Members in Action
2025 Twiddle Muffs
We started a new project for our Education CSP in 2025 and are very proud of it. The project consists of designing twiddle muffs and donating them to a local micro school. What is a twiddle muff and what do they look like? Twiddle muffs are knitted or crocheted hand muffs that are designed to provide sensory and tactile stimulation for people with dementia, anxiety or other cognitive or developmental disabilities. The muffs provide a range of sensory experiences, for visual, tactile and auditory stimulation.
Twiddle muffs have been found to also be beneficial to children with anxiety, ADHD, autism or other sensory processing disorders. Because of this, our club was approached by a licensed Special Education teacher who runs a micro school in our town. She was interested in attaining some twiddle muffs for her students. Our co-chair for Education and Libraries took on the responsibility of educating our club members on the design and benefits of the twiddle muff. As a result, club members brought in buttons, beads, ribbons, etc. to our monthly club meetings. 20 muffs were knitted and then decorated with the donated items. One club member did all the knitting but many brought in supplies and added the decorations. The twiddle muffs were then delivered to the students at the school.
Pictured above, left to right: Susan Patchell, Brenda Bergevin, Missy Brown, Therry Boland, JoanLee Mikulas and Beth Kirby​​
Keeping Our Roads Clean
The Woman's Club of Smithfield's Environment Community Service Program is hard at work to remind drivers on our roads that littering is illegal in the Town of Smithfield. Members of our Club successfully implemented the placement of a "Littering is Illegal" sign on Hwy 10 (Benn's Church Blvd.) Special thanks to JoanLee Mikulas for making the installation of this sign happen...and a big shout-out to our ladies who are diligently working to have more signs placed in other areas within Smithfield.
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Foster Child Birthday Bags
Our WCOS Civic Engagement CSP saw a need and jumped right in to help. Through IOW Social Services, our ladies collected and coordinated the delivery of birthday bags and gifts designed to ensure that some of our local Foster Care children have a Happy Birthday! Bags contained cake mixes, frostings, party hats and favors and birthday gifts - in short, everything needed for a birthday party. Such fun for both our Club and the children who receive these bags of goodies!
Pictured at left: Laura Dee Read and Suzy Brett​
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Pictured at left, standing: Mary Stowe, Shirley Land and Peggy Christian.
Seated: Carol Alston, Sandy Spain and Janice Dolensky
Pictured at right: Donna Waldmiller, Claire Phillips, Fran Frank and Susan Patchell
Annual Red Cross Blood Drive
On Thursday, January 13, 2022, ten members of The Woman's Club of Smithfield volunteered at the Red Cross Blood Drive held at Trinity Methodist Church. WCOS members Sandy Spain and Peggy Christian coordinated the event with the Red Cross. The Woman's Club ladies greeted and registered donors as they arrived throughout the day. Water and snacks were also provided by the members.
The Red Cross gives out donation pins to donors who achieve blood donation milestones. Shirley Land (pictured second from left, standing, in the top photo at left) will receive a pin after donating a total of eight gallons of blood since she first became a Red Cross donor.
The event exceeded the Red Cross goal of collecting 72 pints of blood, as 77 pints were actually collected. A heartfelt "Thank You" to all those who donated blood and to all the volunteers who gave their time to make this event such a great success!
March of Dimes Mom Care Bags
On behalf of the March of Dimes Mom Care Bag Program, The Woman’s Club of Smithfield donated 24 Mom Care Bags to Riverside Regional Medical Center, Newport News, VA, on Wednesday, June 16, 2021. Each Mom Care Bag contained a total of 14 personal care items, a journal and pen, and herbal tea for the mother. Also in each bag for their baby were 2 receiving blankets or a crib blanket, a newborn pajama, and a wet-diaper bag. The Mom Care Bags will be handed out to each mother that delivers a premature or emergency birth baby to help pamper the mom during her hospital stay. Their baby can be wrapped up in love when ready to leave the hospital for home.
The Club members, Sharon Ewell, Peggy Christian, and Janice Dolensky were warmly greeted by the hospital volunteer staff. The donated Mom Care Bags were accepted and greatly appreciated. This was definitely a rewarding and good-feeling project.
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Mom Items contributed: Cozy socks, Mani/Pedi kit, Body lotion, Brush & Comb, Shampoo, Deodorant, Toothbrush & Toothpaste, Chapstick, Purse tissues, Journal with pen, Herbal tea.
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Baby Items donated: 2 Receiving blankets or 1 crib blanket, Newborn Pajama, Wet-diaper bag (for soiled items)
​Pictured above right: Janice Dolensky and Sharon Ewell with Riverside Regional Medical Center personnel
Pictured above: Janice Dolensky, Peggy Christian and Sharon Ewell
