We are a non-profit, philanthropic club designed to promote the general welfare of our community. This is accomplished by raising funds for educational scholarships and local charities all monies realized from fund raising go back into the local community.
All board members, committee personel, club members, event attendents, etc. are volunteers. Club expenses are paid from membership dues.
Our club year runs September through May, with meetings being held at the clubhouse the second Friday of each month. Guests are always welcome! Meetings are a great place to socialize with local ladies and get a feel for the club. Our meetings include wonderful entertainers, yummy food, an opportunity drawing, and, of course, a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Please refer to our current newsletter, or contact the club, for more information.
In the 1930's, a very small group of area women began to meet in their homes to get better acquainted and to share ideas about their children, families, gardens, books, recipes, and more. From this small start, the Woman's Club of Arroyo Grande was born and on April 16, 1937, the first official meeting of the club was with 150 women in attendance. Some 80 women from the community joined. As this organization, based on friendship and unity was formed, Mrs. Sibyl Poyner, the president, believed that the new club needed a fund raising project that would involve the entire community. She suggested that the club sponsor a country or county fair as its first project, emphasizing what everyone owed to the local farmers. The members voted to have a country fair to be held at harvest time and that it would include exhibits, concessions, entertainment, and food. This was the first "Arroyo Grande Valley Harvest Festival".
With all sorts of committees working in concert all summer, the Woman's Club was able to hold the first Harvest Festival that fall in the old Orchard Avenue Elementary School. It was a two day event and some 1,100 people attended. Now, the event is one of the biggest festivals on the central coast and draws thousands of people to our area each fall.
Early on our fundraisers netted sufficient funds to purchase a building for a clubhouse, which we now own in partnership with the city. The Woman's Club is still able to use the clubhouse for all it's activities and the city is able to rent the space out to various organizations and people.
The Woman's Club is still a community-minded organization. We have around 100 members who actively plan and participate in two or three fund raising events every year. All our proceeds are given back to the local community through educational scholarships and donations to local charities.