Woman's Society of Batesburg - Leesville

Woman’s Society of Batesburg-Leesville
Brief History

Emblem: Dogwood
Colors: Green & White
Club Purpose: Education

The club originated on October 16, 1958, as the Batesburg-Leesville Junior Woman’s Club. The thirty five original members are as followed:

Mrs. J.R. Dearman Mrs. Ottho Shealy Mrs. L.T. Hite Jr. Mrs. Carl Boozer Mrs. Harry Nivens Mrs. Walter Chapman Mrs. Roger Harris Mrs. Claude Harper Mrs. Mitchell Scott Mrs. Claude Shealy Mrs. Lee Roy Cone Mrs. Dave Rawl Mrs. Marion Shealy Mrs. W.E. King Mrs. Frank Bonnell Mrs. Earl Sills Mrs. E.A. McCurly Mrs. S.L. Montgomery

Mrs. Johnny Langford Mrs. Richard Ferron Mrs. Rosalind Cook Mrs. Charles McAlister Mrs. Irving Arthur Mrs. W.E. Mave Mrs. George Miller Mrs. Fred Copeland Mrs. Paul Amick Mrs. Moultrie Pauling Mrs. John Doff Mrs. S.Q. Eubanks Jr. Mrs. George Griffin Mrs. Robert Laird Mrs. B.M. Minick Mrs. J.F. Jackson Mrs. Ralph Kennedy

On November 13, 1958, the club met and selected their first President (Mrs. B.M. Minick) and became federated. The first big project for the club was to form the Teen Club in 1960.

In 1962, the Batesburg-Leesville Junior Woman’s Club officially became the Batesburg-Leesville Woman’s Club.

From the beginning the youth & school priorities were the main concerns of the club’s membership. The members helped with replacing much needed school band uniforms in 1963; sent a local student to Girl’s State in 1968, and started a scholarship fund for dedicated young ladies at the high school, $1425 was raised the first year. Annual scholarships are still the main interest of the club.

The club recognized local residents with “The Yard Of The Month” with hopes of beautifying the community, this continued from 1970 through 1973.

In 1974, the club began recognizing a senior citizen of the B&L community for outstanding service, Mrs. Mamie Leaphart was the first recipient. In 1983 this was changed to the B&L Outstanding Citizen of The Year, Sue Bradley a local resident with MS was the first recipient of this award.

The Ann Freeland Award was originated in 1976 in honor of Ann Freeland a dedicated member of the club who, died from cancer in 1975 - a loving cup was donated by Dot Ruff to be given annually to the member who had proven the most valuable to the Club during the year. Recipients are as followed:

1976 Norma Robinson 1977 Mary E. Sanford 1978 Pat Schwergler 1979 Geri Marcavage 1980 Brenda Taylor 1981 Helen Keisler 1982 dot ruff

1983 Becky M. Clark 1984 Ann Nichols 1986 Pat Schwergler 1988 Cindy Branning 1990 Cindy Branning 1992 Lois Black Reitred Award 1994

The Ann Freeland Award was replaced with the GFWC-SC Batesburg-Leesville Woman of The Year Award in 1994.
Recipients are as followed:

1994 Becky M. Clark 1997-2002 Lois Black
1995 Lois Black 2005 Christy Dawkins
1996 Sue Barnes 2006 Lois Black
2007& 2008 Regina Elders

Lifetime membership is granted to members for twenty five years of service, members who gained this status are as followed: Becky M. Clark & Mary Keisler, neither are current members.

In 1998 the club celebrated their 40th anniversary with a WIS-NEW PINNER’S BACKYARD BBQ, at the lovely home of Ronald & Lois Black. Local news celebrity Joe Pinner aired the party on the local news.

1n 1999- 2000 with the change of the new century, the members voted to change the club’s name from GFWC-SC Batesburg-Leesville Woman’s Club to the Woman’s Society of Batesburg-Leesville and adopted the “Volunteering for a smarter community” as their mission statement. A Coffee social with a Silver Jewelry Show was hosted with proceeds being donated to the children’s home.

In 2001-2002 the club raised the highest amount of funds ever to be donated toward scholarships and local community projects. $8600.00 was raised.
In 2003- 2004 the club celebrated 45 years of service. The club hosted the B&L Miss Panther Beauty Revue, the Miss SC Poultry Festival Beauty Pageant, & the Lexington County Miss Panther Beauty Pageant, a fundraiser was also held to assist with the restoration of the GFWC-SC Headquarters The Sims-Stackhouse mansion $1300.00 was raised for this project by raffling a stainless steel grill 4th of July package. Over $6500.00 was raised by the club during 2004, for scholarships and other community projects. The club reached a 19 member roster, which was the highest the club reached in many years. The club was recognized in many local programs, including the BBA (Batesburg Business Association) cookbook of which members submitted their favorite recipes to be published. Member’s families were treated to a bon-fire cookout, an Easter cookout, and a Christmas ornament exchange social.

2004-2005 the club once again hosted the annual Miss B&L Panther Beauty Pageant and the Miss SC Poultry Festival Beauty pageant over $11,000.00 was earned and donated to scholarships through the club and the SC Poultry Festival committee. More

than $8000.00 was contributed to local students & club members continuing their education. Members sold herbs at the local BBA Flower & Garden Show, Hosted an After School Easter party and read a beautiful Easter storey to the after school program students. The club received 9 gold certificate awards and 3 silver certificate awards at the convention as well First Place for the beautiful scrapbook entered thanks to Christy Dawkins’ hard work. A 2nd place $200.00 cash award was won for delicious chickens prepared during the SC Poultry Festival annual cook-off and $50.00 cash award for the 2nd place best yard display contest from the Poultry Festival. An Afternoon Tea (Act in Oct) membership drive was held, with 3 members being recruited. The first annual Awards Dinner Banquet was held at the Corner Café, members received awards for outstanding club work and dedication to the community. Fran Hall received the President’s Member of the Year Award and Christy Dawkins received the Club’s Woman of the Year Award.

2005-2006 the club raised more than $7000.00 from hosting the Miss Panther & Miss SC Poultry Festival Beauty Pageants. Published a “Recipes From the Heart” cookbook, sold raffle tickets of a Oil Painting donated by Artist Lisa Cook, sold flowers at a local Flower & Garden Show and raised in excess of $5000.00 to assist with the restoration of the Historical Train Depot & Park on Wilson Street. A pennies from the heart project, where members contributed their pennies and other coins at meeting raised more than $230.00 to be donated to the GFWC-SC presidents special project’s fight against child abuse & domestic violence. Aluminum cans were collected and recycled and raised more than $125.00. Members participated in the local Primary School’s after school programs by reading to the children and serving refreshments; hosted a Wine Tasting Dinner (Act In Oct) and recruited 3 new members, a Christmas Social at the Sims-Stackhouse Mansion (GFWC-SC headquarters) in Columbia; attended and hosted the Friday night banquet at the State convention held in Columbia; won 8 first place and 5 second place awards for community service, scrapbook & yearbook. Fran Hall and Lois Black received star awards for recruiting five or more members to the Federation. The 2nd annual Awards Banquet was held at Juniper Café in Ridge Spring, members were recognized for outstanding club work and dedication to the community. Marsha Derrick won the Presidents Member of the Year Award and Lois Black won the Woman of the Year. New officers were installed by member Peg Worthy to serve a two year term: Lois Black President, Carrie Shirley Vice President, Deana Black Recording Secretary, Regina Elders Treasurer, Misty Taylor Corresponding Secretary. Members hosted the SC Poultry Festival Breakfast.

2006-2007 the club voted to spearhead the restoration of the historical train depot once owned and used by the club as their clubhouse and revamp the adjacent park as their community improvement contest project, a local chili cook-off was held to raise funds for the project and flowers were sold at a local flower and garden show. The club hosted the annual B&L Miss Panther Beauty Revue, and the South Carolina Poultry Festival Beauty pageant and raised $9000.00 for scholarships to local students. The club supported Sistercare, after school programs, a student writing contest, recycling, and the local branch library with monetary donations and supplies, as well as Habitat for Humanity and other projects. More than $18000.00 was raised for community service projects. Restoration began on the historical depot with members, spouses and friends donating the labor; each Saturday morning volunteers work on the repairs. The club hosted a

backyard picnic (Act In Oct) membership drive, a Fall Festival for members and their families with a haunted hay-ride and such, and a Christmas Ornament Exchange social. Members attended the annual GFWC-SC convention held in Greenville, and were presented 10 gold awards and 6 silver, including 1st place scrapbook & 2nd place yearbook thanks to Suzy Loy who assembled both books; Lois Black won the GFWC- South Carolina Jenny Award. The 3rd annual Awards Dinner at Angelo’s Old World Creek & Italian restaurant, members and guest were recognized for outstanding leadership and club dedication during the year; Regina Elders won the Woman of the Year, Suzy Loy was presented the President’s Choice Award, and Janet Ricard was presented the Shining Star award by president Lois Black.

2007-2008 The Club sponsored a professional bull-riding competition with the local Chamber of Commerce and the Batesburg Business Association, held the 2nd annual Chili Cook-off, hosted the annual B&L Miss Panther & the SC Poultry Festival Beauty Pageants, raised $8500.00 for local scholarships, distributed by the club and SCPF, donated funds for the purchase of 19 books for the local branch library, raised $19000.00 plus for community service projects. Hosted a Mexican Fiesta (Act in Oct) membership drive, a Fall Fest family social, a pool party social for members and families, attended convention in Columbia, won 8 gold awards and 9 silver awards, received 1st place for scrapbook and yearbook, Lois Black won both the GFWC-SC Volunteer of the Year and Woman of Distinction Awards, held the annual Club Awards Dinner at Wiz’ Eatery, members and guest were rewarded for time donated to club projects, Regina Elders received the Woman of the Year, Denise Derrick received the President’s Choice award, and Fran Hall & Suzy Loy received the Shining Star awards, special guest Janet Prince attended and installed the new administration officers: President - Lois Black, Vice-President – Janet Ricard, Recording Secretary - Denise Derrick, Treasurer – Regina Elders, Corresponding Secretary – Suzy Loy. Restoration of the historical train depot to be used as a community center was completed the club won 2nd place at convention for this community improvement contest project.

PAST PRESIDENTS LIST:

1958-59 Mrs. B.M. Minick 1959-61 Mrs. S.Q. Eubanks Jr. 1961-62 Mrs. Earle Sills 1962-64 Mrs. W.E. Jackson 1964-66 Mrs. C.A. Nelson 1966-68 Mrs. Becky M. Clark 1968-70 Mrs. F.W. Crouch 1970-72 Mrs. Ryle Stokes 1972-73 Mrs. Mary Keisler 1973-74 Mrs. Dot Ruff 1974-75 Mrs. W.A. Robinson 1975-76 Mrs. Allan O. Jackson 1976-77 Mrs. Brenda Taylor 1977-78 Mrs. Becky B. Clark 1978-79 Pat Schwegler 1979-81 Becky M. Clark 1981-82 Geri Marcavage 1982-84 Mary E. Sanford 1984-86 Mary Keisler 1986-88 Becky M. Clark 1988-92 Cindy Branning 1992-94 Lois Black 1994-96 Lois Black 1996-97 Sue Barnes & Lois Black 1997-2008 Lois Black