GFWC Woman's Club of Beckley

Awards / Recognition

Perl Tipper with portrait of Cynthia Bickey

Perl Tipper, long time member of the Beckley Woman's Club as well as past president of the Beckley Art Group, stands beside the portrait she painted of Cynthia Bickey.     After a total rebuilding and renovation of the Art Group's building, it was renamed the "Cynthia Bickey Art Group of Beckley."  The portrait was unveiled at their grand opening show in July, 2009.

Beckley Newspapers 4 / 9 / 2009   Betty Young and Shelva Bittinger were first place blue ribbon winners in the Arts and Crafts competition held in conjunction with the 2009 GFWC WV Convention at The Greenbrier in March.  The sisters grew up in Shady Springs and graduated from Shady High School.  They both have three children and are active in the Beckley Art Group.   Shelva graduated in home economics at Concord University and also in education at West Virginia University.  She taught 34 years before retiring from Woodrow Wilson High School and is now employed by WIC (Women, Infants, & Children) on Harper Road.  Shelva took painting lessons from Jo McCoy at the Beckley Art Center where she painted "Magnolia," her winner at The Greenbrier.   Betty received nurse's training at Radford College in Virginia and began her nursing career at the old Raleigh General Hospital when it was on Park Avenue. She was also a nurse at the Beckley Hosopital and worked 40 years before retiring.  Betty's first place winners in the Arts & Crafts competition were a machine quilted item, a 16"x20" paper-pieced "Singer Wall Hanging," and an acrylic painting called "Basket of Flowers."

Awards at 2008 WV GFWC Convention The Greenbrier inWhite Sulphur Springs March 28-30, 2008         Attending the 2008 WV-GFWC Convention from the Beckley Woman's Club were Linda Ramsey (President), Kathryne Williams (2nd Vice President), Nellie Amato (Treasurer), Lena Conte (Historian), and Perl Tipper (Arts in the Community Chairman).  Awards were as follows:   In the Arts & Crafts competition...            1st place ribbons went to Shari Jones, Joan Ashworth, and Kathryne Williams          2nd place ribbon winners were Lena Conte, Betty Young, and Kathryne Williams          3rd place ribbons went to Perl Tipper, Kathryne Williams, and Betty Young.   The Beckley club also received...            a 1st place certificate for their work in the "Arts in the Community" division,          a 1st place in Membership,          a letter of appreciation from the GFWC International President, Jacquelyn Pierce, for its               contribution to the 1734 Society, and         Honor and superior ribbons for complying with state guidlines.     ________________________________________________________     Don't forget to register for the 2009 WV GFWC Convention Click here for Registration Form