Greater Belleair Young Women’s Society

1. Greater Belleair Young Women’s Society 40 years to meet…to know…to grow

2. 1979-1980 Cindy von dem Bussche • More than 50 young women showed up for the first coffee. • There was an age limit of 50. • GBY held an October Fest to raise funds and were able to purchase a “chair” with our name on it at Ruth Eckerd Hall • Cindy closed many meetings at the piano playing Bette Midler's "The Rose".

3. 1980-1981 Barbara Gaskill • For the opening of the 2nd year, the newspaper reported GBY had grown to 85 members. • Headlines announced the 100th member in November, a golf tourney, a cookie swap to raise money for the RCS Spousal Abuse Program - a new shelter was being built.

4. 1981-82 Sandie Ramsden • Activities such as Antiques, Book Review, Creative Cookery (CC), Diet, Racquetball and Duplicate Bridge were offered. • Couples New Year’s Eve Progressive Dinner was held. • They also had A Super Road Rally. • Couples enjoyed a Soc Hop at Spoto’s Restaurant • Sandie still remains active in GBY.

5. 1982-83 Kathy Mc Namara • There were 118 members with 15 Officers and Board Chairs. Kathy wrote in her annual report, we are more than "just a ladies' social club" --we are a service club. The service we perform is friendship, caring and belonging and the benefactors are us, our families and our community. June 3, 1983

6. 1983-84 Dina Biscoglia • The Society continued to meet from September through June. The average attendance was 41 and the meetings were often in homes. • The "Most Valuable Member" became the Rose Award.

7. Shirley Billstone 1984-85 and Linda Wright Strubble 1985-86 • The special interest groups were called SIGs and they grew to include gardening, lunch bunch, Especially for Cooks, antiques, volleyball, GNO, golf, tennis, book review, bridge, antiques, racquetball, volley ball, bowling, crocheting and for kids, swim lessons and walks in Taylor Park to see such exciting things as the alligators.

8. 1986-87 Kaye MacSweeney • The New Year kick off party was a Western Barbeque • A News Flash read "Baby Boom Blesses Belleair" and moms and their children were invited to a coffee to discuss starting a baby-sitting co-op. • The first cookbook was printed and there was a $5 charge to cover the printing.

9. 1987-88 Sandy Travnicek • The Dues were now $15 • There were game nights with Trivia and Hearts. Basket weaving and beginning golf were offered. • The Christmas Progressive Dinner had become an annual tradition.

10. 1989-90 Peggy Powell • The dues were raised to $20 and the Directories listing 133 members were for the first time passed out at the September meeting. • A second cookbook titled "Ye Olde Heretofore Secret Recipes of the Ladies of Greater Belleair, II" was published for $10. • There were cooking and basket weaving classes, trap shooting, lessons in water skiing and driving the boat along with couples boating parties. A Christmas cocktail party and a New Years Eve boating party with dinner at CYC was planned.

11. 1989-90 Nancy Braden • The Past Presidents and 10th Anniversary Party was an elegant evening of dining at the Carlouel Yacht Club. The dinner was $14 with wine for $2.50 and cocktails for $3.50. • There was a sold out "Sock Hop" along with ice skating, earring making, a cooking class, and art classes, and a clairvoyant was a featured speaker at one meeting. She introduced a game night at which "Oh Hell" was featured.

12. 1990-91 Janet Sourbeer • The dues rose to $25 and the age limit was changed to 55. • Crafts and creative workshops were added to the SIGs and water skiing, boating, and cooking demonstrations were still offered. • A couples boat trip and bunko night were planned.

13. 1992-93 Monica DiGiovanni • Volunteers were requested and months were spent planning the annual fund raiser, an Arts and Crafts Silent Auction • The newsletter featured recipes and want ads • A week long Men Only Ski Trip to Denver was planned. • There were greeters at the meetings to hand out the name tags. • Another cookbook was published this year.

14. 1995-96 Angela Grieco • A new group, the BLOSSOMS, Belleair Ladies of Similar Stages of Maturity, was initiated for members 38 and older. • The newsletter was to be published by two members and the chair announced she could now receive the news of the month on her Fax machine.

15. 1997-1998 Andrea O’Hara 1997-1998 Andrea O’Hara • There was a children’s fashion show this year of Cherubs and Angels which was enjoyed by all.

16. 2001-2002 Pam Horvath • Another cookbook, "What's Cookin' with the GBYWS Girls" was published, and there was a Breakfast Club. • There were day trips to the Museum of Fine Arts and International Mall. • A Limo Scavenger Hunt replaced the Road Rally. • Pam remains active in GBY.

17. 2002-03 Lisa Mitchels • Membership was offered to women that have reached the age of 21 but the maximum age was dropped . • Many of the General Meetings were catered and held in peoples' homes. A Traveling Party Kit with such items as a punch bowl and ladle, a thermos with a pump, and a cake knife and server were requested to make it easier for the hostesses. • The newsletter had a monthly article, Members Spotlight, to feature different members.

18. 2003-2004 Megan Bower • There were 61 members and membership drives were planned throughout the year. An award of a crystal candlestick was presented to the member who brought the most guests. • The first Bunco group was started. • There was an elegant dinner and dancing at the Bayou Club. • 50 members, including 16 past presidents celebrated the 25th Anniversary at the Skinny Rooster. • Megan remains active in GBY and still helps with the directory.

19. 2004-05 Sharon Fleschute • There was a discussion about a bylaw amendment to change the name of GBYWS to GBWS. A secret ballot was held and the measure was defeated. • Sharon created the format for the directory that we enjoy today which included photos which Sharon took herself. • Sharon later became the first "webmistress" and she gently nudged and cajoled our members into using the website. • The new rose logo was added to our website.

20. 2005-2006 Claire Whitaker • Claire enjoyed many fun activities during her Presidency. • Claire continues her involvement and in recent years has served as chair of Canasta and Bunko and is always willing to help where needed. • Claire feels the best thing is the special relationships with GBY members that have endured . This is the best value.

21. 2006-07 Cheri DeCollibus • The first GBY cruise was a huge success and even before the ship had docked, plans were already in the making for the next year's cruise. • It was decided by the board to begin planning for a new SIG which later became known as Welcoming Waves.

22. 2007-08 Deborah Vaters • The Welcome Waves was born to provide a welcoming spirit, guidance and friendship to the society. • A second cruise, "The Castaway Cruisers" sailed off to the Caribbean. • Another cookbook was planned for publication. • Deb continues to enjoy her membership and recently has chaired Tea and Scrabble.

23. 2008-09 Nicole Piccarreto • A Holiday Extravaganza with tea and shopping in the Tiffany Room took place . • In place of the cruise, a trip to Key West was organized. Members and guests traveled there by sea in a catamaran. • A 30th Anniversary cookbook was in the works with the proceeds to be donated to Sallie House.

24. 2009-10 Tracey Bland-Griffith • Members were invited by Cathy DeKnoblough to the Jewel Box for "Reach out Support Empower" or R.O.S.E., the 1st Rose Tea Party. • Marlin Darlin' opened for a private GBY lunch and jewelry exchange

25. 2010-11 Barbara Busch • Beautiful monthly newsletters were initiated and Barbara served as editor for four years. • Bernice Burnett taught Canasta and a regular group began in September • Barbara also served as Programs Chair.

26. 2011-2012 Cathy O'Brien • Publicity committee promoted the GBYWS website • GNO featured a Burlesque Party complete with fishnet stockings, high heel shoes, and boas. • New SIG activities included a couples dance group, a Sunday supper club, the Knitting Bee, Movie Madness. • Cathy remembers all the personal relationships that she developed in GBY that truly enriched her life.

27. 2012-13 Jodi Martino • The website became our primary means of communication with an online calendar, directory, photos, and forms. • Our new logo, the beautiful rose, was unveiled. • Jodi initiated monthly "Rose Petal Awards" as a means of recognizing the many who help to plan all the activities. • New SIGs Artsy Outings, Dancing Divas, Kruising with Kayaks were added. • Jodi continues to enjoy GBY and has recently served on the Nomination Committee.

28. 2013-2014 Barb Hoskinson • GBY began the Society year with 169 members increasing to 186 by the year’s end. • The RCS Haven was selected as the service project. • The GBY website continued to flourish . • Barb presented a brief history of the GBY to present at the 35th Anniversary dinner. • Barb continues to enjoy her membership and participates in many activities.

29. 2014-2015 Bobbi Huntington • GBY generously supported and gave to Eckerd Raising Hope with clothes, toys and monetary donations.  • A Shutterfly website was initiated to host photos of GBY events. • GBY enjoyed musicical events this year-sang holiday songs at Carlouel in Dec and danced away the night at the Anniversary Past President's dinner at the Belleair Country Club as well as had a DJ playing at the Appreciation Dinner at Carlouel and our final May Adult Activity at the home of Sandy Brown. • Bobbi has remained active in GBY and serves in many ways.

30. 2015-2016 Jo-Ann Benware • Grace House operated by RCS was chosen as the service project. • The membership started at 168 and ended at 201. • RCS Grace House was chosen as the charity that year. • Jo-Ann remembered the greatest highlight of that year was about the people. The Board and SIGs were so wonderful to work with and became dear friends. • Jo-Ann continues to remain active in GBY.

31. 2016-2017 Devin Pappas • Several themed monthly meetings added to the GBY fun, from Mardi Gras masks to nautical attire. • The website now offered online payment/RSVP forms. • A GBY Facebook page was created to add another tool for communication. • The GBY cruise to Cozumel had 30 participants. • Devin remains active in GBY and has recently chaired the Adult Activities.

32. 2017-2018 Carol Frecker • This year started out with hurricane Irma which caused the cancellation of many events in September. • The online payments through the website increased this year and new online forms were also added to the website. • Added three new SIGs- 2 Bunco groups and another Book Club. • Had a fun girls getaway cruise to the Bahamas and Key West • We collected baby gifts, filled bottles with change and had a diaper/wipe collection for Kimberly Home. • Carol now serves as advisor and as a membership chair.

33. 2018-2019 Sharon Vincent • Two new SIGs were added Eating Around the World, featuring dining at ethnic restaurants and another Bunco • Three “Girls Getaways” were highlighted through the year, Universal Studios, Murder Mystery Train and the Edison winter estate, and Winter Park and the Tiffany Collection. • GBYWS grew to 221 members. • GBY supported Warrior Bridge Veteran Services and Holidays for Heroes, bringing many gifts to the children of four veteran families and there was a clothes collection for the Veterans Mall. • GBY celebrated their 40th anniversary with a special walk down memory lane.

34. The Rose • Some say love it is a river that drowns the tender reed • Some say love it is a razor that leaves your soul to bleed • Some say love it is a hunger an endless aching need • I say love it is a flower and you its only seed • It’s the heart afraid of breaking that never learns to dance • It’s the dream afraid of waking that never takes a chance • It's the one who won't be taken who cannot seem to give • And the soul afraid of dying that never learns to live • When the night has been too lonely and the road has been too long • And you think that love is only for the lucky and the strong • Just remember in the winter far beneath the bitter snows lies the seed • That with the sun's love in the spring becomes the rose