GFWC Woodbridge Woman's Club History

 Woodbridge Woman’s Club

Club History Remarks 60th Anniversary

March 17, 2025

Presented by Vice President Pamela Montgomery

Sixty Years ago on March 15, 1965, 33 industrious and service-minded women became charter members of the Woodbridge Woman’s Club. Thus began a 60-year collaboration between the Woodbridge Woman’s Club and Prince William County. 

Throughout our history, Club members have volunteered their time, energy, and talents. We have supported each other and a wide range of Club, District, and National policies and programs. 

Our members have contributed more than 202,000 hours of volunteer service and donated over $320,000 to organizations throughout the PWC, including helping to raise funds for what became Potomac Hospital (now Sentara). Our members were there at the beginning.

Membership in the club affords us the opportunity to develop our skills, exchange ideas, and form lifelong friendships.  

Being a part of the Greater Federation of Women's Clubs connects us to a vast network of woman’s organizations that forge ahead and make a positive impact on our communities, the nation, and the world. Among other things, we support the arts, encourage civic engagement, preserve natural resources, and advocate for children.

“Our purpose: We advocate because there is a need; we volunteer because we are needed.” 

Current Club programs include collaborating with Keep Prince William Beautiful on its Bus Shelter program and collaborating with Senara Hospital to support cancer patients with our Cancer Pillow project. We have been highly praised and recognized in regional newspapers, publications and television for the more than 1200 cancer pillows that we have made and distributed to cancer patients at Sentara. Based on these recent efforts the club was nominated in 2025 for the Agnes L. Colgan Community Service Award-Health & Human Services sponsored by the Prince William County Chamber of Commerce.

Starting in 2007, the club began a Women’s History and Club History program. We were able to locate records dating back to the club’s origins in 1965. We found wonderful old photos and documents that delighted us as we watched the evolution of this organization.

For example, 

• We collaborated with the County’s ARTMOBILE, a mobile truck housing local artwork for the community to view at the Annual Sidewalk Arts Show at Marumsco Plaza.

• Our first effort to give a scholarship to a deserving college student was $200 in 1965. Today we award 2 scholarships valued at $3000. Over time we have awarded scholarships to 196 students valued at $173,250.

• The club started a monthly newsletter “Broadcasting from GFWC”, which is still published today. 

The list of our outstanding club women includes teachers, school principals, accountants, lawyers, PWC representatives, and other women from all walks of life and the list goes on and on.  

Our Club looks forward to the next 60 years of “Service and Friendship” to our community, the nation and the world.

Remember.

 “Our purpose: We advocate because there is a need; we volunteer because we are needed.”

Sources: GFWC WWC History Project

GFWC website: Home - General Federation of Women’s Clubs

GFWC Woodbridge Woman’s Club History 60 years. 

The GFWC Woodbridge Woman’s Club was founded March 15, 1965 by 35 ladies who wanted to provide service to their community. The Club became a part of the International General Federation of Women’s Clubs on April 5, 1965 and was Incorporated May 11, 1983. The Club attained 501 ( c ) (3) status on November 2, 2009. Club Bylaws were adopted at the first Club meeting 15 March 1965, Tax ID – 54-1036896.

The Club is now planning for our 60-year anniversary scheduled to take place March 2025. Throughout our 60 years club members continue to support each other and the club as they volunteer their time and energy in service to our communities. A very important part of being a Clubwoman is the opportunity for every woman to develop skills, exchange ideas and form lifelong friendships.

Our club members are extraordinary, for example: Club members and their occupations.

Club first President also the Mayor of Occoquan, second President a 50-year member, 21-year member also a Mayor of Occoquan, original owner of the Occoquan Secret Garden, owner of Occoquan Vera Bradley store, two club president also President of the Northern District, also another 50-year club member, a club secretary served 10 years, a 14-year club member dedicated 64 years to the Girl Scouts of America, a president who served 5 years as Club President during the Pandemic, a Foreign Service Officer, several teachers and school

principals, realtors, and many more occupations.

These are just a few club members. We will be adding names and occupations to our list as we work our way toward the 60-year anniversary date in March. Club members have documented over 200,000 volunteer hours of service and have raised and donated approximately $310,000 dollars to our communities through 59-years. We have one more club year to add to our statistics for the 60-year anniversary.

In 2007 club members began searching through boxes of old club records and discovered the boxes held club documents and pictures dating back to the beginning of the Club in 1965. As a result the records were scanned and placed on flash drives for safekeeping. Club historical pictures are made available to members through our Club Women’s History discussions.

This is just the beginning of our journey toward 60-years. A variety of information will be added to the website and published in the Club Newsletters as we make our way to the 60 th anniversary in March 2025.

50-Year Membership Celebration for Kathleen Harding and the 59-Year Birthday Observance for GFWC Woodbridge Woman’s Club

The March 18, 2024, General Membership Meeting not only celebrated Kathleen Harding’s 50-year membership award, but it also marked the Club’s 59th birthday. Kathleen was very happy to receive her framed 50-year certificate from the GFWC Headquarters and a Certificate of Honorary Membership from the Club presented by Club President Lucy Williams, the framed newspaper article of her successful 1975 fundraising doll house project, the beautiful GFWC Headquarters 50-year pin, and her red roses bouquet. Kathleen shared the reason why she joined the Club, saying she admired the high standards Club members are expected to meet found in the GFWC Headquarters Collect, which is read at every Club meeting.  Kathleen also recalled the times she was the hostess for teas to begin the year’s meetings in September.  Members and officers expressed not only congratulations to Kathleen, but also spoke of her continuing unfailing kindness and willingness to volunteer for Club activities.

To mark the Club’s 59th birthday, Vice President and Historian Pat White announced the Woodbridge Woman’s Club was founded in 1965 with 33 members. She said those members, who were mainly housewives, held meetings in their homes.  Whereas the Club presently has 35 members composed mostly of retirees and many have held professional positions.  Pat compiled records that reveal almost 200,000 community service volunteer hours and $310,000 dollars raised by members and donated to various community projects, scholarships, environment, health and wellness, etc., over the Club’s 59- year history. To observe Women’s History Month, Pat asked members to identify the reason her list of distinguished women are considered extraordinary. This was a memory challenge which encouraged members to reflect on the many important contributions of women worldwide, and a reminder for us to be proud of all women’s accomplishments. The meeting concluded with a cake decorated in honor of Kathleen and the Club’s 59-years of accomplishments.