Contrary to the popular assumption that membership has been dwindling, southern Delaware has several thriving women’s clubs. In fact, new memberships are on the increase. For example, Zwaanendael Women’s Club based in Lewes and established in 1905 welcomes several new members this year.
Reasons for continued interest in women’s clubs include a desire to meet a network of members as a new resident and the desire to support community organizations through volunteering and/or organizing fundraisers.
Delaware alone has 20 clubs which are members of the Delaware chapter of General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC), the international umbrella organization established in 1890. (The establishment of the federation is very interesting, if you’d like a good read.) Its mission states it is “dedicated to community improvement by enhancing the lives of others through volunteer service.” There are 60,000 members, 2,300 clubs and an estimated 6 million volunteer hours by members annually for a myriad of community support projects.
Sussex County has several active women’s clubs.
Here are some highlights of some of the women’s clubs’ local work, much of which happens modestly behind the scenes.
Village Improvement Association (VIA)
Established in 1909 to enhance and improve Rehoboth Beach’s beach amenities such as the boardwalk and its famed benches, and to lobby for sidewalks and streetlights, VIA has been a community force ever since. Today, VIA supports everything from scholarships and education/literacy to arts and culture. Recipients of VIA’s also include cancer support, the Rehoboth Beach library, Brandywine Valley SPCA (Georgetown branch), Cape Henlopen Senior Centers and Inland Bays to name just a few.
In addition to fundraising events which annually amount to over $50,000, members have contributed 23,000+ volunteer hours and $42,000+ of in-kind donations.
Known affectionately and more simply as Z Club, this women’s club is based in Lewes and has been around since 1905. Today, it has approximately 90 volunteer members and has been noticing increased interest in joining.
The list of their beneficiaries is long and varied. There is an emphasis on addressing food insecurity and supporting programs for the area’s young people and victims of domestic violence. This was accomplished through major fundraisers such as their popular geranium sale each spring, and the annual holiday raffle and bake sale that always coincides with Lewes’s holiday house tour.
In 2023, around $24,000 was distributed to various organizations, 6,000 volunteer hours were logged for 78 projects, and members’ in-kind contributions totaled $35,000.
The club has several subcommittees in order to distribute volunteerism so it reflects the members’ interests and talents.
Women’s Civic Club of Bethany Beach (WCCBB)
With about 190 members, WCCBB supports several community organizations in the Bethany area, such as the library, fire and EMS departments and educational entities. They organize several drives throughout year in support of service organizations and the military,
Established in 1925, the club is about to celebrate its centennial. It was formed as a social club for women to form friendships and social connections but has always had its charitable arm, supporting community improvements on every level. Although WCCBB is no longer under the charter of General Federation of Women’s Clubs (citing at some point in the early 2000s that its budget could not justify the dues), the benevolent Bethany Beach area organization has no plans of going anywhere, as witnessed from its continued member engagement.
Lord Baltimore Women’s Club (LBWC)
Another independent, self-governing women’s club was established in 1934 that focuses on the communities near Bethany Beach, such as Dagsboro, Ocean View and Millville.
Interestingly, they limit their membership to a maximum of 125 due to the challenges of finding a venue to accommodate a potentially fluctuating attendance at their popular monthly luncheon meetings. Currently, their meetings are at Cripple Creek Golf and Country Club.
Their mission includes supporting educational scholarships, veterans, local schools and other nonprofits.
Another member of the “parent” organization of GFWC, the Women’s Club of Milton has generations of women members who support multiple efforts within the community.
Efforts to engage the community include “I Support the Girls” (more on that for a future article), food and clothing drives, food pantry fundraisers, school supply drives, scholarships and domestic violence awareness.
The club is perhaps the oldest in Sussex County: it was established in 1898, and still has a dedicated army of volunteers. From research for this profile and their excellent publicity efforts, it is apparent that the membership is still going strong.
“Women’s Clubs Strong,” all of them. Next time you see an ad, a flier, or hear a conversation about an event or fundraiser, think of the dedication of all of these incredibly generous women’s clubs in your community.
By Bridget FitzPatrick