What We Do

Current Programs

The Children’s Wish Drive provides holiday gifts for children in families with financial need. The wish requests are fulfilled by townspeople. All Killingworth families with financial need as well as grandparents who are raising grandchildren are welcome to participate. Starting In 2021, KWO will be expanding the wish program year-round for children in need.

Anyone who wishes to donate to the Children’s Wish Drive can do so online: Donate Today, or can send a check to KWO, PO Box 952, Killingworth, CT 06419 (please indicate Children’s Wish Drive on the check/online).

Nancy McCormick, Andrea Frierbauer

This committee’s efforts include bringing awareness of the issues, their impact on the community and ways to help through events, panels, and other means.

More Information About DSVAP

One way we raise funds is with our gift card program. Gift cards from local stores and national retail outlets are purchased at a discount and sold at full retail value to members, the Helping Hands food pantry and non-members to cover club expenses.

If interested in purchasing gift cards yourself, use the Shop With Script, fundraising while you shop program to purchase actual or digital gift cards online. Purchasers get the full retail value and by designating KWO as your charity, we get a rebate.

Eileen Blewett

These events, which can include the Boo Hunt and/or Trunk or Treat, provide a safe place for young children to trick or treat each year.

Boo Hunt
An event inspired by the pandemic, this week-long adventure in October allows kids to gather candy and prizes by visiting participating local businesses.

Amanda Brackett

The KWO manages the local food pantry in a manner to best serve the needs of the community. Delivery is available upon request. All client information is confidential.

Kelly Leach

Helping Hands Food Pantry Information & Details

This committee honors and archives KWO history by recording memories of current and past participation through photos, articles, and online posts.

Morgan Nairn

KWO Timeline

A bright red mailbox in the Killingworth Library collects Santa letters throughout December which are then read and personally responded to by members.

Morgan Nairn, Laura Traver

This committee annually chooses a resident female high school Senior to receive monies towards higher education. Winners are based on grades, and an essay, with priority given to applicants who demonstrate a commitment to community service.

Scholarship Chair

2021 Scholarship Guidelines and Application

This project is a year-round effort to send care packages and other support to deployed local service members and their families.

Amanda Brackett, Morgan Nairn

Birthdays and special occasions are recognized with cards by this committee.

Christen Riedy

This committee organizes a community tag sale with proceeds earmarked for the scholarship fund in the upcoming year. Details Here

Andrea Friebauer, Janet Colandrea

This committee is planning events to celebrate this centenial.

Nancy McCormick

View Gallery Here

Standing Committees

Responsibilities include reviewing and updating by-laws, nominating the officer slate for upcoming elections, and ensuring decisions are made in the best interest of the organization.

Kelly Leach, Andrea Friebauer

This committee recruits and educates new members, collects dues, and organizes all member-sponsored events.

Sandy Allard, Donna Fornall

This committee is responsible for ensuring all organization events are properly publicized though media outlets including articles, calendars, advertisements & social media.

Amanda Brackett

Gift cards from local stores and national retail outlets are purchased at a discount (depending on the store) and are sold to members and non-members at full cost to cover club expenses.

This committee strives to make the KWO website as informative, up to date and user friendly as possible. Updates allowing for online membership and event registration & payments, and dynamic member forms are some of our recent changes.

Janet Colandrea

Past Programs

The Earth Day Library Fundraiser is held every spring, usually on the last Saturday of April. It is a fundraiser for the Killingworth Library, with a committee consisting of members of the KWO, the library and Chatfield Hollow Inn and Farm. Chatfield Hollow Inn and Farm hosts it as a community event with local vendors, organizations, authors and craftspeople that can present ideas on nature and sustainability practices. To add to the festivities, there are games for kids, music and food.

Christen Riedy, Heather Temple, Donna Fornal

Relay for Life of Haddam Killingworth, held annually, is a non-competitive, community fundraising event to raise money and awareness for the American Cancer Society.

The idea of fighting cancer speaks for itself. Our primary missions for the event are to raise as much money as possible for the cause, (click here for the Relay for Life home page) and to come together as a group. The H-K Relay team has continuously been one of the top fundraisers in the area. We are proud of our past accomplishments and are honored to be a part of such a momentous event.

Postcards are sent to new residents that contain a welcome message and information regarding the Killingworth Women’s Organization information and meeting times.

Sandy Allard