GFWC Florida - Federation of Women's Clubs
Brief History by the Year
Former GFWC FL and GFWC President Jeannine Faubion wrote, "The history of the state would be incomplete without the immeasurable contributions of the thousands of club
members, state officers and chairmen whose vision of a better community and state has been made into a reality by their untiring, unselfish work through the years…The gifts of
service which they have freely given helped to make Florida what it is today."
- 1883 Village Improvement Association of Green Cove Springs has 18 women's groups in it
- 1891 Housekeeper's Club of Coconut Grove forms and joins General Federation Women's Clubs (GFWC, first Florida club to do so
- 1895 Florida Federation of Women's Clubs organized with five clubs: Fairfield, Crescent City, Tarpon Spring, Orange City, Green Cove Springs. Miss Borden elected President.
- 1898 Florida Federation of Women's Clubs admitted into GFWC
- 1905 New GFWC constitution adopted and new FFWC pin designed
- 1914 Receives grant to obtain Royal Palm Park and build a lodge, first FFWC newsletter Florida Bulletin published
- 1922 Juniors adopted as division of membership with Juniors reporting separately on their activities; Florida Clubwoman renamed old newsletter; surplus of fund invested in
government bods to create the Endowment Fund
- 1930 Junior members gained separate status
- 1947 Royal State Park presented to US government at ceremony attended with
President Harry S Truman which became the Florida Everglades Park
- 1949 Florida hosted GFWC convention in Hollywood
- 1950 Juniorettes created and held first convention this year
- 1956 Headquarters completed in Lakeland and dedicated; ESO also adopted
- 1960 Increased the number of Districts to 14
- 1961 GFWC convention held in Miami
- 1966 Florida Past President E D Pearce installed as GFWC President at GFWC convention
- 1970 Hacienda Girls Ranch adopted as a project
- 1971 Built first of its kind in the US Trout Pond, a recreational park for children with
disabilities
- 1972 Funded building of Pratt Cottage at Hacienda in honor of Florida
President Mrs J C Pratt
- 1976 Funded second building King-Harris Cottage at Hacienda in honor of Florida
Presidents Mrs K King and Mrs E Ross Harris; built Tot Lot at Trout Park for children with mental
disabilities
- 1983 Juniorettes officially accepted into the federation
- 1984 Hacienda Girls Ranch accepted as ongoing project; funded Rainbow/Perkins Hall at Hacienda
- 1989 City took back lease on headquarters
- 1990 Dedicated new headquarters debt-free while Jimmie Smith president
- 1990 Director of Junior Clubs established
- 1995 GFWC letters were added to name; celebrated 100 years of club work in Florida
- 1996 Installation of Jeannine C Faubion past Florida president as President of GFWC
- 1998 JASM began an annual summer event for Juniorettes
- 2001 Florida raised funds for GFWC for a fire truck in response to
September 11
- 2002 Florida Past President D Judith Lutz installed as GFWC president in Kansas City MO; Florida Past President Jimmie C Smith installed as
Southern Region President
- 2004 Hosted GFWC convention at Walt Disney World in Orlando
Reference: "Leading the Way - A Century of Service" Jessie Hamm Myer; "The History of the
Florida Federation, 1895-1969" Mabel Staats; revised Jeannine Faubion 1960, 1981