Nine members of Tangipahoa Volunteers for Family and Community attended this year’s annual convention for Louisiana Volunteers for Family and Community held April 16.
TVFC president Gloria Messenger, treasurer Karen Moran, parliamentarian and membership chair Sue Nelson, reporter Pam Villagran, scholarship chair Jean Hebert, Betty Bankston, Donna Bouterie, Gwen Domiano and Susan Melancon attended the convention.
Messenger is also the recording secretary for Louisiana Volunteers for Family and Community, and Moran is the literacy chair for LVFC. The convention was hosted this year by the Terrebonne VFC at the Bayou Black Recreation Center in Houma.
During the convention, there was a short memorial service for all LVFC members who died during 2023. TVFC former member Sharon Clelland was honored at the service.
Also at the convention, new TVFC member Susan Melancon was recognized as the recipient of the First Timer’s Award, and TVFC was awarded a $100 grant to help fund their Raise-A-Reader program.
The goal of the program is to promote reading at a young age. To do this, TVFC donates over one hundred gift bags twice a year to the nursey at North Oaks Hospital. The nursery staff then distributes them to parents of newborn babies. Each bag contains a picture book, information on the importance of reading to and with children, and a handmade burp pad lovingly sewn by TVFC members.
Tangipahoa Volunteers for Family and Community is an all-volunteer arm of LSU Agriculture Extension Service. It consists of two clubs: Wednesday Volunteers for Family and Community and Sunshine Ladies. Anyone wanting more information about TVFC local groups can email Messenger, at ggmesenger1@gmail.com or membership chair Sue Nelson at suenelson41@yahoo.com.