GFWC Seward Nebraska

Home
United States
Seward, NE
GFWC Seward Nebraska

Directions Website Contact the organization

Dedicated to community improvement by enhancing the lives of others through volunteer service.

10/20/2026

GFWC Seward Woman’s Club - 40 Year with HOBY Youth Program.

In celebration of the 40th Annual Hugh O’ Brian Youth (HOBY) Leadership Program for Sophomores in High School, GFWC Seward Woman’s Club featured HOBY representative and Seward High graduate, Esten Johnsen on Saturday, October 10th at 9:00 am at the Seward Civic Center. He is currently a Sophomore at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota. Esten Johnsen was recently named the HOBY National Social Media Intern for the national HOBY program. Esten was the HOBY representative from Seward High in 2023, has served as a HOBY Volunteer leader for many HOBY State Conferences in the US in 2024,2025 and represented the Nebraska HOBY at the World HOBY event several times – and in 2026 was a World Congress volunteer. He was recently named the HOBY Social Media Intern and will be working with HOBY at the National Level.

The GFWC Seward Woman’s Club sponsored the first SHS HOBY Student, Jennifer Kruse, in 1986 (and was selected to be the alternate Nebraska Rep at HOBY World Congress that year) and Seward has selected and sponsored a student for the HOBY program every year, since then-even during the Covid years. The program is co-sponsored by the School District of Seward, High Ability Learner Program HAL and the GFWC Seward Woman’s Club. The representatives from the GFWC Seward Woman’s Club, Seward Rotary Club and Seward Kiwanis, created a panel to interview students for the selection process.

Each high school can send one student to HOBY. Last year, SHS Sophomore Jordyn Samuels was the SHS HOBY representative and this year, Haley Curry – an SHS Sophomore will attend the HOBY Leadership program this year. The HOBY program works with Sophomores in high school, with the hope, that they can then return to their schools and share their new leadership skills at each school, with their classmates.
Esten’s presentation was four-fold, introducing himself, defining HOBY, his experiences with HOBY and the Future of HOBY.
The HOBY youth leadership program was first created by the late actor, Hugh ‘O Brian-thus Hugh O’ Brian Youth or HOBY was “Born!” The annual, spring High School week-end seminar is often held on one of the area college campuses in Nebraska, right after school is out in the Spring.

10/16/2026

Move for a Healthier You!!

Thank you to those who came out and joined us today for our walk. We had a great time and enjoyed a beautiful evening.

10/14/2026

“Make a Difference Day”

Join our annual “Make a Difference Day” Food Drive and help fill the shelves for neighbors in need. Your donations of canned goods and nonperishable food can bring comfort and hope to local families. Every donation, big or small, makes a difference. Together, we can share kindness and strengthen our community!

We will be at Walmart and PacNSave.

DROP OFF LOCATION:
Seward Civic Center.

10/13/2026

🌸 Ladies, Let's Get Moving! 🌸

Join us for “Move for a Healthier You!” — a wonderful opportunity to enjoy some fresh air, friendly conversation, and a little exercise!

You don't have to be an experienced walker or know anyone to join us. Whether you walk a little or a lot, there's a place for you!

Our goal is simple — to bring women together, build friendships, enjoy a few laughs, and encourage one another to live healthier, happier lives.

Come as you are, walk at your own pace, and leave with a smile!

Bring a friend or come make a new one. We'd love to have you join us! 💕, lace up your walking shoes, and let's walk together!

Where to meet: Seward Community Dog Park parking lot at 700 East Seward Road, Seward. Thursday, October 15 at 6:00 pm. We'll walk on the Plum Creek Trail.

Indoor option is planned for inclement weather.
Don't forget to Bring your own water.

For questions or to sign up, contact Chris Blanke at [email protected]. Sponsored by GFWC Seward Woman's Club and supported by (or in partnership with) Four Corners Health Department.

10/06/2026

Congratulations to the Howells Dodge Quiz Bowl Team - winning the GFWC NFWC State Literature Quiz Bowl in Seward.
Proceeds/ profits generated were presented to the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program!

10/05/2026

Girls Only Quiz Bowl Champs - Medium School - Fillmore Central is presented trophy and medals from GFWC NFWC Chair Diane Uher of GFWC Clarkson Womans Club - GFWC NFWC Quiz Bowl Chair hosted by GFWC Seward Woman’s Club

10/03/2026

Join us for our October meeting.

Learn Who We Are, What We Do and How You Can Become Involved.

09/28/2026

💜 Help Us Help Others 💜

The Seward Woman’s Club is collecting personal hygiene products to support individuals and families affected by domestic violence.

Something as simple as shampoo, soap, deodorant, toothpaste, feminine hygiene products, or other everyday essentials can provide comfort, dignity, and a sense of normalcy during a difficult transition.

Every donation, big or small, can make a meaningful difference.

Please consider donating new, unopened personal hygiene items and help us show survivors in our community that they are supported and cared for.

Help us fill the Purple Bin. Located at Seward Civic Center.

09/20/2026

Dwaine Fosler Honored as the September Seward County “USA-250” History Hero by GFWC Seward Woman’s Club.

Dwaine Fosler was named the September Seward County “USA-250” History Hero by the GFWC Seward Woman’s Club at their monthly meeting on Saturday, September 12th at the Seward Civic Center at a 9:00 meeting. The GFWC Seward Woman’s Club is honoring a “History Hero” in Seward County monthly during the year 2026-honoring the “USA-250!”

The honoree and their family was invited to attend the monthly meeting and be recognized, honored and presented a framed, signed certificate of appreciation for the preservation and promotion history-both on the local and state level. He attended, along with many of his family members, and received the recognition from Ellen Chaffin and Bonnie Kruse-both GFWC Seward Woman’s Club officers.

Fosler, along with his son Tom, have been a lifetime promoter of the historic Blue River Cattle Trail and especially the drive through Nebraska and Seward County. This father and son are working to bring official recognition to a little-known piece of Nebraska history: the Blue River Cattle Trail.

From 1868 to 1871, the trail ran along the Big Blue River, moving Texas Longhorns north to the stockyards in Schuyler, where cattle were loaded onto trains and shipped to Chicago. Dwaine Fosler, who has researched the trail for decades, said the route was well-traveled long before the cattle drives began.

“This trail came into existence back in about... well, it was a very early trail for wild game, and then the Indians used it,” Fosler said. “And the cowboys used it and the settlers used it.”

The Blue River Cattle Trail is considered an important part of Nebraska history for two reasons: it was the first trail to bring the Texas beef industry into central Nebraska, and it played a role in post-Civil War reunification.

“It became a kind of a focal point after the Civil War for getting beef to the northern part of the United States where people had a shortage of beef,” Fosler said. “And then the cattle — some of them went to ranches and farms — and they became a kind of a connecting link for people that were from the South and from the North, because they both worked together to get this accomplished.”

Fosler said his lifelong connection to cowboy culture drew him to the subject. He grew up on a dirt farm near Milford and said the history “just became something that I did, something I love that I developed.”

Fosler first read about the trail in a 1968 issue of NEBRASKALand Magazine, which referenced a cattle route running from Abilene, Kansas, to Schuyler. He spent years gathering information from articles, books, diaries and old maps. That research was published in the winter 2020 issue of Nebraska History Magazine.

His son, Tom Fosler, said the publication was a turning point—but not the finish line.

“In winter 2020, Dwaine had published an article in Nebraska History Magazine that had kind of validated the Blue River Cattle Trail,” Tom Fosler said. “I felt that it was not quite there. I wanted to try to make it officially recognized as much as possible in the state of Nebraska.”

Tom Fosler, who serves as project manager, outlined three goals for the effort.

The first has already been achieved: working with Sen. Jana Hughes, the Foslers secured passage of a legislative resolution recognizing the Blue River Cattle Trail.

The second goal is to have the trail added to the state map of Nebraska and the Nebraska Visitor’s Travel Guide through ongoing work with the Nebraska Department of Transportation and the Nebraska Tourism Commission.

Their third goal is to place two historical markers along the trail in Seward County—one at the Blue River Rest Area near the Milford exit and one at the Blue River Historical District just south of Seward.

09/17/2026

GFWC NFWC Supports Dolly’s “Imagination Library” - at Literature Quiz Bowl

L-R Bernie Baumert - GFWC Howells Woman’s Club, Dolly Parton , Diane Uher - GFWC Clarkson Woman’s Club, Ellen Chaffin - GFWC Seward Woman’s Club - represented the GFWC Nebraska Federation of Women’s Club at the recent Literature High School Quiz Bowl in Seward to raise funds for The Dolly Parton “Imagination Library” program to combat Illiteracy.

There were 38 teams from across Nebraska that competed in the statewide tournament on Wednesday - September 16,2026.

After expenses the effort generated over $1,000 for the Dolly Imagination Library! Other GFWC Seward representatives included Bonnie Kruse and Kathy Castleberry - also members of the GFWC Seward Woman’s Club who volunteered at the tournament.

This is the 29th annual High School Seward Literature Quiz Bowl to promote literacy! Uher and Baumert are GFWC NFWC State Quiz Bowl program chairman! Riley Nuttleman was Quiz Bowl Master.

Address

616 Bradford Street
Seward, NE
68434

Website

http://www.gfwc.org/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when GFWC Seward Nebraska posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to GFWC Seward Nebraska:

Want your organization to be the top-listed non profit organization in Seward?