THE SEASON OF GRATITUDE
MWC Community Advocates from three countries and throughout the United States at the Widow Empowerment Event in Scottsdale, Arizona, September 2022.
We’re Thankful and Grateful
In this season of giving and gratitude, as well as year-round, we’re thankful for our remarkable Community Advocates who give selflessly to empower widows to thrive. They have taken the concept of moving forward while giving back to its highest level, and embody the spirit of what it means to be the change they wish to see in the world.
To all of our Community Advocates, we extend our sincerest gratitude. You better the life of every widow who comes to Modern Widows Club, and you demonstrate every day that one person truly can make a difference. Thank you for your unwavering and compassionate service to widows.
LEGENDARY WIDOW ROLE MODEL
Marie Jordan Speer
Our November 2022 Legendary Widow Role Model is Marie Jordan Speer, Founder of Gold Star Wives of America.
Speer was born May 9, 1921, in Tappan, New York. In 1942 she married Edward Jordan, who was drafted into the military in January 1944. He died in combat in Germany that same year.
In 1945, Speer reached out to several widows of other fallen soldiers and invited them to lunch in her New York apartment. They formed a volunteer group they called Gold Star Wives.
After the death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt on April 12, 1945, Speer reached out to first lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who joined the organization and signed on to help the cause.
The early organizers saw Gold Star Wives as an organization to collectively work to improve benefits for military surviving spouses and children of those lost in World War II. Gold Star Wives lobbied for monthly compensation checks and educational benefits. They pushed to ensure Social Security credit for servicemen, home loan benefits to war widows, and expanded medical care for Army personnel.
Today, Gold Star Wives of America is a national nonprofit organization that lobbies Congress to secure benefits for spouses and children of fallen soldiers. Through their 35 chapters, they provide assistance, support, and friendship to those who have lost their spouse to a military-related cause of death.
Speer ultimately married twice more, eventually settling in Corpus Christi, Texas where she and her son founded Sun Publishing. Speer produced three local newspapers until 2002, and ran for Corpus Christi City Council in the early 1990s.
Speer remained active in the Gold Star Wives until her early 90s. She passed away peacefully on October 19, 2019 at age 98.
In March 2020, Speer’s life and legacy were recognized on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. In April 2021, the U.S. Senate approved a resolution designating April 5 as Gold Star Spouses Day to honor the sacrifices made by the families of fallen members of the U.S. Armed Forces.
MWC SPECIAL PRESENTATION
Join us LIVE on Facebook and YouTube at 12pm ET on Thursday, December 8 for a conversation with Modern Widows Club Founder Carolyn Moor and Maggie Gomez, Owner of Money with Maggie.
Carolyn and Maggie will discuss 3 tips for saving on your taxes. Tune in live to learn about these great strategies that may help you keep more of your hard-earned money.
There’s no need to register — just join us live on December 8.
MENTORING FOR WIDOWS
Six Months of Hope, Healing, Support, and Growth
Registration will close soon for our January through June 2023 PIVOT virtual mentoring program with Modern Widows Club Founder Carolyn Moor.
In this 6-month program you’ll find support, inspiration, and guidance from Carolyn and our guest experts on becoming a strong and constant axis in your own life as you pivot and grow in widowhood.
If you’d like to have a conversation with Carolyn about whether or not PIVOT is the right fit for you, please email us before December 15 to schedule your call.
#GIVINGTUESDAY
We believe that every widow deserves the opportunity to quickly connect with community, friendships, and crucial support systems to help set them on a pivotal, purposeful road to holistic health.
At Modern Widows Club, widows receive services and support through our national, international, and virtual groups long after most become ineligible for traditional grief support.
You can help us continue to serve the needs of widows both regionally and virtually. Modern Widows Club is one of the charities participating in GivingTuesday, a global day of generosity that will take place on November 29, 2022.
We invite you to help us raise awareness and funds for effective widowhood programs, initiatives, and solutions by saving the date and making a donation online on November 29.
WELLNESS WINDOW
Food to Tame Our Mood
By Tara Gidus Collingwood, MS, RDN, CSSD, ACSM-CPT
We are heading into the holiday season — or should I say the season of anxiety, stress, and reminders of the loved ones we have lost?
Are you tired? Sad? Tense? Mad? Whether it’s anxiety about an upcoming social event, mood swings from a rollercoaster of a day, or just plain hormonal changes, you can help your mood by eating certain foods and avoiding others.
A lot of us consider ourselves “emotional eaters” — me included! I think most people at some point turn to food as a way to escape, numb, or fill a void emotionally. My food of choice is chocolate. Not a day goes by that I don’t have chocolate at some point. One or two small pieces of dark chocolate is not a problem. It is when those one or two piece turns into a lot more and then the inevitable stomachache and feelings of remorse.
If I could snap my fingers and prevent us all from eating high-sugar, high-fat foods in search of drowning our emotions, I would. Intellectually we know that we will not feel better eating these foods, but in the moment it feels good.
What I try to do is focus on how I want to feel — not just physically, but also emotionally and mentally. If I binge on junk, I will be cranky, tired, and have lots of guilt that will drain my energy instead of connecting with the people who matter most to me.
Physiologically, there are foods and nutrients that can potentially intensify poor mood and anxiety and others that can diminish it. So instead of reaching for the family size bag of potato chips, try switching to choices that are more nutritional.
Click below to continue reading Tara’s article.
Tara Gidus Collingwood is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Certified Personal Trainer, and fellow Wister. You can find her at dietdiva.net.
EMPOWERMENT IN WIDOWHOOD
This holiday season, give yourself (or a widow you care for) a gift that’s truly unique and meaningful.
Our WEE Full Access Bundle includes 59 videos from our 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, and 2022 Widow Empowerment Events. You’ll hear from 40 speakers who will motivate, educate, and empower you.
Purchased individually, the cost is more than $340. But through the holiday season, the bundle price is just $59 — a discount of more than 80%!
This special gift can be accessed 24/7/365 for support and inspiration. To purchase, just click below.
MWC SPECIAL PRESENTATION
Alternative Ways to Give to Charity
If you didn’t have a chance to tune into our livestream last week, you can still watch the video of this great conversation between Carolyn Moor, MWC Founder, and Megan Kopka, Owner of Kopka Financial.
You’ll learn about Donor Advised Funds, the issues you should consider when establishing your charitable giving strategy, issues you should consider before the end of the year, whether you’re eligible to make a Qualified Charitable Distribution from your IRA, and more.
GUEST CONTRIBUTOR
Strength in Asking
By Janice Talbert
As I write this, it is my second birthday without my husband, and it is bittersweet. I woke up this morning feeling the absence of him while remembering the love and joy we shared. Knowing this would be an emotional day, I asked a friend if she’d join me for dinner. This simple request held power that has helped me face the day. It ensured I wasn’t alone, and that gave me strength.
When those special or trigger dates approach, I find I need something else on my calendar, something that holds hope of companionship and joy. I try to look ahead and make arrangements before emotions set in, then stick to them. I know I could easily talk myself out of following through by making an excuse as the day approaches, but I attempt to balance those impulses with thoughts of self-care.
In my first year of grief, I planned months in advance. It fortified me and lessened my fear of the first set of events and holidays without my husband. I know I am fortunate that family and friends have been available and receptive to my requests, but I had to muster the courage to ask them to stand with me.
I have kept this practice through year two, and I think I will for some time to come. And, if family or friends are not available, I will find something else to occupy and care for myself. In this way, I feel that I am honoring my husband’s memory and the love and joy we shared.
MWC ART CLUB
Join us for our Art Club the 1st Saturday of each month from 12pm to 1:30pm ET.
Dr. Linda Shanti McCabe will assist you in creating your own SoulCollage deck of cards. A pack of 12 blank cards is $8 and can be purchased here. Other than the cost of your supplies, there are no fees for joining our Art Club!
In addition to your blank SoulCollage cards, we encourage you to have the following items available: Scissors, glue stick, and images cut from magazines, such as landscapes, animals, shapes, or any elements that resonate with you.
You can join every month or as your schedule allows. This is an ongoing and continual Art Club that will evolve each month. If any additional supplies are needed for a particular month, you will be notified in that month's meeting reminder email.
To sign up, click the button below and update your mailing list preferences to include mailings from our Art Club.
modernwidowsclub.org
844-4-A-WIDOW
insidelook@modernwidowsclub.org