A History of the Needham Women's Club
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Needham Women's Club 1935-Present
The Needham Women's Club (NWC) began in 1935 as the young women's division of the New Century Club and later became a Junior member of the international General Federation of Women's Clubs. The goal of GFWC Junior Membership is to unite the Junior Women's Clubs of Massachusetts for the purpose of promoting civic, educational and social activities. The Needham Women's Club with 60-70 members has been active for 71 years as of the 2006-07 club year as a networking and fundraising organization for Needham Women.
Needham Women's Club members transform public concern into projects and activities that benefit Needham residents and surrounding communities. In Needham this financial and physical support translates into $8-12K in donations annually which includes:
Contributions in 2006-07
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Two annual Needham High School scholarships
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An annual contribution to The Needham Community Council's December Gift Giving Program.
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Annual sponsorship of a band for Needham's 4th of July parade.
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Annual sponsorship of a team for the NEF Spelling Bee.
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Sponsorship of the Needham Youth Commission's "Conversation for Parents with Teens" dinner discussion series.
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Annual contribution to the Needham High School Fine and Performing Arts Department.
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A donation to the Needham Library Foundation.
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A donation to the Needham Historical Society.
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A significant contribution towards the new 2006 "Welcome to Needham" signage at key locations entering Needham with funding donated by many Needham Service and Business organizations.
Aside from financial contributions that the club makes on behalf of all members, there are numerous activities in Needham to which NWC members contribute hundreds of hours.
Club Initiatives and Activities in 2006-07
• Coordination of the annual Holiday House Tour featuring local homes which are open to the community with an annual contribution to the Needham High School Music Department for their yearly participation.
• Sponsorship of a family day focused on children at Newman each year in December called "Pizza with Santa & Frosty" with craft projects and a visit with Santa.
• Coordination of the Santa Visit program which on Christmas Eve which provides visits by 5-6 Santas visiting 70 households and over 250 children.
• Organization of the food and activities in the kitchen for the 8pm - 4am shifts at the Needham High School All Night Grad party each year, which is an event that the Needham Women's Club has been sponsoring since the party's inception.
• And financial and physical support for many other smaller service projects such as Monthly Baking for Veterans, Weekly Volunteers for Needham Meals on Wheels, Holiday decorating for Charles River Assn for Retarded Citizens (CRARC) group home, Special Olympics, Walker School Holiday Gift Program, Needham Community Council's Food Pantry donations and much more.
NWC also joins other Needham service and social clubs in joint fundraising and service activities. In 2006 NWC members helped organize fund raisers and other activities to support the Needham Cares project with The Needham Exchange Club to aid two communities in Mississippi recover from Hurricane Katrina. Two Needham Women's Club members have traveled to Mississippi on rebuilding missions.
Donations and Activities in Prior Years
• Past organization and sponsorship of a middle school discussion program for 7th & 8th Grade Girls at Pollard and St. Joseph's which included a parent forum by Rachel Simmons, author of "Odd Girl Out".
• Support of the Cancer Society's annual Relay for Life and the organization of a NWC team for several years.
• Donation in 2004 to the Needham Senior Center from two fundraising social events towards the purchase of a new van.
• Organization of Needham's first Hazardous Waste Collection Day at the RTS.
• The Needham Women's Club has also reached outside of Needham on many occasions to support the need of food shelters, battered women's shelters and international relief efforts for clothing and medical needs.
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