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Shoreline Community Women's Brenda Farrell Gives Back

As a retired nurse, Brenda Farrell wanted to do something that would help nurture those around her and felt this group best suited her interests. After attending the annual Clinton Chamber of Commerce Expo, Brenda learned of Shoreline Community Women, Inc. (SCW), and immediately became a member. For 15 years, she has served in almost every office in the club and is current the first vice president.

Founded in 1973, SCW originates from the Connecticut Junior Women, Inc., a statewide organization consisting of dozens of clubs with more than 3,000 members. Its goal is to promote community service, leadership, and friendship while benefiting the community. Membership is open to those who live in Clinton, Westbrook, and Killingworth, as well as surrounding towns such as Guilford, Madison, and Old Saybrook.

Brenda, along with a group of about 30 women, participates in a number of community service events and fundraisers including the well-known Boxes for Soldiers. For the last six years, SCW has gathered items in a care package to be sent to servicemen and -women in Iraq and Afghanistan as a "thank you" for their services.

Residents contact Brenda and Cindy Stevens, co-coordinator for the event, to make donations. Since 2006, there have been more than 1,000 boxes delivered, with help from numerous volunteers, Clinton's Veterans of Foreign Wars post, and the American Legion. From batteries and toiletries to candy and snacks, Brenda helps send a variety of packages to those serving overseas.

The most rewarding part is when the soldiers write back after receiving the packages-one solider wrote, "Your big brown packages have become renowned in the entire section." The group also gets the school systems involved in the project, letting students send letters along with the boxes to show their support.

"The community has been so supportive and helpful of this," Brenda says. "I have to say this is my favorite project."

One of SCW's major fundraisers each year is the Clinton Bluefish 5k Road Race, which the women co-sponsor. Through those efforts, the women are able to give away scholarships each year to different school systems. This year, they raised $2,000 for a designated student of their choosing.

"When I first started the club we only gave away $500. Now it's up to $2,000 because we're all working extra hard," Brenda says.

One of the more heartwarming projects in which Brenda's involved is helping out a family in need. Each year, SCW chooses one family based on recommendations from Social Services or other organizations on the shoreline and lends financial assistance.

"When you hear people's problems, it just tugs on your heart. Every year we choose a needy family and for that year we'll make sure the holidays are covered," Brenda says. "It's a really nice thing to do."

On top of that, Brenda takes part in a number of projects each year, including Christmas in Clinton, an event at which the group has its own table and bake sale to help raise funds for the solider project. The women also take part in supporting Domestic Violence New Horizons Services, senior citizen activities, downtown beautification projects, Clinton Husky Helper Day, and Police and Fire Appreciation weeks. Donations made from the group have been awarded to the Clinton, Westbrook, and Killingworth public school systems, libraries, and town services, and several groups including food pantries and shelters.

Besides being an active volunteer with SCW, Brenda said a big benefit from working with the women is having social gatherings and gaining long-term friendships.

"It's a community of women, who most of them have been together for 20, 25 years. You develop friendships out of it, which is great," Brenda says. "In the summer we take a trip to Manhattan to the theater and we all have a night out where we'll go do ceramics. It's a well balanced group."

SCW meets on the third Wednesday of the month, September through June, at the Clinton American Legion Hall. As first vice-president, Brenda also helps organize about three speakers per year to help educate the women on topics that best pertain to them.

Brenda says that the group is always open to more volunteers. She says it's a great way to meet knew people while giving back to the community.

"We're always looking for new members, people helping us to do better," she says.

For more information on Shoreline Community Women, Inc., or to make a donation, contact Brenda Farrell at opalbee@aol.com.