Learn, Serve, and Grow.
Girls in the area now have a new chance to get involved and learn more about life after high school, with the Tug Valley Area Juniorette Club. The club will be an extension of the GFWC (General Federation of Women’s Clubs) West Virginia Williamson Woman’s Club, which has been active for over 90 years. Shelby Porter, a member of the Williamson Woman’s Club and the driving force behind the new Juniorettes Club, describes the GFWC as being “an international women’s organization dedicated to community improvement by enhancing the lives of others through volunteer service.”
The goal for the Juniorettes Club is to instill those same values in local girls. “My vision is to help young women from grades 9-12 learn more about what happens after high school, and how they can improve their community in the process,” Shelby says. The Juniorettes will learn to build a resume, apply for colleges, and apply for scholarships, as well as gain volunteer hours by helping out in community projects. They will also have the chance to learn about different organizations and learn more about their own passions.
The Juniorette Club is a recent development. Shelby began posting on social media at the beginning of October 2020 to inquire about young women attending local high schools who might be interested. After receiving her feedback, she completed the appropriate paperwork to establish the club through the GFWC-West Virginia and they had their first meeting on November 9, 2020.
Shelby describes the first meeting as a success. “I was pleased, and I think the girls had fun. It was very informal, and just a “get-to-know-you” type meeting,” she says. Everyone introduced themselves, and they discussed what they would like to see the group do. Of the 18 students who were interested, 11 girls attended the meeting. The first thing the club will do is assist the Williamson Woman’s Club in assembling Thanksgiving Day baskets for area veterans.
For more information about the Tug Valley Area Juniorettes contact Shelby Porter or send a message to the GFWC-WV Williamson Woman's Club.
