GFWC-SC OFFICERS 2008-2010

President, Laurie O'Kelly

Laurie has been a member of St. Andrews Woman’s Club since 1987 and has served in a number of positions, including president, treasurer and third vice president, where she chaired the club’s annual fundraiser, Bridal Showcase, for three years. She was voted “Clubwoman of the Year” in 1994. She has served GFWC-SC as Finance Committee Chair, Community Improvement Program Chair, Central District President, GFWC-SC Treasurer, GFWC-SC Recording Secretary, Second Vice President and most recently First Vice President.

Laurie is married to David, and they have two boys in college. She is a National Board Certified Teacher at CrossRoads Middle School where she teaches computer technology to sixth graders. She holds a B.S. degree in Accounting from the University of South Carolina and is a member of Union United Methodist Church in Irmo.

First Vice President, JoAnn Bolchoz

Volunteerism has been significant in the life of  Jo Ann for over thirty –five years and she has served GFWC-SC on the club, district and state levels. Jo Ann  has served GFWC-SC as Recording Secretary, Treasurer, Corresponding Secretary, Southern District President and Convention Chairman. She has been a member of  the Woman’s Club of Charleston since 2002 and has served as Recording Secretary, Chairman of the Education Department and on the Fundraising Committee. Jo Ann has been a member of the Charleston Federation of Women’s Clubs since 1985.  She currently serves as President and served as the Centennial President in 1999. She is also a Past President of the Charleston Exchange Club Auxiliary and a charter member of the University Exchange Club. Jo Ann has served as a Steering Committee Member for the Relay for Life, American Cancer Society and the YWCA Women Against Violence Project.

Jo Ann resides in Charleston with her husband Joe and their four rescued dogs and three cats. Jo Ann and Joe are members of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church and have been married for thirty-nine years. She holds a B.S. degree in Business Administration from Charleston Southern University.  She ended her professional career of thirty-four years as Executive Director of the Division of Education and Student Support Services at the Medical University of South Carolina on September 30, 2007.

Jo Ann has been the recipient of distinguished service awards from the S.C. and National Associations of Student Financial Aid Administrators, the Charleston Higher Education Consortium, and the Medical University of South Carolina. She was the 2002 Woman of the Year for the Charleston Federation of Women’s Clubs.

Second Vice President, Caroline Mahaffey

Caroline Richardson Mahaffey is a divorced mother of seven children, and lives in Simpsonville.  She is broker-in-charge and owner of Jeff Richardson Company, a third generation family real estate business.  Caroline is a lifetime member of Simpsonville First Baptist Church; is a member of the Simpsonville Kiwanis; serves on the Simpsonville Planning Commission; serves on Simpsonville 2020, an advisory committee; and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Simpsonville Chamber of Commerce. 

Caroline started her Federation experience with the Greenville Junior Woman’s Club twenty four years ago, serving as Points Chair, Home Life Chair,  Treasurer and Secretary before leaving to federate the Upstate Woman’s Club.  She has served several terms as President, advisor and various department and committee chairs.

In addition to serving as state chair for a variety of departments, Caroline has served on the GFWC-SC Progress Foundation, as Northern District President, and as the state’s first Juniorette Coordinator. She represented GFWC-SC as the L.E.A.D.S. candidate in Cleveland in 2009.  

Recording Secretary, Janet Prince

Janet has been a GFWC-SC Clubwoman since September 2001 when she was invited to join the Woman’s Club of Cayce.  While at the Woman’s Club of Cayce, Janet served as 2nd Vice President, 1st Vice President and Club President.  In April 2008 she was elected GFWC-SC Midlands District President.   After moving from Cayce to West Columbia, Janet joined the Woman’s Club of the Midlands in September 2008.  Janet served as the GFWC-SC Focus on Literacy Department Program Chairman for 2008-2010.  She was co-chair of the 2010 GFWC-SC 112th Convention.

Janet is married to Gary Prince and they have two girls, Ashlan, age 12 and Genna, age 7.   

Treasurer, Linda Rodgers

Linda has been an active member of The General Federation of Women’s Clubs- South Carolina (GFWC-SC) since 1997 when she became a member of The Charleston Junior Woman’s Club (CJWC).  She was also a member of The Charleston Federation of Women’s Clubs (CFWC) until moving to the upstate of South Carolina in 2004 when she became a member of the GFWC-Palmetto Junior Woman’s Club (PJWC).  While a member of CJWC she served as Home Life Department Chair, Treasurer, 1st Vice President, Ways and Means Chairman, and President. From January 2005 through June 2008 Linda served an extended term as the GFWC-SC Director of Junior Clubs. In both 2007 and 2008 she received the First Place Junior Director’s award in South Carolina’s category at GFWC’s International Convention.  Since June 2008 Linda has served as the GFWC-SC Treasurer.

During her membership with CJWC, Linda assisted the club with many projects benefiting the Florence Crittendon Home, Habitat for Humanity – Woman Build Program, Keep America Beautiful, Operation Smile and Operation Christmas Child.

With CFWC she assisted in organizing the annual Fine Arts Tea reception for high school students and their families whose artwork was submitted for the First Federal of Charleston Annual Scholarship Contest.  On the Southern District Level, Linda has served as a member of the District Nominating Committee.  At the State level, she represented GFWC-SC at the 2004 International Convention in Orlando, Florida as the GFWC-SC LEADS candidate and assumed the role of Junior Director in 2005.

In addition to her work with GFWC-SC, Linda works full-time at Fluor Corporation and is a member of El Bethel Baptist Church.

Linda received a B.S. degree in Accounting from Clemson University.  She and her three cats, Calhoun, Riggs and Tillman live in Greer, SC.

Director of Junior Clubs , Michele Hood

I am so excited to be starting my term as the new Director of Junior Clubs for South Carolina. Who would have thought that when I joined the Charleston Junior Woman’s Club in August of 2003 that I would be standing here today getting ready to start leading the juniors of South Carolina? Definitely not me

With the Charleston juniors, I served as Home Life Chair, Corresponding Secretary, and Civic Chair. After attending my first GFWC-SC convention in April of 2004, I was hooked. Meeting people from all over the state who love volunteering as much as I do was awesome. In June 2008, I was the LEADS representative for South Carolina. I attended a seminar at the National GFWC convention which was held in Chicago. I learned so much about GFWC. Oh, and the number of people under one roof from all over the US who love volunteering as much as me or more was unbelievable. I felt so at home with all these ladies. In the fall of 2008, I started a new junior club in Mt. Pleasant, the GFWC Lowcountry Junior Woman’s Club. We are 7 members strong and already out doing work in our community.

For the next 2 years, my special project will be Awareness for Teen Dating Violence. This is a topic that is close to my heart and keeps with the National Junior Special Project of Advocates for Children. Teenagers often experience violence in dating relationships. In dating violence, one partner tries to maintain power and control over the other through abuse. Dating violence crosses all racial, economic and social lines. Most victims are young women, who are also at greater risk for serious injury.

Advisor, Tammy Garland

State Federation Offices Held:
2008-2010  GFWC-SC President
2007-2008  GFWC-SC President-elect (Membership Chairman)
2006-2007  GFWC-SC 1st Vice President (Membership Chairman)
2004-2006  GFWC-SC 2nd Vice President
2002-2004  GFWC-SC Recording Secretary
1998-2000  GFWC-SC State Director of Junior Clubs
1996-1998  GFWC-SC Northwestern District President

Woman’s Club Memberships:
2002-present Charter member of the GFWC Golden Corner Woman’s Society
1988-present Member of the Seneca Woman’s Club
1988-2003 Member of the Seneca Junior Woman’s Club

Profession:
Elementary Education Graduate from Clemson University in 1990
Elementary teacher for 18 years
Teach 5th grade at Keowee Elementary School in Oconee County
Alpha Delta Kappa International Honorary Sorority for Women Educators
Nationally Board Certified Teacher
Literacy Leads Teacher for Elementary Education
Masters Degree from Southern Wesleyan University 2007

Church:
Member of St. Mark United Methodist Church in Seneca

Family:
Husband for 20 years- David ~ Troop 120 Scout Master and works for Duke Power
Son 1 for 15 years- Drew ~ Drummer for the Youth Praise Band, Boy Scout working on
Eagle, Honor Student, and likes to playing tennis and football
Son 2 for 8 years- Matt ~  3rd grader Keowee, likes Rock Band, playing outside with friends, and team sports
Pet 1 for 15 years- Turtle named Shelly ~ not much trouble to keep
Pet 2 for 3 years- Dog named Max ~ a great deal of trouble to keep, some days I wish we did not have him, but we will keep him because he belongs to Matt and we all love him.

As member of our state federation, I feel that GFWC has blended together my personal and professional interests. For me, GFWC has given me life long interests that go beyond my professional role. In my club, I am not somebody's wife, employee, mother or daughter. I'm able to just be me while doing something to make the world a better place.  In club or serving on the state level as a member of the executive committee, I treasure and learn from being part of a team of highly motivated and inspiring women who keep the best interests of our South Carolina federation in tack.  Future generations of club women are depending on us to be good stewards of this organization. Federation work is not just a job or an adventure ~ it’s our future.

Special Assistant to President, Kaye Jones

 

Kaye has been an active member of a GFWC club since 1989.  She joined Jr. Woman’s Club of Columbia (JWC) and served in many leadership positions including Club President.  She was awarded the Outstanding Provisional and the Junior Cup awards. 

As a member of JWC, she also served on the Board of Directors for Palmetto Place Children’s Emergency Shelter.  This shelter was founded by JWC in 1977 serving abused, abandoned, and neglected children in the Midlands.  She was elected to continue serving on the Board for Palmetto Place and was President of the Board 1997-2000.   

In 2002, Kaye moved her membership from JWC to St. Andrews Woman’s Club (SAWC).  She served as President of SAWC in 2006-2007. 

She has been involved over the years in many positions in GFWC-SC including Central District President and Finance Committee chair.

Kaye has also served on the Board of Sexual Trauma Services of the Midlands from 2004-2010 where she was President 2008-2009, the United Way of the Midlands in several capacities, and as telethon chair for the Columbia Children’s Miracle Network telethon.

Kaye has worked at Colonial Life for 30 years and is a manager in the customer service department.  In 1996 she was awarded the Volunteer of the Year award at Colonial Life.

Kaye graduated from Irmo High School and Clemson University with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology.  She has been married for almost 31 years to Tom Jones (not the singer!) and they have one daughter, Katie who recently joined JWC.

In her leisure time, Kaye likes to read, travel, follow Clemson Tiger football (GO TIGERS!), and go to concerts - especially if Trace Adkins is singing!

Parliamentarian, Marian St. Clair

Marian St.Clair is a past president of General Federation of Women’s Clubs of South Carolina and currently serves as GFWC Treasurer. In addition to her service with GFWC she is a fund-raiser for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, an advocate for environmental preservation and conservation with the Master Naturalist program, and a horticulture teacher and community ambassador for the Master Gardeners. A freelance garden writer for several years, Marian is a weekly columnist and feature writer for The Greenville News.