Home | Apopka FL | Apopka Women's Club

2026-2027 ELECTED OFFICERS

Congratulations 2026/2027 Officers!

Treasurer- Ginny Iafrate, Joan Mathews -Corresponding Secretary, Geri Unrue-Secretary, Jacquelyn Daly- 2nd VP, Lorenta Potter, 1st VP, Diane Harrison President, Theresa Mott facilitating the installation.

Click To Meet the Officers

To donate to:

The Eileen Langley Memorial Scholarship Fund

The scholarship will be awarded in April 2024. You can click on the paypal link or

Make checks payable to

GFWC Apopka Woman’s Club

P.O. 336

Apopka, Fl 32704-0336

Note: Eileen Langley Memorial Scholarship Fund

CLUB MEMBERS Recognition

50 Years of Service!

CONGRATULATIONS SHIRLEY RISSER FOR 50 YEARS OF WONDERFUL SERVICE TO GFWC APOPKA WOMAN'S CLUB INC. 2025

Dena Morrow, Shirley Risser & Stella Swanberg

Dena Morrow and Stella Swanberg had the distinct honor of presenting Shirley Risser with a certificate commemorating 50 Years of Service to the Apopka Woman’s Club.

Shirley’s devotion to community service is legendary with so many memorable events held at their Windy Acres Ranch. What an awesome achievement Shirley! Thank you!

Shirley has held about every office and is/was/has been great supporter and worker each year with the Apopka Art and Foliage Festival. Shirley’s husband, Richard and family have also been huge part of our history from hosting events to catering. They mean the world to Apopka Woman’s Club congratulations!

CONGRATULATIONS STELLA SWANBERG FOR 50 YEARS OF WONDERFUL SERVICE TO GFWC APOPKA WOMAN'S CLUB INC. 2024

STELLA SWANBERGS 50 YEARS OF SERVICE r1 bw_Page_2.jpg

UPCOMING Meetings & Events

1st

Tuesday

BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING (Sep. - Jun.)

1st Tuesday @ 5:30 pm

Apopka Area Chamber of Commerce

180 E. Main Street

Apopka, FL 32703

SEE FULL CALENDAR

3rd

Tuesday

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING (Sep. - May)

3rd Tuesday @ 6:30 pm (Social Time)

APRIL - Early Start @ 5:30 pm

First United Methodist Church (Fellowship Hall)

201 S. Park Avenue

Apopka, FL 32703

SEE FULL CALENDAR

IN Memoriam

All the AWC members grieve the losses of two members in one week:

JOAN ALSUP

Joan K. Alsup, age 86, of Apopka, Florida, passed away peacefully surrounded by her children on June 13, 2024. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 41 years, Bill R. Alsup, her brother James Kitley, stepdaughter Suzette Alsup Weeks, stepson Van Kevin Alsup, and grandson Joshua Weeks.

Joan was born in 1937 in Detroit, Michigan, to Charles and Ella Kitley. She attended Albion College and, true to her nature, forged enduring friendships. She later relocated with her family to Apopka in 1973. Together with her husband, she owned and operated Quality Gardens Nursery, becoming a cherished part of the Apopka community.

A woman of faith, Joan was an active member of First Methodist Church Apopka for 50 years, where she found spiritual fulfillment and lasting friendships. Her community involvement extended beyond church walls; she was a dedicated member of the Apopka Woman’s Club, Northwest Orange Republican Women, the Miss Apopka Foliage Pageant Committee, DAR Orlando Chapter and The Foliage Garden Club of Apopka. Joan passionately engaged in local and state politics, tirelessly advocating for Republican candidates whom she believed would best serve her community.

Known for her warm smile and generous spirit, Joan never hesitated to welcome newcomers to Apopka, recalling the kindness shown to her when she first arrived. She leaves behind a legacy of compassion and community service that will be cherished by all who knew her.

Joan is survived by her son Eric and daughter Laura of Apopka, stepson Billy Robert of Hot Springs, AR, grandchildren Aaron, Jonathan, Andrew, Stephen, Wendy, Jennifer, Alex, and Aubrey, extended family and a multitude of lifelong friends.

A visitation will be held on Friday, June 21, 2024 at 10:00AM, followed by a service at 11:00AM at the First Methodist Church Apopka, officiated by Rev. John Fisher. Private interment will follow at Edgewood/Greenwood Cemetery for the family. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations to the First Methodist Church Apopka or the Apopka Woman’s Club Scholarship Fund.

Arrangements are entrusted to Loomis Funeral Home. loomisfuneralhomes.com

Years of Membership: FIVE YEARS

JOAN ALSUP, DENA MORROW, MARYANN SARRA, BETTY ASHTON, MELVA BENTL-ROSS, KATIE JAIRETT, IRENE MARKS, DE NEVILLE,JOANN CASTILLO, ROBIN, MARTY HARRISON, ELEANOR JONES AND SUSAN BORNMANN

Perfect Attendance

Congratulations to our loyal members with perfect attendance

GIVING TO OUR Community

Giving away money to support the community-that’s what we do!

Left to right, Apopka Firefighter Divi-sion Chief of EMS W. Sanchez, Treas-urer Lorena Potter, 23-24 President Su-san Bornmann, inidentified Seniors First; G. Odom, Apopka Little League; D. Wiggins, The Lifeboat Project; and some man, Canine Companions.

We received lovely thank you let-ters from Canine Companions, Lifeboat and Seniors First.

CLUB Happenings

Apopka Women’s Club is Proud to Partner with Clay Springs Elementary School!

Clay Springs Elementary School is proud to partner with the Apopka Women’s Club in supporting a meaningful global service-learning project that is teaching students the power of compassion, service, and cultural understanding.

Through this initiative, Clay Springs students are connecting with peers at Penlyne Castle Primary School and Minto Primary School in the rural Blue Mountains of Jamaica. After learning about the limited access to physical education resources in these remote schools, students were inspired to take action.

With guidance from their teachers, students prepared sports equipment and written heartfelt letters to encourage and uplift their new friends abroad. Thanks to the generous sponsorship of the Apopka Women’s Club, the $350 shipping cost to send these materials has been fully funded.
This partnership not only brings much-needed resources to children in Jamaica but also allows Clay Springs students to experience the lasting impact of service. Together, they are building connections across borders and learning that even small acts of kindness can make a world of difference.

May 2026

Pictured from left: AWC President Diane Harrison, AWC Scholarship Chair Saudi Ellis, Scholarship Recipients: Edith Tavera, Ariana Serami Obregon, Gabrielle Robinson, Kendall Walker, Elizabeth Marshall.

The Apopka Woman’s Club awarded five $1,500 scholarships during its April 21, 2026 monthly meeting. AWC is a nonprofit civic organization and member of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs, has supported local scholarships since the 1960s through fundraising efforts like the annual Apopka Art and Foliage Festival.

Recipients include Apopka High School seniors Kendall Walker, Elizabeth Marshall, and Ariana Serami Obregon; Orangewood Christian Academy senior Gabrielle Robinson; and adult learner Edith Tavera of Hope CommUnity Center.

Submitted by Saudi Ellis, Education & Libraries Chair

Pictured from left: AWC President Diane Harrison, AHS students Elizabeth Marshall, Kendall Walker, Ariana Serami Obregon, AWC Scholarship Chair Saudi Ellis, Principal Lyle Heinz.

At the 2026 May meeting Lorena Potter was selected as their outstanding Woman of the Year! She served all year with outstanding dedication in about every area of the club.