Mothers, Daughters Collect Cleaning Supplies for The Drake House

Approximately 212 members of the National Charity League (NCL) Gardenia Chapter attended the annual Mother-Daughter Tea at the East Hampton subdivision clubhouse in Marietta this month.

The tea is a NCL tradition from the early days when an afternoon tea was considered a proper social event. Today, NCL chapters around the country continue to embrace their long-standing traditions as well as create new ones with the changing times. The Mother-Daughter Tea remains an important Gardenia Chapter activity which also has a functional purpose.

This event provides the members with another opportunity to give something back to the local community. This year, each mother-daughter family donated a variety of household cleaning supplies to assist the residents of The Drake House in Roswell. The Gardenia Chapter collected 305 items including laundry detergent (40), fabric softener and dryer sheets (30), bleach and stain remover (25), kitchen cleaning products (35), bathroom cleaning products (45), paper towels and toilet paper (100 rolls), and other household cleaning supplies (30).

Donna Lee of Alpharetta, the Gardenia Chapter president, said the daughters had an integral role in organizing this event.

"They help to decorate the clubhouse, make the cucumber sandwiches, cookies and other food items, and serve the tea and punch," she said.

 "We so appreciate the support of the Gardenia Chapter," said Drake House Director Kathy Swahn. "We have sixteen apartments on campus that are fully occupied, as well as a commercial laundry facility on site for use by our families. Most often, there are over thirty children in residence at any given time; you can imagine how busy the washers and dryers are! And, each of our moms is responsible for the upkeep of her apartment, so these products will go a long way to support that effort."

The Gardenia Chapter was founded in 2007. Its mission is to foster mother-daughter relationships in a philanthropic organization committed to community service, leadership development and cultural experiences. It has 254 members serving 13 local philanthropies in Cobb, North Fulton and Forsyth counties. In 2010, members contributed more than 4,000 hours of volunteer time to the local community. Girls may choose to join NCL in the 7th grade with their mother or legal guardian.

www..