In 2022, The Viera Woman's Club logged 14,785 hours of community service, participated in 109 charitable projects, including work with local veterans, teachers, special-needs and at-risk children and homeless shelters.

This year, the club celebrates its 20th anniversary. Members will recall its achievements during two decades of service and look forward with a vision to accomplish more in the coming years.

The club currently has 117 member volunteers.

“Volunteerism is our heart, our spirit,” Membership Chairman Debra Gorham said. “We added 26 new members in 2022 with 11 of those new members taking leadership positions already.”

The club began with just 11 local women with a goal of supporting local charities, education and the arts. Those 11 women met in December 2003 to establish the club and in April 2004, its then 23 members attended the Florida Federation of Women’s Clubs Spring Convention, at which time the Viera Woman’s club, Inc. was accepted into the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC).

“Our affiliate is the 133-year-old General Federation of Women’s Clubs, which is headquartered in Washington, D.C. and has grown to 80,000 members with clubs in every state, the District of Columbia and 18 countries,” Viera Woman’s Club president Jan Gates said.

Since its formation, the GFWC Viera Woman’s Club members have dedicated their volunteer work to benefit charitable, educational and civic activities in Viera.

“We are fortunate to live in a rapidly growing community where women of all ages, backgrounds and experience are joining us in our volunteer efforts to enhance the Viera community,” Gates said.

Prospective new members are welcome to attend the next general membership meeting and luncheon on May 8. The program theme will be Environment and Conservation. It will feature a guest speaker from the Brevard Zoo Aquarium Project. If interested in attending, respond and make a payment of $25 by 5 p.m. May 1 by going to gfwcVieraWomansClub.com. For more information about becoming a member, contact Gorham at debgorham28@gmail.com.

GFWC Viera Woman’s Club is a nonprofit organization that raised nearly $70,000 in combined cash/goods donations in 2022.

“We are well on our way to achieving goals for 2023 and planning for key fundraisers, including The Swing for Charity Golf Tournament to benefit the charities of GFWC Viera Woman’s Club, Inc. to be held at Duran Golf Club on Saturday, Sept. 9,” Gates said. “We are contacting local companies for support and participation.”

Interested corporate sponsors can contact the event chairman, Debra Smith at Deborahsmith.vwc@outlook.com.