The 2026 VSWO Convention is June 11 – 13 at St. John Lutheran Church in Abingdon, VA and a part of the event will focus on volunteering. This year attendees will have the opportunity to do some volunteering and work on service projects such as assembling Thrivent Cause Kits – solar lights and water purifiers, cleanup on the Creeper Trail at Taylor’s Shelter, meet with other quilters for quilting conversations and ideas, help at the local food pantry – Ecumenical Faith in Action (EFIA), sort and organize items at the EFIA thrift store.
Dona Jenkins, a member of the Virginia Synodical Women’s Organization shared the following reflection on volunteering.
“I started my volunteer roles when I moved to Southwest Virginia years ago. The “work” is needed for many local organizations. Sometimes, just a set of helping hands works wonders for the giver and the receiver.
Among the organizations I volunteer with is the Virginia Synodical Women’s Organization (VSWO) of the Virginia Synod. They needed to become more visible to women on the Internet. “Developing the website for VSWO,” I told the VSWO Board, “is important to the VSWO for mirroring their goals to reach more women within the Synod”. I created their website, joined the Board, and am the VSWO Conferences Coordinator.”
There is still time to register for this year’s convention. If you are worried about costs, the VSWO offers the Sophie Wilson Grant for first-time non-voting women to cover the registration fee and 50% of your hotel reservation. You can find information on the event and registration details at https://vswo.org/
(Photo from 2025 VSWO Convention)
