June 30, 2018, WGNS Radio
(Murfreesboro) The Woman’s Club of Murfreesboro, a local 501(c)(3) Public Charity, is poised to celebrate its 102nd Anniversary on July 22, 2018. In conjunction with this milestone, the Murfreesboro social group is launching a website to enable those searching for an organization with a long history of community service to find one that has stood the test of time and seeks to ensure its place in history.
Past Woman’s Club president Sandra Hawkins, a local retired educator, has had the vision of putting WCM on the world-wide map and celebrating its long history of dedication to literacy and educational programs since her term in 2012-2014. Her dream was “to bring The Woman’s Club into the 21st century and market its legacy” for everyone to see. The launch of the website and other social media sites will aid in telling the remarkable story of The Woman’s Club.
The Woman’s Club of Murfreesboro was incorporated in Tennessee on July 22, 1916. Its founding members set about to improve the cultural, literary and educational opportunities of the community by supporting and funding a variety of civic improvement efforts for the City of Murfreesboro, bringing lecturers and musicians to the area, and establishing the first public lending library in Rutherford County.
In 1921, Rutherford County’s first public health nurse lived in one of the upstairs apartments at The Woman’s Club, and history reports that before the formation of our local hospital, sick children were also housed and treated at the Club’s house.
Early members also supported the country’s war efforts during WWI and WWII by aiding the Red Cross in assembling “comfort kits” for soldiers and providing a “hospitality lounge” for family members of those serving in the Armed Forces to write letters and share news with their loved ones. The Woman’s Club has also supported patients at the local VA Hospital through its Voluntary Service Program.
The legacy of service continues today by reaching out to an entirely different generation with opportunities for educational scholarships.
The new website can be accessed at www.womansclubmurfreesboro.org. You are invited to read about the history of The Woman’s Club, preview upcoming events, learn about opportunities for membership, find information about the rental of the historic Clubhouse, and find out how to contact us.