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Thompson Falls Woman’s Club (TFWC) showed their appreciation for local educators last month with a gesture of gratitude to all teachers and staff in Thompson Falls. TFWC donated a tray of cookies to the elementary, junior and senior high school faculty members as part of an annual tradition that dates back to more than three decades.

“Some traditions get started and observed without the memory of how or why,” said Lorraine Renard, TFWC secretary. “It’s the act of doing it that brings fulfillment of our club’s commitment to the community.”

During 2019 and 2020, the club substituted flowers in lieu of cookies for the teacher appreciation tradition due to COVID-19 restrictions. Renard says teacher appreciation is about thanking teachers and showing them gratitude for teaching the children, not about the cookies.

The first TFWC teacher appreciation event took place in 1988 when the club adopted Eileen Stone. Renard says this is how the tradition began 34 years ago. “To the best of anyone's knowledge and from what our historical records indicate this was the first known act of teacher appreciation the woman's club engaged in,” she said.

“The General Federation of Women’s Clubs is a nonprofit volunteer community service organization,” Renard said. “One of our main focuses is education. TFWC has been demonstrating their appreciation to the Thompson Falls school district for more than 20 years. The annual event is our club’s way of saying ‘thank you’ to our local educators.”