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Our clubhouse building is the oldest and most visible member of our club. It has served our community for nearly 100 years. To preserve that legacy and to equip the clubhouse for another 100 years of service, the building needs to be restored to its original beauty and receive improvements that will equip it for 21st century entertaining and outreach. The club's first two Red Hot Hibiscus Galas in 2007 and 2008 were successful in raising nearly $250,000 toward the total project, which will cost an estimated $900,000.
As a tribute to the women who founded the Fort Lauderdale Woman's Club and gave the city this historic clubhouse and in recognition of the contribution this city's women have made to improving the lives of all who live here, we hope to complete the restoration/renovation in time for the club's centennial celebration in January 2011.
We invite everyone in the community to become a partner in restoring this icon of Fort Lauderdale's early history and this beacon of its future, the little pink building, the jewel in the heart of downtown Fort Lauderdale. If you wish to join us in preserving the legacy and ensuring continuing service, please click here Dues and Donations Payment Center to learn about sponsorships and other giving opportunities.
This photo shows what the Fort Lauderdale Woman's Club Clubhouse originally looked like at its dedication in 1917.
Plans have been underway for several years to renovate it to its original glory. These pictures are architectural drawings by architect Susan McClellan, who's a member of FLWC.
Here's a painting done by Susan McClellan that shows what we hope it looks like when the Restoration is complete!
The fireplace, which was boarded up many years ago, is the first part of the renovations to be completed. The photo on the left shows the beginning of the re-creation and on the right, after its completion. Shown in the photo of the finished product are Kathy Ireland Mitchell and Susan McClellan, club members who were instrumental in the project.
Kathy and her husband Andy, whose mother Barbara Mitchell was a member of the GFWC Southside Woman's Club in Jacksonville, "bought" the fireplace in an auction held at the First Annual Red Hibiscus Gala to raise funds for the removations. There will be a plaque placed on the fireplace in Barbara's memory. Susan is the architect in charge of the entire project.
On January 14, 2008 the copper hood was added to the fireplace which completes the historical look from 1917. During the summer, sconces were added to the sides and a faux fire now burns in the fireplace.
In early January, 2008 work began on the new roof. When it's completed it will be a replica of the original 1917 roof. Here we see (on the left) a truck filled with debris from the old roof and (on the right) workers who have just completed the new copper flashing.
From Restoration Chairman Judy Dixon: "The roof is finished! And, yes, it is supposed to look the way it does!! And it should last at least 50 years. We also have a new drop ceiling that will not get wet anymore from the roof leaks!
Also our fire alarm system has been installed so the club is finally protected."
July 14, 2008
From Architect Susan McClellan: Here we have photos of FLWC members from the
"40's crew" (left) who were planning the addition of the board room, men's room and the additional square footage of the big meeting room and the south entry - Bev Hoppe's mother-in-law Evelyn Wayne (2nd from right) was FLWC president at the time; and on the right, the "millenium +" crew- the current building
committee: l to r: John Grey of Friendly Construction, Building Committee chairman Kathy Mitchell, President Alice Sakhnovsky, Louis Friend owner of Friendly, architect Susan McClellan and Annette Ross having our Kick-Off meeting for the Board Room Windows project......yippee!!! Please note the most special new member Mojo (the short one with dark hair and leash).......she is Annette's dog, happily
participating prior to a doctor visit.
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