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WHO WE ARE

 

The Mary Ball Womans Club was founded as a chapter of the Woman's Club of Fredericksburg in June 1962. In April, 1964, the club became an independent organization federated by the Virginia Federation of Women’s Clubs (VFWC) and the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC), the largest independent group of women volunteers in the world.

 

We are named for Mary Ball (1708-1789) a local resident and the mother of George Washington and Betty Washington Lewis.  Our goal is to serve the Fredericksburg, Virginia community through five departments; Conservation, Education, Fine Arts, Home Life and Public Affairs.

 

Each member serves in a department for two years and our department and committee chairwomen are appointed by the president and also serve two year terms.

 

We have an ongoing committee of Ways and Means. This committee was established to manage the financial and fundraising endeavors for the club. We encourage all our members to attend the spring and fall Northern District meetings, the annual spring convention and the summer conference!

 

Annually we have a Members Arts and Crafts Show that allows our members to display their work and win awards. This event allows us to recognize the multitude of talent that the club is fortunate to have.

OUR HISTORY

 

Today the club has members from the greater Fredericksburg area. The club meets the fourth Wednesday of every month.

 

Our mission is to enhance the lives of others in the Fredericksburg community through volunteer service and fundraising and to serve each other through social and cultural activities.

 

Some of our accomplishments include:

 

1960’s

  • Co-sponsored Sabin Vaccine Clinics

  • Taught a medical self-help program to over 600 women

  • Helped obtain mercury lights on Route 1 between the Falmouth Bridge and the National Guard Armory

  • Funded adult crossing guards for the Fredericksburg elementary schools

  • Co-sponsored establishment of a senior citizens’ club with area churches

  • Helped form the Sheltered Workshop for the handicapped

  • Sponsored measles inoculation and blood pressure testing clinics

  • Co-sponsored the visual eye screening program test 1,600 children for eye defects

  • Held the first arts and crafts show in the area for special education children

1970’s

  • Helped fund the Rappahannock Adult Activities Center horticulture program and purchased a green house for the center

  • Donated time, office equipment, and food to Rainbow’s Beginning, a group home for adolescents

  • Founded Time Out, a program that provided respite for caretakers of senior citizens through adult day care

  • Created a counted cross stitch quilt to raise funds for the restoration of Ferry Farm, home of Mary Ball and George Washington’s boyhood home

1980’s

  • Contributed to the purchase of a linear cancer machine at the Medical College of Virginia Hospital

  • Provided camperships to Camp Easter Seal East

  • Started the Fredericksburg Area Multiple Sclerosis Support Group and fostered its induction into the national organization

  • Provided children’s books for the Mary Washington Hospital Emergency Room

1990’s

  • Helped Establish a docent program at Belmont

  • Contributed to the local scholarship funds established in memory of Sofia Silva, Kristen Lisk, and Katie Lisk

  • Began annual scholarship program for two students at Germanna Community College

  • Began providing financial contributions to three local rescue squads

  • Contributed $1,000 to the Lloyd F. Moss Free Clinic Campaign

  • Donated food to the Food Bank and other community food programs

  • Sponsor monthly birthday parties at Woodmont Nursing Center

2000’s

  • Helped Classes collect and mail school supplies to children in Iraq and assisted a school class in adopting a unit in Iraq

  • Collected items and Christmas gifts for victims of domestic violence

  • Provide hand-made blankets to Safe Harbor Child Advocacy Center for children in crisis

  • Donated commercial washer and dryer to Empower House, Domestic Violence Shelter

  • Contribute 25% of our Annual Christmas Green’s Sales to Mary Washington Auxiliary in support of the Cancer Center

  • Donated to support the restoration of the Fanny Roots House at Belmont

  • Provided scholarships to local students for the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Program (HOBY)

  • Donated African Drum set to Spotswood Elementary School

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