The General Federation of Women’s Club-West Virginia Woman’s Club is the real deal. After 91 years of service to the city of Williamson and surrounding areas, this club is still going strong. Yes, you read that right-91 years of service.
“Our club is filled with strong, compassionate women and always has been. Looking at past leadership in the club and members over the years, it isn’t surprising that our club has enjoyed such longevity in the community.” Says Chris Dotson, WWC president.
The Williamson Woman’s Club is part of the General Federation of Woman’s Clubs. Founded in 1890 this international organization of clubs is dedicated to community improvement by enhancing the lives of others through volunteer service. The Federation boats a membership total of nearly 80,000.
Here for the Community
With 50 members, the Williamson Woman’s Club is involved in the community through service projects, monetary and supply donations, and assisting with other events in the area.
The largest fundraiser the vent the ladies host is Girls Night Out. The proceeds from this annual event are donated to the Tug Valley Recovery Shelter, a local domestic violence recovery shelter. In 2018, the club donated $5000.00 to the shelter.
“Girls Night Out is one of the most anticipated events in our area. We work on it all year-choosing a theme, selling tickets, gathering prizes for our auction, and finally decorating for ten days leading up to a fabulous night of fun. It’s a huge undertaking, but we love it. It’s worth it when we can donate an amount like $5000.00 to the Tug Valley Recovery Shelter,” says Dotson.
Other fundraisers such as the annual golf tournament doesn’t have a designated cause to donate the money to. The money from this event and other fundraisers is used to help the community as needed.
“Recently, we were excited to donate $1000.00 to the Williamson Fire Department to assist the with their purchase of swift water rescue gear. The Williamson Fire Department is such an asset to our community and we were happy to be able to give back to them. Not only will the donation benefit the crew, but with water tourism activities, such as kayaking increasing here, it’s a way to help our tourism as well.” says Dotson
Supporting the Tug Valley
The club has something happening every month. Whether the project is large or small, it’s all done with a giving heart. Club member Stacey Kohari says her favorite service project of the year is assembling Thanksgiving food baskets for ten local veterans in need. Club members sign up to provide all the items needed for the meal. Eggs, cake mix, canned goods, vegetables, and more are donated. The only purchase from club foods are the turkeys.
Kohari says, “I love that our club is helping to ease a financial burden for a veteran and his or her family by providing a bountiful meal.”
If you look at the national GFWC web page the first quote you see is, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, “What are you doing for others?”- Martin Luther King, Jr. This quote is appropriate for this group. Talking with the ladies of the Williamson Woman’s Club you’ll find each member has a heart for their community. They are always looking for ways to “do for others.”