The Mayfield Women’s Club (Ohio) is celebrating its 50th anniversary as part of GFWC. To commemorate the club’s founding, members held a “Women of Substance” themed banquet. The banquet’s keynote speaker was Cathy Weber, a charter member of the club. Below are Cathy’s eloquent and heartfelt remarks.
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I am celebrating being in this organization for 50 years. I am also married for 50 plus years and have 3 children who are all in their 50’s. I find it amazing to be a part of this organization for 50 years.
Our club has done so many things over the years. I’ll share just a few. You realize that most of us were in our 20’s or early 30’s at the time we began, so some of the things I will mention were easily done, but today would be too hard for most of us.
In 1976, our club celebrated the 200 years of the Declaration of Independence. It was the bicentennial and Mayfield Hts. had a 4th of July Parade and a few of the club members rode in a convertible, to represent the club. I was dressed as Betsy Ross and carried a flag. My 10-year-old son was dressed in that period of clothes and was with us. We have pictures in our scrapbooks to share with club members and our community.
When our club first started we met at Marshall Ford car dealer, which used to be on Mayfield Road. Shortly after that we met Mayfield High School and from there we moved to Mayfield Library. As our club got bigger, we moved to the Ross DeJohn Center in Mayfield Heights and we now are privileged to be meeting in Mayfield Village in their new beautiful Community Center facility.
Some of the projects we were involved with in the early years include purchasing and dedicating a Peace Pool on the grounds of Mayfield Library where it stood for many years until the Library parking lot was remodeled. We also purchased an OFWC roadside sign which is still standing on SOM Center Road in Mayfield Village. We planted flowers at the historical house, and we painted a wooden fence at the Mayfield cemetery which was is on Wilson Mills. Now that fence has been replaced by a wrought iron fence.
For many years several of us would go to the state convention held in Columbus, Ohio, and stay overnight. They have a whole weekend of activities and meetings of the Junior Clubs and the Women’s Clubs. We are still doing the Junior projects, so we are considered a Junior club. We actually started as Mayfield Junior Women’s Club, but we voted and dropped the “Junior” because many of us did not look quite like Juniors! At those conventions we could see the Federation at work and share and learn from other clubs.
We had many socials and sometimes they included our husbands. We had an annual Christmas Party for couples at one of the member’s home which was always fun. We also had many clambakes at the home of Betty Jo Mooney which was a grand time. Some of us even swam in her pool. Other socials were bowling, attending local plays in nearby cities, and many other outings too long to list.
Some of our fundraisers took lots more time and energy. We had a few rummage sales which were a big undertaking and took lots of time to prepare. We had plant sales, where we unloaded the truck of hanging baskets and flats. We made and sold a cookbook.
We helped with a waffle wagon for several years during the weekend of the 4th of July event in Mayfield Hts. We powder sugared the waffles, bagged them, and collected the money which the owner split with us at the end of every night. One of our members even made aprons with our club’s name embroidered on them. Betty Jo is now storing them and maybe we will use them on another project one of these days. We also had bunny bingo at a local school for several years and some of our husbands helped by being the bingo caller.
During these years, our members became close friends. We had our board meetings at a member’s home on the first Monday of the month. We had time to socialize after the meetings and share our lives with each other. Some of my very best friends were made in this club. They have been a support for me, as well as each other, and the community.
When I had two major back surgeries with rods and screws, this club made meals for my family for over three weeks which was a beautiful show of their love.
During my club years, I worked on many committees and held the office of Second Vice President, First Vice President, and was President in 1973 and 2003, 2004, and 2005. Never was the job too overwhelming as these members are quick to volunteer to help wherever needed.
I did not mention one of our most important reason for our group is the welfare projects which are numerous. Our biggest project has been at the Metro Health Nursing Facility, previously called Sunny Acres. In 1969, we started to play bingo with some of the residents during the day. Years later, we began hosting a Christmas Party in the evening. We now bring in the Mayfield Swing choir, and provide cookies and punch, and Christmas gifts for all.
This is just the tip of the iceberg in what we do.
Here’s hoping I can help out for a few more years in this very special organization. Thank you for listening.”