Today we’d like to introduce you to Vicki Bechet.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Vicki Ross (Loose) Bechet, a fourth-generation member of GFWC, was President of the GFWC of Tennessee from 2020-2022. Her theme was “GFWC Volunteers – Be the Light, Light a Fire, Get Fired Up.” Her emblem was a dragon. The TRTL Project (Together, Replenishing Tennessee Libraries) was her President’s Special Project. The focus of this project was to replace all the books destroyed in the Waverly Elementary School flash flood that inundated her hometown of Waverly, TN on August 21, 2021. As a result of this state effort, the school received 8000+ books and over $5000.00.
Vicki has four children and five grandchildren in a blended family. The oldest of five siblings, Vicki grew up in New Johnsonville, TN in a family that believed in volunteering and community service. Her father was in the Lions Club, on the county school board, and an active Boy Scout supporter until his death at 93. Her mother was a GFWC member, Red Cross water safety instructor, and city councilman.
As a child, she organized fundraising activities like neighborhood dog shows and Kool-Aid sales. She participated in Girl Scouts and 4-H, served on the county High School 4-H council, state fair judging teams, and attended the Citizenship Short Course in Washington, DC. She received numerous state and regional honors in science competitions and was active in various school organizations. Each summer, she worked as a lifeguard and swimming instructor, specializing in scared beginner classes for children and adults.
A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, she is a nationally certified (retired) RN. Vicki’s professional focus was maternal and neonatal care. She taught childbirth/breastfeeding classes, campaigned for infant car seat laws, managed a March of Dimes grant program for teenage mothers, and was an officer and board member of several state & national perinatal professional organizations. Vicki worked in Labor & Delivery until she left patient care to become a consultant and project manager in the hospital construction industry, specializing in medical equipment planning.
She joined the GFWC Dickson Junior Woman’s Club in 1980, served in many capacities including club president, and was TN Junior Director 1994-96. She started the GFWC Spring Station Woman’s Club in 2010, formed the GFWC Maury County Woman’s Club in 2019, and successfully reactivated the GFWC Clarksville Woman’s Club in 2021.
She held various positions in GFWC of TN both as a Junior and a General member, culminating in State President. Her administration was challenged due to the Covid epidemic, but she and her board switched from live to Zoom meetings, conferences, and conventions, and worked hard to encourage clubs to continue to search for volunteer opportunities that could be undertaken without in-person activities.
One accomplishment is no clubs left the state Federation during those difficult and scary times! Tennessee clubs received several national awards during her term of office including CSP and Creativity Awards.
She received the GFWC Jennie Award in June, 2024 at the GFWC International Convention in Chicago. The award is named in honor of GFWC’s founder, Jane Cunningham Croly, who wrote for national newspapers under the pseudonym “Jennie June.” The award highlights extraordinary members who epitomize her spirit of independence, courage, and persistence in purpose through their roles as volunteers within their clubs, elsewhere in the community, and as members of a family or extended family. GFWC Jennie Award is the only national honor that recognizes individual members for personal excellence. In fact, it is the highest honor bestowed by GFWC.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Volunteering has highs and lows, just like life. It’s exciting to know you’re making a difference. But you can also feel undervalued or experience other challenges. The highs are personal growth, community impact, and social connections. The lows are fatigue, burn out, and frustrations with the decrease of formal volunteerism in large and small communities.
We’ve been impressed with General Federation of Women’s Clubs, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
The General Federation of Women’s Clubs is an international women’s organization dedicated to community improvement by enhancing the lives of others through volunteer service. Formed in 1890, it is one of the world’s oldest volunteer service organizations for women, well into its second century of volunteer service in communities throughout the United States and the world.
Today, the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (“GFWC”) encourages member clubs to support projects in several community service programs: Arts & Culture, Civic Engagement & Outreach, Education & Libraries, Environment,
and Health & Wellness, along with two signature projects: Domestic & Sexual Violence Awareness & Prevention, and Advocates for Children. In 2024, clubs reported over 106,000 projects, 5.3 Million volunteer hours, $14.3 Million in donations, and over $10 Million in-kind donations.
A few of our many accomplishments – Since our founding, GFWC was instrumental in the passage of the first child labor laws, first juvenile court laws, and the 1906 passage of the Safe Food & Drug Law. GFWC supported legislation for the eight-hour workday, workplace safety and inspection, and workmen’s compensation. Members also supported prison reform legislation. In the 1930’s, having founded over 474 free public libraries and 4,655 traveling libraries, women’s clubs were credited by the American Library Association with establishing 75 percent of America’s public libraries. Supporting local libraries continues to be a Federation priority today.
Through the GFWC Buy a Bomber campaign during World War II, state federations sold war bonds worth, $154,459,132 – enough money to purchase 431 planes. In today’s dollars, that would be over $5 billion dollars. GFWC was one of the five women’s organizations chosen to participate in the conference to form the United Nations. At the conference, GFWC representatives supported the ratification of the United Nations Charter.
GFWC members contributed $180,000 within days after 9-11 for the purchase of a brand new fully-equipped ambulance for New York City.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
Persevere with enthusiasm
