Tuckahoe Woman's Club of Richmond, Virginia

Founded in 1936, the Tuckahoe Woman’s Club of Richmond, Virginia was founded by its first president Mrs. Thomas J. Starke and Mrs. W. Ambrose McGee Jr. The organization contributes to the community through philanthropy and a scholarship fund that benefits local high school students. It opened its permanent facility in Windsor Farms on December 1, 1954, after operating from Mrs. Starke’s home since the organization began. During World War II, it bought war bonds and sold them downtown. Now with approximately 1,700 members, it continues to grow and serve the community through donations and scholarships.

The organization began when Mrs. Thomas J. Starke and Mrs. W. Ambrose McGee Jr. invited twenty-four women to Mrs. Starke’s home to form the club in February 1936. Mrs. Starke was the first president of the organization, and after running the club out of her home since 1936, the organization opened its permanent facility in Windsor Farms on December 1, 1954.

It was part of the Federation of Women’s Clubs until they withdrew in 1955. The organization's membership increased to 500 when the requirement of Tuckahoe residency was revoked. In 1958, it created the memorial garden and in 1964, the Garden Clubs of Virginia selected the garden as part of their 50th Anniversary of the Virginia Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.

The organization bought war bonds and sold them downtown during World War II. It also planted victory gardens, collected scrap metal, and entertained the military and their families. The organization also joined the Red Cross.

It began hosting an Annual Art Exhibition in 1950, which exhibits members’ artwork including photography, sculpture, and woodworking. The proceeds of the art raffle support the Scholarship Endowment Fund. The Scholarship Endowment Fund was founded in 1996, and it provides scholarships to high school students in the area.

The original building of the organization was completed in 1954, and it featured an auditorium, reception room, kitchen, and garden. Over time, it has undergone restorations and updates including the addition of another wing of the building in 1957.

It now rents out their facility for special events such as business functions and wedding receptions. The 75th anniversary of the organization was in 2011, and through their “Pave the Way to The Tuckahoe” campaign members can purchase inscribed bricks to memorialize loved ones along the pathways around the building.

 

History - The Tuckahoe Woman's Club. The Tuckahoe Woman's Club. Accessed February 22, 2019. https://www.thetuckahoe.org/club/history.

Art Show - The Tuckahoe Woman's Club. The Tuckahoe Woman's Club. Accessed February 22, 2019. https://www.thetuckahoe.org/community-impact/art-show.

Philanthropy - The Tuckahoe Woman's Club. The Tuckahoe Woman's Club. Accessed February 22, 2019. https://www.thetuckahoe.org/community-impact/philanthropy.

Scholarships - The Tuckahoe Woman's Club. The Tuckahoe Woman's Club. Accessed February 22, 2019. https://www.thetuckahoe.org/community-impact/scholarships.

Home - The Tuckahoe Woman's Club. The Tuckahoe Woman's Club. Accessed February 22, 2019. https://www.thetuckahoe.org/.

"The Tuckahoe Woman's Club". The Tuckahoe Woman's Club Facebook, September 24, 2017. Accessed February 22, 2019. https://m.facebook.com/1570042933055105/photos/a.1570047379721327/1570047303054668/?type=3&source=44&ref=page_internal.