The Cedar Springs 2013 Woman of the Year award was presented to Caroline Bartlette

by Sue Harrison

The June meeting of the Cedar Springs Women’s Club was full of surprises, awards and installation of officers for 2013-2014. The colors of summer greeted members and guests who attended the June meeting as tables were spread with colorful blue, yellow, pink, and white tablecloths decorated with signs of summer:  sea shells, flip-flops, sand pails and shovels, and multicolored picnic napkins. The women enjoyed a wonderful catered luncheon that included chicken, shrimp, salads and ice cream sundaes.

The Cedar Springs 2013 Woman of the Year award was presented to Caroline Bartlette, by last year’s recipient, Cynthia Caldwell. Caroline was surprised to see her husband, David, and family members there to share in her celebration. Caroline has been a long time member of Women’s Club, has been an officer on the Board, and has worked on several committees including the Holiday Tea Committee.

Women’s Club 2013 Scholarship winner, Molly Caniff.

Next, the Women’s Club 2013 Scholarship was awarded to Molly Caniff, a 2013 graduate of Cedar Springs High School. Each year the Women’s Club $1000 scholarship is presented to a Cedar Springs woman who will use the money to further her education. Molly will be attending University of Detroit Mercy to work toward a BSN in Nursing.

For the final order of business for the day, the nominations committee installed the officers of the Cedar Springs Women’s Club who remained in the same offices as last year.  The following women were installed as officers for the 2013-2014 year:

President, Carolyn Davis

1st Vice President: Sue Harrison

2nd Vice President: Donna Clark

Secretary: Penny Darling

Corresponding Secretary: Sally Grayvold

Treasurer: Cindi Caldwell

Directors: Jan Hammersmith, Dorothy Bishop, Char Heim

Even though the Women’s Club does not meet during July and August, their activities still continue. The Women’s Club along with Independent Bank will be sponsoring one of the Concerts in Morley Park on Thursday June 20. In addition some Cedar Springs Women’s Club members and their guests will attend the Picnic Pops on July 19th.

Women’s Club cookbooks are also still available for $10 at the Cedar Springs Library or from any club member.

For more information about these activities or about joining Women’s Club, call 696-1939 or 696-0456.

Jan is pictured with husband, Henry, and daughters Susan (top) and Nikki (bottom).

The Cedar Springs Women’s Club named Jan Hammersmith, of Cedar Springs, the Club’s 2010-2011 Outstanding Member of the Year. The award was presented at the final meeting of the Club year on June 2.
The annual award recognizes one club member for exemplary spirit and outstanding service to the club during the year.  It is based on the member’s enthusiasm in promoting the Club, her support and contributions to the Club, and active community involvement.
Hammersmith has been a Club member since 2002 and has served as president the past three years.  She will serve a fourth term for the coming 2011-2012 year. The selection committee noted she “is a vocal and staunch supporter of Women’s Club and is a generous, giving person” for the Club’s benefit. She takes on projects with enthusiasm and donates generously of her time and resources.
Volunteering has always been an important part of her life.  In addition to the time she has given the Women’s Club, she has donated time to Spectrum Butterworth, the Kent County Humane Society, the Michigan Community Blood Center, and the Cedar Springs Schools Senior Party Committee.
Hammersmith also enjoys being social and getting involved in groups, especially if they raise money for charitable causes.  The Women’s Club meets that goal as it raises money and contributes to many organizations in our area. When she is not working for the Women’s Club or donating time to other organizations, Hammersmith enjoys traveling with Henry, her husband of 35 years, a retired emergency medical physician.  She does the driving when they take road trips to Maine, the southern USA, or other destinations. They take an annual trip to London, and she goes camping with her grandchildren each summer.
At home, Hammersmith enjoys hosting gatherings and cooking. She also enjoys gardening and making her yard burst with color all year long.
She and Henry have two daughters, Susan and Nicole. Susan lives in Howell, Michigan and works in healthcare fundraising. Nikki lives in Zeeland with her husband, Martin, and their two children, Morgan and Noah. Both daughters made the trip to Cedar Springs to join their father in surprising her at the award presentation.

Since 1990, 26 young women have been recipients of a scholarship from the Cedar Spring’s Women’s Club. This year Audriana Boomgaard, daughter of John and Cherri’ Kerr, of Cedar Springs, was selected by the committee to receive the $1,000.00 award.
Audri was very involved in the Cedar Springs High School Varsity Soccer team and helped put on community soccer camps for children. She has been asked to manage Spring Arbor University Women’s Soccer Team in the fall. She was a member of the 2009 Red Flannel Court and was selected as a student leader for her church’s youth group where she was also involved in Vacation Bible School, Christian Life Club, Sunday School, on the worship team and distributing food for the needy families.
Preparing for the future has been an important goal for Audri. When she enters Spring Arbor University this fall she will already have completed a full semester of college thru dual enrollment. Her career goal is to obtain a PhD in Children’s Clinical Psychology. Working with children and young adults who are coping with handicaps, defects and life-threatening illnesses is her ambition.
Congratulations and best of luck, Audri.

The Cedar Springs Women’s Club announces the availability of a $1,000.00 scholarship to a female of any age who resides int the Cedar Springs Public School District. Applicants may be planning any type of skill training or degree program as long as it is at a Michigan public community/junior college, degree-granting or vocational institution that leads to a degree, certification, or license. Applicants do not need to be currently enrolled in high school.
The award will be based on a competitve process, which considers personal or academic achievement; and family, school or community activities. Final selection criteria are:  Academic progress, school/community service, financial consideration, and career goal.
The award will be made without regard to race, creed, color, religion, or national origin. And the winner will be announced by June 1.
Women currently attending high school can obtain an application from their high school counselor. Please be sure that you have a current application. It should be dated 2009. Women who have left high school can obtain one by contracting Carol Hordyk (696-0090), Claudia Mabie (696-3541) or Sue Harrison (696-0456) or the Cedar Springs Public Library.
Deadline for receipt of application is April 1st.