2025 98th Annual Convention

The Democratic Woman’s Club of Kentucky (DWCK) held its 98th Convention on October 4, 2025 at the Hampton Inn Waterfront in Owensboro, Kentucky.  The Daviess County Woman’s Club, under the leadership of Club President Sagan Storm, hosted nearly 55 women and guests. 

President Tammy Cranfill presided with assistance from 1^st Vice President Sherry Spradlin, who chairs the Hospitality Committee. Daviess County club member, Susan Guilfoil, opened the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by the communal reading of the Democratic Creed. Pres. Cranfill followed with reading of the DWCK Purpose. 

Speakers included:

John Steffen, Executive Director, Kentucky Registry of Election Finance, sharing specifics on financial reporting requirements for KREF pertaining to Contributing Organizations and Permanent Committees, as well as resources for candidate reporting requirements;

Robin Gabbard, Democratic Woman’s Club of Pike County & Mountain Association, presenting on crowd source fundraising; 

Allison Wiseman, President, Kentucky Young Democrats, informing on club development across the state, the need for supporting young democrats in our communities, and the value young democrats bring to the process and future of the party; 

Billie Berry, Democratic Woman’s Club of Shelby-Henry Counties, sharing her involvement with Voices for Justice and her journey to become more politically involved; and

Havanna Scarberry, Pike County, was introduced by Pike County Club President Cathy Bartley. Ms. Scarberry was the $1,500 DWCK Scholarship recipient. She plans to attend Berea College, majoring in Psychology and possibly Political Science. She shared her moving story of achieving educational success despite living in poverty. She accredited this, in part, to social programs supported by the Democratic Party, including free school lunches, disability assistance, SNAP, and SSI.  She will attend college next year, an accomplishment neither of her parents had the opportunity to achieve.

New club officers were elected, each to serve 2-year terms: Cathy Barnett, 2^nd Vice President; Barbara Pollock, 3^rd Vice President; Paula Bowling, Recording Secretary; and Jane Elkin Thomas, 2^nd Member-at-Large. 

The DWCK has increased membership since the 2024 Convention from over 700 members to 1,021.  It is not to our pre-COVID numbers but we are gaining ground! We have 33 registered clubs inclusive of 41 counties. Three additional clubs are in the process of registering.