Agawam Junior Women’s Club spearheads holiday decoration contest

Jan. 6, 2021 | Ryan Feyre
rfeyre@thewestfieldnewsgroup.com

AGAWAM – Throughout the second half of December, the Agawam Junior Women’s Club (AJWC) conducted a “Fabulous Holiday Decorating Contest” to raise money for community projects.

Residents in Agawam who decorated the outside of their homes were asked to register their property by donating $10 to the club. In exchange, their home would be entered in the holiday decorating contest.

The winner of this contest was determined through two different avenues, according to Donna Shibley, who is the co-president of the AJWC.  One winner was determined by Shibley and another co-chair of the AWJC, while another winner was determined by public voting.

Residents of Agawam were encouraged to drive through the city and look at all of the entries’ decorations. They were asked to vote for their favorite by donating $5 to the club. The town favorite was Gary and Carmen McNamee. The best decorated house according to the AJWC judges was Kim Rafay. Among the prizes for winners was a $50 gift card to E. Cecci Farms, bottles of wine, and  gift card to Main Street Deli.  

“This particular project was brand new for us,” said Shibley, with regards to the holiday decorating contest. “This idea came about because of social distancing, and knowing that people were probably interested in doing something with their families, while staying safe.”

According to Shibley, the club spearheaded an event similar to this during the fall, where they asked businesses and residents with festive autumn decorations to enter their properties for a fall decorating contest.

“That was our first attempt at it [decorating contest] and we made a little money from it, but not a whole lot,” said Shibley. “We decided then, that we were going to do one for the holidays.”

The AJWC  is a division of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC), which is an international women’s organization that is dedicated to community improvement by enhancing the lives of others through volunteer service. The AJWC continues that message by enriching the quality of life in our local community.

For this specific holiday contest, each house was placed on Google Maps so local residents can know where to drive to witness the decorations. According to Shibley, 28 houses participated in this contest, and around $400 was raised between the $5 voting donations and the $10 entry donations.

“We didn’t make a whole bunch of money,” said Shibley, who is also the GFWC Massachusetts state president. “But for clubs and organizations that are having a hard time fundraising, that money helps us give back to the community.”

Throughout the year, AWJC has donated money to the Holyoke Soldiers Home, the Parish Cupboard in West Springfield and scholarships for graduating high school seniors throughout the Western Massachusetts community. According to Shibley, the club donated $3,000 at the end of the last school year for those graduates. They have also donated $400 on two different occasions to the Parish Cupboard.

Normally, the club would physically visit the Holyoke Soldiers Home for a Sunday event, but due to COVID-19 restrictions, the club decided to offer the home a check so they can buy personal items that were needed.

“We try to help out, not just in town, but other organizations, as well as globally,” said Shibley. “But this year has been tough, because the big fundraisers we normally have, we don’t have.”

From a global perspective, the AJWC and GFWC also assists St. Jude’s Hospital, and donates money to other projects like, Operation Smile, Shot of Life and UNICEF, among other places.   

“We’re trying to find new ways to get ourselves out to the community,” said Shibley, who has been a part of AJWC since 1988.

As of right now, AJWC, which has 17 members at the moment, is currently meeting through Zoom. Shibley and the rest of the club hopes to donate two $1000 scholarships to graduating seniors at the end of the next school year.

The state, through the GFWC, has also worked with the Western Mass. branch of the YWCA, which is an organization that provides shelter, support, and self-sufficiency for women in the area.

“I enjoy the work, and enjoy giving back, and enjoy the friendships that I’ve made,” said Shibley. “That’s my biggest thing with the club.”

Proceeds from the holiday decorating contest will go towards ongoing AJWC projects, which include, the Soldiers Home, scholarships for local graduating seniors, support for the Western Mass. YWCA and support for the Holiday Baskets program.

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