. Today, the
girls who had been unable to participate in RAP for various reasons were
able to see how the GFWC/ESO members provide such a fun program to share
our joy of reading with these young women. The summer classes are now
over and with the interest shown today, we anticipate the NEXT RAP
banquet will be filled to overflowing!
The staff at MGT, the teachers, the house parents, and all the girls
were invited to this fun-filled feast of pizza, breadsticks and salad -
and we were all very hungry!!! (My own personal thanks for the catfish I
mooched from the head chef before the girls got there --- all I can say
is WOW and yummy!!!) We even had a special drawing for two stadium
cushions donated by Kathy Becker and Missouri Girls Town. The girls who
were not yet members of RAP were invited to place their names into a
basket, and President Pat drew two names. BOTH were so excited to have
received something special - and both promised to be on the list of RAP
readers by the next banquet! AWESOME!!!
The members of ESO should be so very proud of themselves for supporting
this worthy program and we must all strive to see to the program's
ongoing success. I have an incredible group photo, but due to privacy
laws, it cannot be reproduced in this email. If you would like a copy,
please contact me - just remember, it CANNOT be published anywhere. The
girls were truly amazing! I'm so proud of them --- and YOU!!! Look what
a few little words around a kitchen table have produced! The work and
dedication of the ESO/RAP committee is apparent - pat yourselves on the
back! Our love of reading and our love of books are being encouraged for
these young women --- it's a feeling of success that simply can't be
beat!!!
CONGRATULATIONS on another successful banquet- we're already looking
forward to the Fourth Banquet this fall!!! And we promise to let you ALL
know as soon as a date has been determined! You are always invited to
MGT - and I hope you will have an opportunity one of these days to
experience a RAP Celebration Banquet! The experience is beyond
AWESOME!!!
Happy reading from your GFWC/ESO Pal - Lynn
The Second RAP Awards Banquet was held on April 14, 2008 at Missouri Girls Town and was just perfect! The girls were outstanding - all together they read 152 books!!! What an awesome number of books! 15 (three from the last RAP Banquet) girls this time, and they really put out the reading material - and they LOVED all the award and prizes they received! President LaDonne passed out spring bookmarks to each girl present. Pat Zachary and Carolyn Lovelace from the Executive Board, Nancy Addleman and Kay Porter from Springfield, Karla Kincaid from Braymer, plus Betty Ball, Patty Spaeth and Lynn Noyes (members of the GFWC Lathrop Study Club), and four guests - all actively involved in this fledgling program - making it work with their support. (Thank you once more to Jim Snavely for bringing our President and to Joe Zachary for supplying the transportation for our President-Elect.) What a fun time we had - pizza and high spirits! The girls received everything from Certificates of Merit to "Century" Awards - TORCH and STAR Awards, plus Certificates of Membership... With each new level of reading, the girl being recognized received another prize from the Mystery Gift Box --- so the ones with just a few books saw the benefit and reward of reading and reporting!
Thank you to all the individuals and clubs who made this lovely day possible with your generous donations. MGT appreciates your support for RAP... Together - we can help the girls move mountains - one book at a time!
Lynn Noyes - Chairman, Lifelong Learning/ESO
About ESO
Epsilon Sigma Omicron exists specifically for the benefit of individual clubwomen. GFWC programs are traditionally community improvement based. Although ESO is beneficial to the community, its main focus is directed toward club members who are able to experience intellectual discussion on a variety of books, create new friendships and gain knowledge.
ESO is an Honorary Reading Sorority. It is a special project of the GFWC Education Department. Through ESO, clubwomen are given direction in planned reading in an effort to foster self-enrichment and continued personal growth. When a club member has met specified reading requirements, she is certified to become a member of Epsilon Sigma Omicron and wear the ESO pin.
GFWC Missouri ETA Chapter of ESO was established in 1946 and has continued to grow and evolve through the years. Currently we have 150 ESO members in Missouri – a number that has almost doubled over the last few years. In addition to serving GFWC members, the Missouri ESO Chapter has taken our joy of reading and continued education one step further.
We have developed a program based on ESO for the girls at Missouri Girls Town. RAP (Reading Awards Program) was established in 2007 to promote reading for residents at Missouri Girls Town, the main focus of Missouri GFWC Clubwomen. The girls are encouraged to read and review books. When requirements are fulfilled, the girls are rewarded with a special recognition dinner, certificates of achievement , membership in RAP, and small rewards they personally select from an assortment of small gifts donated by Missouri clubwomen. This project has been successful far beyond our expectations. We recently celebrated the first awards banquet honoring 27 young girls for their achievements!
GFWC of Missouri ESO continues to grow and challenge our members.
Come be a part of Missouri ESO and you will join a membership of women dedicated to GFWC and lifelong learning.
Contact GFWC Lifelong Learning Chairman, Lynn Noyes, for more detailed information. email: lnoyes@gfwcmo.org