ALPHARETTA--Starting with only a handful of women in May 1998 and growing to over 60, the women's guild of St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Alpharetta celebrated its completion of over 15 projects in its first year of service to the Atlanta archdiocese.

At the celebration party held at the parish May 25, treasurer DiAna Casale received the Outstanding Service Award, while vice president Judy Linderman won the Humanitarian Distinguished Service Award for her work with Project Haiti. All members, who range in age from their early-30s to mid-70s, received pins for their year of service.

Honored in other ways for their work, member Barbara Biscan was elected president of the Northwest Deanery of the Atlanta Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women and Judith Baisch was named AACCW Woman of the Year by St. Thomas Aquinas Parish.

The guild began its ministry with a summer clothing drive for its sister parish in Haiti, collecting, sorting and separating clothing for months. A fall fashion show was also held, with proceeds benefiting the Haiti shipping fund.

In September the guild tackled "A Mammoth Flea Market" that included a homemade cake sale and silent auction and, with 55 area restaurants and 28 local merchants donating to the event, raised over $5,000 for the women's guild humanitarian aid program.

In November the guild hosted a luncheon for the AACCW in the Northwest Deanery with guest speaker Genevieve Kineke, editor of the new Canticle magazine for Catholic women.

In January the guild helped the church begin the new year with an open house for parishioners to get to know other members and leaders of the church. It also kicked off its latest project, a parish cookbook. In February Germaine Griffin Copland, president of Word Ministries, Inc. in Roswell, and author of the "Prayers that Avail Much" book series, spoke to the parish women.

Beginning an ongoing project, in April the guild members learned how to make rosaries that will be donated to local charities and overseas.

Other activities included a parish picnic, a self defense program for women and young girls with donations to a rape crisis center, outings to the see "Miss Saigon" and to the High Museum, a Christmas tree trimming party and collecting items for refugees.

For information on the guild contact Baisch at (770) 642-7262.