Artist in Residency Program

Centennial High students in a PhotoVoice project.

The Brentwood/Franklin Woman's Service Club is pleased to support the Arts Council of Williamson County and its Artist in Residency program.

This year's program is being led by Jen Vogus who is teaching special education students at Centennial High School in a participatory photography method known as Photovoice.  This method gives voice to individuals who typically do not have one in their community.  This arts-approach utilizes the power of photography as a catalyst for self-expression and invites individuals to capture and share details about their lives and perspectives that might otherwise be difficult for them to convey.

Join us April 3 when Nan Zierdon, president of the Arts Council, updates us on this project and other programs of the council.

For more info on the Arts Council, go to their web-site:
www.artscouncilwc.org

March Program: Healing Housing

When Olivia Mullin 

Thanks to Lauren Kissinger and Olivia Mullen for sharing the history and mission of this non-profit organization with us.

Healing Housing is Williamson County's only transitional living program for women in recovery.  Everyday, women leave treatment and have nowhere to go.  Many lack the resources to continue growing in their recovery journey.  This non-profit offers safe housing and supportive programming to increase the chances of maintaining long-term sobriety.

To donate or learn more about them, go to web-site:

www.healinghousing.org

of Stacy after she left prison. Stacy was seeking a fresh start free from aAtlcohol and drugs, but she had no safe place to go. Without a secure, nurturing environment, Stacy would end up back on the streets.

​

In March 2015, Olivia met with a group of Christian women who were also dedicated to offering a unique "next step" for women in recovery. This group realized Nashville was experiencing a crisis: there were not enough beds for low-income women coming out of drug treatment programs. Their primary goal was to show the love of God and provide a safe and structured environment where women in recovery could continue to grow and heal.When Olivia Mullin began volunteering as a mentor to women in a state prison, she had no idea that her experience would lead to the establishment of what would later become Healing Housing. For months, Olivia worked with Stacy, a young mother with a history of sexual abuse, abandonment, and homelessness. Olivia learned that Stacy had found herself addicted to drugs and alcohol and had received a prison sentence for multiple drug-related convictions. Olivia worried what would become of Stacy after she left prison. Stacy was seeking a fresh start free from alcohol and drugs, but she had no safe place to go. Without a secure, nurturing environment, Stacy would end up back on the streets.

​

In March 2015, Olivia met with a group of Christian women who were also dedicated to offering a unique "next step" for women in recovery. This group realized Nashville was experiencing a crisis: there were not enough beds for low-income women coming out of drug treatment programs. Their primary goal was to show the love of God and provide a safe and structured environment where women in recovery could continue to grow and heal.When Olivia Mullin began volunteering as a mentor to women in a state prison, she had no idea that her experience would lead to the establishment of what would later become Healing Housing. For months, Olivia worked with Stacy, a young mother with a history of sexual abuse, abandonment, and homelessness. Olivia learned that Stacy had found herself addicted to drugs and alcohol and had received a prison sentence for multiple drug-related convictions. Olivia worried what would become of Stacy after she left prison. Stacy was seeking a fresh start free from alcohol and drugs, but she had no safe place to go. Without a secure, nurturing environment, Stacy would end up back on the streets.

​

In March 2015, Olivia met with a group of Christian women who were also dedicated to offering a unique "next step" for women in recovery. This group realized Nashville was experiencing a crisis: there were not enough beds for low-income women coming out of drug treatment programs. Their primary goal was to show the love of God and provide a safe and structured environment where women in recovery could continue to grow and heal.

Operation Smile. January 24, 2018

Fun, Fellowship, and service for Operation Smile!  

73 children's hospital gowns, 24 no-sew blankets, and 54 Smile bags were prepared by 54 volunteers through 289 volunteer service hours and shipped with 20 stuffed animals to the headquarters of Operation Smile in Virginia Beach, VA.

In addition to providing cleft lip and palate repair surgeries to children worldwide, Operation Smile works as a non-governmental organization to reduce the occurrence of cleft lips and palates worldwide; develops ambassadorships to raise awareness of cleft issues; sponsors a world care program for international cases requiring special care; organizes chapters and foundations worldwide to assist countries in reaching self-sufficiency with cleft surgeries; hosts a U.S. care network to assist families in the U.S. with cleft issues; develops and administers worldwide education programs related to cleft issues; and organizes student leadership programs.   For more details, go to https://www.operationsmile.org/

  

February, 2018 Program Speaker: M.J. Ayers

                  Great presentation on the changing styles of women's uniforms over the distinguished career of MJ Ayers in the US Army.

December Activities

We started the holiday season in late November by decorating the Brentwood Country Club, followed by our luncheon on December 5 with vendors for shopping and our special speaker Joan Betros and a fashion show of her Middle East garments modeled by our members and one member's daughter.

Then several of our members made a outing to Cheekwood.

November, 2017 Program Speaker

Secretary of State Tre Hargett was unable to attend our November meeting and sent Mark Goins as a replacement.  Mr Goins heads the State of Tennessee Division of Election as the Coodinator of Elections.

We were delighted to learn about the elections process in Tennessee.

Mark Goins, originally from La Follette, TN, a graduate of Lincoln Memorial University, with his J.D. from Regent University School of Law, and a student of comparative law at Oxford University in England, was appointed by Secretary of State Tre Hargett as the Coordinator of Elections on February 11, 2009.  

 

Mark served on the State Election Commission from March of 2005 to February of 2009.

 

In addition, during the years of 1996 to 2002, Mark held the office of District 34 Representative in the Tennessee House of Representatives.  During his tenure in the legislature, he served on the Elections Sub-Committee and was selected as the 2002 East TN Development District Legislator of the Year.  Mark recently served as Chairman of the Election Assistance Commission Standards Board and was selected by his peers to represent State Election Directors on the Critical Infrastructure Government Coordinating Council.

 

Mark is married to Rebecca, and they have two sons, Brody and Noah.

The Division of Elections is headed by the Coordinator of Elections, Mark Goins, who oversees the election process in the State of Tennessee. The Coordinator of Elections works directly with ninety-five (95) local county election commissions, candidates and the public on election related issues.  The county election commissions are appointed by the State Election Commission.  There are ninety-five (95) county election commission offices throughout the State. 

Division of Elections
Mark Goins, Coordinator of Elections
312 Rosa L. Parks Avenue
Snodgrass Tower, 7th Floor
Nashville, TN 37243
615-741-7956
1-877-850-4959
tennessee.elections@tn.gov

December 5 - Holiday Luncheon Speaker: Joan Betros on "Sharing the World of Sisterhood"

Joan Betros has over 35 years of experience in the media and entertainment field, which has covered every aspect of production. Her medium is Television, Radio, Network News, Live production, Documentaries, and Motion Picture.  Her main areas of expertise are producing and directing family television programming and large, live events.  She has a production/entertainment company (JDB Entertainment, LLC) in Nashville and is currently establishing satellite offices in the Middle East in music, arts, family television programming, and live events with global production.

Mrs. Betros is the Chairman and Founder of FUTURE (Families United Toward Universal Respect), a global, USA based, non-profit that facilitates and organizes international "Sharing the World of Sisterhood" conferences. These conferences promote and educate women on FUTURE's organizational model of volunteerism to create unity of family programs dedicated to the health, education, welfare, and humanitarian aid programs for women and their families nationally and internationally.  She is bringing a "Sharing the World of Sisterhood" conference to Dubai, along with  the East-West Connection - Voices 4 One, a music cultural exchange in October, 2018.

Other experiences in the Middle East include serving as the Director of Women and Children's Family Television programs under the direction of the Coalition Provisional Authority and creating pre-production of indigenous family television programming for the Iraq Media Network.   In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Mrs. Betros was commissioned by the Royal Family and the King Faisal Foundation to produce marketing documentaries.

Knowing how important volunteerism is to the fabric of our society, the Brentwood -Franklin Woman's Service Club is excited to  hear about Mrs. Betros' efforts of promotion in the Middle East and how our area can contribute to her vision of world sisterhood.  

The public is invited to attend:  December 5, 10:30am - 1:30pm.  Cost:  $50   Reservations can be emailed to edkathkc1@att.net