Submitted by: Carolyn Wooten Boatner: Media Coordinator
On Wednesday, February 15, 2023, the DeKalb County Homemakers and Community Leaders (HCL) met for their annual Awards Day. The meeting was held at the Rock Church in Geraldine, Alabama.
President, Janice Smith, called the meeting to order. Devotional was led by Juanita Campbell and Pledge to the American flag by Sue Abernathy, both ladies are with the Tenbroeck HCL Club. State Officers Debbie O’Neal and Elizabeth Griswold were welcomed.
Entertainment was provided by pianist Nathan Burns. Brooklyn Slaten presented a very moving program on her sister, Oakleigh, who underwent extensive medical issues. The surrounding communities, friends, and neighbors were very supportive to the family and Oakleigh is doing well and thriving. They thanked everyone for their support and thanked God for the miracle she received.
Awards Day is held in recognition of each individual club’s achievements for the past year.
Awards were given as follows:
Citizenship and Outreach – First place – Ider Club, Second Place – Lookout Mountain, Third Place – Tenbroeck
Enviroment: First Place – Geraldine, Second Place – Crossville, Third Place – Joyful Hearts
Family Life: First Place – Lookout Mountain, Second Place – Geraldine, Third Place – Crossville
Homemaking Skills: First Place – Lookout Mountain, Second Place – Geraldine, Third Place – Tenbroeck
Marketing: First Place – Ider, Second Place – Geraldine, Third Place – Lookout Mountain
Health and Nutrition: First Place – Geraldine, Second Place – Crossville, Third Place – Ider
Attendance: First Place – Lookout Mountain, Second Place – Ider, Third Place – Geraldine
Scrapbooks: First Place – Geraldine, Second Place – Geraldine, Third Place – Lookout Mountain
Club of the Year: a tie between Crossville and Lookout Mountain
President’s Appreciation Award was presented to: Janice Smith-Crossville Club.
Volunteer Hours: These hours are totaled by each individual club and include volunteer hours spent on club activity, community work, and work done for others. The club totals are:
Crossville: 12,338 hours, Geraldine: 4,500 hours, Ider-989 hours, Joyful Hearts 393 hours, Tenbroeck 2035 hours, Lookout Mountain 6,235 hours, Portersville: 1,630 hours.
In addition to awards day, each club selects their nominee for Woman of the Year. This year the nominees were: Crossville – Loretta Rodgers, Geraldine – Frances Patterson, Ider – Judith Leslie, Lookout Mountain – Phyllis Reagan, Portersville – Jo Ann Stricklin, Tenbroeck – Sue Abernathy. (Joyful Hearts did not have a nominee.) Congratulations to all the deserving ladies.
Jo Ann Stricklin was selected as Woman of the Year. Jo Ann has been married for 56 years and has one son and one granddaughter. She grew up in Georgia where she was manager of a Deli-Bakery for eight years. Later she obtained a college degree in insurance having a Fellowship degree with Life Underwriters Training Council. She worked as an agent with Liberty National Life Insurance Company for 12 years.
Jo Ann has been a member of Portersville HCL for 22 years. She has served as Alabama HCL District One Coordinator for a total of three years and AHCL State Vice-President for four years. She served as ACL President Elect for one year and AHCL President for 2017-2018, and AHCL Parliamentarian for two years. She has also served as DeKalb County President for a total of eight years, County Vice-President for six years, Club Parliamentarian, and currently serves as county treasurer for the past two years. Jo Ann served in her own local club, Portersville, as club President for a total of thirteen years and Vice President for four years and served as the Joyful Hearts Club as President for one year.
For the past 22 years Jo Ann has attended most of the state conferences, the District meetings, chaired the Yearbook Committee for 12 years, served on and helped to create two county cookbooks, attended and participated in most of the Cultural Arts Day celebrations, serves on the Woman of the Year Committee, attends the annual county picnic, and attends all the Awards Day ceremonies.
In her local club Jo Ann helped organize and is on the committee for the Quilt Walk Day Bake Sale, Scrap Book Committee, and the Turkey Trot Bake Sale Committee. In addition to these activities Jo Ann is actively involved in her church and community. She attends Big Valley Church of God, where she serves as clerk/treasurer and also teaches the adult Sunday school class and a Bible study group each week. She volunteers in such activities as the 4-H roundup, the hospital auxiliary, Red Cross, various charity drives, retired senior volunteer program, toys for tots, and helps transport neighbors and friends for doctor appointments as needed.
Since moving to DeKalb County Jo Ann has been a vital part of the DeKalb County HCL. She works tirelessly to promote and improve our club. We consider ourselves very blessed to have such a member.
If you would like to become a part of our HCL club by joining or starting a new HCL club in your area, we welcome you. Please visit our website: www.dekalbcoalhcl.com to see what we are all about. You can also contact our President, Janice Smith at 256-557-7530, or any of our club members.