- Following these three vintage photos, scroll through the outreach materials that helped to rebuild the Corte Madera Women's Club membership and revitalize this valuable community organization.
Leaders of the Corte Madera Women's Improvement Club in 1908, just a few years after San Francisco families built year-round homes in Corte Madera following the Great Earthquake of 1906. These early community leaders took charge of getting boardwalks built, streetlights installed, garbage collected, and parks established in the years before Corte Madera became a real town. Several histories of the Women's Club that have been written over the years are posted below.
On Park Day, February 22, 1908, members of the Women's Club flanked a local dignitary at the dedication of the new Railroad Park that was planned, funded, and created by the ladies. It was a linear park that ran parallel to the east side of the railroad tracks. The park was later moved to the west side of the train station so that Park Street (now Tamalpais Drive) could be widened to its full 40-foot width.
Railroad Park in Old Corte Madera Square was landscaped and maintained for many years by members of the Corte Madera Women’s Club for the enjoyment of the community. This view of the Square shows the park in 1926. Twenty years later, after the trains stopped running, it was re-named Menke Park. Almost half-a-century after that, a Victorian bandstand known as Piccolo Pavilion was added, and since 2003, free Sunday afternoon concerts have been a popular attraction there every week during the summer months.
Revitalization of the Club in its second century
Posted below are copies of outreach materials that were successful in revitalizing the Corte Madera Women's Club in 2003 and 2004, following the announcement that
the Club was disbanding after 97 years of service to the community.
Posted below are copies of outreach materials that were successful in revitalizing the Corte Madera Women's Club in 2003 and 2004, following the announcement that
the Club was disbanding after 97 years of service to the community.
PROPOSAL in 2003 BY JANA HAEHL, JOAN VAUGHAN, & KITTY PROSSER
TO increase membership in THE CORTE MADERA WOMEN’S CLUB
and sustain it as a valued community organization
The Corte Madera Women’s Improvement Club has a long and proud history that many people in our community hope will continue for at least three more years so that the 100 th anniversary of the Club and its century of service to Corte Madera can be celebrated.
During the two months since it became known that the Board intended to disband the Club as of December 31, 2003, a wellspring of support has arisen for continuing the Club. In support of our request that the decision to disband be rescinded, we offer the following:
“WHAT WOULD AN ‘INTERIM BOARD’ DO?”
We understand and respect the wishes of the current Board, which has stated that it wishes to be relieved of responsibility as of December 31, 2003. In order to keep the Club going, we propose that an interim Board take responsibility as of January 1, 2004, for planning meetings, setting up programs, and doing an outreach for new members during the six months remaining in the current fiscal year. A regular election would be held in April for Boardmembers to serve during the 2004-2005 fiscal year.
“WHAT ABOUT THE CLUB’S MONEY?”
We are not asking for the Club’s money. The current Board can do whatever they wish with it. We propose that the three Trustees who have been appointed to serve three-year terms should continue to hold in trust all property belonging to the Club, as stipulated in Article IV, Section 3 of the Bylaws.
“WHAT DIRECTION WOULD YOU BE TAKING THE CLUB?”
We believe that it is possible to rebuild the Club by increasing its relevance to women in Corte Madera today. What we envision is a lively and interesting series of activities that are meaningful, productive, and rewarding to women in Corte Madera. Some would be focused on involving older women, some on younger women. All would be consistent with the original mission of the Club.
“WHO ARE ALL THESE POTENTIAL NEW MEMBERS?”
At least 20 Corte Madera women have recently told us that they are interested in joining the Club. There are various reasons why they have not been part of the Women’s Club in the past. Some have not been aware that the Club exists, since there has not been a vigorous outreach effort in the past, and the only mention of the Club has been a brief note of it in the quarterly Recreation Center bulletin, which few people read in its entirety. Others were not able to participate in the past because they had weekday jobs. Several are new residents of Corte Madera. A few have mentioned that they had the impression one had to be invited to join the Club. There are also those who knew of the Club, but were not motivated to join by whatever information they had about it.
“WOULD THERE BE CHANGES TO THE BYLAWS?”
The only change to the Bylaws that we would like to make is in the way people can join. At the present time, the Bylaws state that a new member must be sponsored by a member of the Club and must be ‘voted in’ by the Club’s membership. This outdated practice has created the impression that the Club is an exclusive group, not open to everyone who would like to join. Although we understand that in recent memory the Club has ‘voted in’ everyone who has applied for membership, the fact that the Bylaws still contain this requirement is off-putting to many women who would otherwise like to join the Club. In this day and age, no one wants to feel that they are subjecting themselves to having their acceptability judged in order to join a civic organization. Changing the language in this section of the Bylaws would remove this impression.
“WOULD THE CLUB STILL MEET AT THE REC CENTER?”
The Club has an established right to use the Recreation Center on Tuesdays, and we would plan to use the hall on each day that it is available to the Club. The Club’s marathon bridge group already uses it on the third Tuesday of every month, and we would expect to have other regular uses planned as well during all twelve months of the year, including one social get-together each month..
“WHO’S GOING TO DO THE WORK?”
Article IV, Section 1 of the Bylaws lists the following as Officers of the Club: President, Vice President, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer, Auditor (each elected), Parliamentarian, Historian, Hospitality Chairman, and Chairmen of any organized sections (each appointed). The Bylaws state that the President must have served on the Executive Board for at least one year. (Note from Jana: Although I have not regularly attended Business Meetings, I have served on the Board for the past four years as chairman of the Club’s standing committee for Bridge. The Marathon Bridge Group has 40 members and is a principal source of operating funds for the Club, generating dues in the amount of about $600 each year. If the Club accepts the proposal for continuation outlined above, I am willing to serve as President of the interim board until the regular election in April 2004. Kitty Prosser and Joan Vaughan, who serve on the Corte Madera Community Foundation Board, the Corte Madera Parks & Recreation Commission, and the Corte Madera Beautification Committee, are also willing to serve on the interim board.
“DOES THE CLUB REALLY HAVE A PURPOSE?”
Members of the Club’s current Board have told us that the Club no longer has any purpose, but our community has many needs that the Club could help to fulfill, either on its own or in partnership with other civic organizations. Several specific ideas have been suggested, and we would encourage more to be brought forward for discussion. For example, the Town of Corte Madera is currently studying the feasibility of replacing the small cinderblock building across the driveway from the Recreation Center with a larger, two-story building that would include space for a Youth Center. Since one of the Club’s original purposes was to build a place where young people could enjoy wholesome and worthwhile activities, it would be appropriate for the Club to have a role in planning this new facility. This is just one of many suggestions that have been made in informal discussions about the Club’s purpose. Others include some Corte Madera history projects, such as taping oral interviews with longtime residents; helping to set up a senior check-in service through the Corte Madera Fire Department for frail elderly residents; sponsoring annual community events; and many more ideas.
“WHAT NEXT?”
If the current members of the Club are willing to have us take responsibility for organizing an interim board to serve beginning on January 1 as indicated above, we will immediately begin trying to rebuild the momentum that the Club had when it was formed in 1907. We respectfully ask that you support this proposal and grant us the opportunity to keep the Club from being disbanded.
Jana Haehl, Joan Vaughan, Kitty Prosser
During the two months since it became known that the Board intended to disband the Club as of December 31, 2003, a wellspring of support has arisen for continuing the Club. In support of our request that the decision to disband be rescinded, we offer the following:
“WHAT WOULD AN ‘INTERIM BOARD’ DO?”
We understand and respect the wishes of the current Board, which has stated that it wishes to be relieved of responsibility as of December 31, 2003. In order to keep the Club going, we propose that an interim Board take responsibility as of January 1, 2004, for planning meetings, setting up programs, and doing an outreach for new members during the six months remaining in the current fiscal year. A regular election would be held in April for Boardmembers to serve during the 2004-2005 fiscal year.
“WHAT ABOUT THE CLUB’S MONEY?”
We are not asking for the Club’s money. The current Board can do whatever they wish with it. We propose that the three Trustees who have been appointed to serve three-year terms should continue to hold in trust all property belonging to the Club, as stipulated in Article IV, Section 3 of the Bylaws.
“WHAT DIRECTION WOULD YOU BE TAKING THE CLUB?”
We believe that it is possible to rebuild the Club by increasing its relevance to women in Corte Madera today. What we envision is a lively and interesting series of activities that are meaningful, productive, and rewarding to women in Corte Madera. Some would be focused on involving older women, some on younger women. All would be consistent with the original mission of the Club.
“WHO ARE ALL THESE POTENTIAL NEW MEMBERS?”
At least 20 Corte Madera women have recently told us that they are interested in joining the Club. There are various reasons why they have not been part of the Women’s Club in the past. Some have not been aware that the Club exists, since there has not been a vigorous outreach effort in the past, and the only mention of the Club has been a brief note of it in the quarterly Recreation Center bulletin, which few people read in its entirety. Others were not able to participate in the past because they had weekday jobs. Several are new residents of Corte Madera. A few have mentioned that they had the impression one had to be invited to join the Club. There are also those who knew of the Club, but were not motivated to join by whatever information they had about it.
“WOULD THERE BE CHANGES TO THE BYLAWS?”
The only change to the Bylaws that we would like to make is in the way people can join. At the present time, the Bylaws state that a new member must be sponsored by a member of the Club and must be ‘voted in’ by the Club’s membership. This outdated practice has created the impression that the Club is an exclusive group, not open to everyone who would like to join. Although we understand that in recent memory the Club has ‘voted in’ everyone who has applied for membership, the fact that the Bylaws still contain this requirement is off-putting to many women who would otherwise like to join the Club. In this day and age, no one wants to feel that they are subjecting themselves to having their acceptability judged in order to join a civic organization. Changing the language in this section of the Bylaws would remove this impression.
“WOULD THE CLUB STILL MEET AT THE REC CENTER?”
The Club has an established right to use the Recreation Center on Tuesdays, and we would plan to use the hall on each day that it is available to the Club. The Club’s marathon bridge group already uses it on the third Tuesday of every month, and we would expect to have other regular uses planned as well during all twelve months of the year, including one social get-together each month..
“WHO’S GOING TO DO THE WORK?”
Article IV, Section 1 of the Bylaws lists the following as Officers of the Club: President, Vice President, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer, Auditor (each elected), Parliamentarian, Historian, Hospitality Chairman, and Chairmen of any organized sections (each appointed). The Bylaws state that the President must have served on the Executive Board for at least one year. (Note from Jana: Although I have not regularly attended Business Meetings, I have served on the Board for the past four years as chairman of the Club’s standing committee for Bridge. The Marathon Bridge Group has 40 members and is a principal source of operating funds for the Club, generating dues in the amount of about $600 each year. If the Club accepts the proposal for continuation outlined above, I am willing to serve as President of the interim board until the regular election in April 2004. Kitty Prosser and Joan Vaughan, who serve on the Corte Madera Community Foundation Board, the Corte Madera Parks & Recreation Commission, and the Corte Madera Beautification Committee, are also willing to serve on the interim board.
“DOES THE CLUB REALLY HAVE A PURPOSE?”
Members of the Club’s current Board have told us that the Club no longer has any purpose, but our community has many needs that the Club could help to fulfill, either on its own or in partnership with other civic organizations. Several specific ideas have been suggested, and we would encourage more to be brought forward for discussion. For example, the Town of Corte Madera is currently studying the feasibility of replacing the small cinderblock building across the driveway from the Recreation Center with a larger, two-story building that would include space for a Youth Center. Since one of the Club’s original purposes was to build a place where young people could enjoy wholesome and worthwhile activities, it would be appropriate for the Club to have a role in planning this new facility. This is just one of many suggestions that have been made in informal discussions about the Club’s purpose. Others include some Corte Madera history projects, such as taping oral interviews with longtime residents; helping to set up a senior check-in service through the Corte Madera Fire Department for frail elderly residents; sponsoring annual community events; and many more ideas.
“WHAT NEXT?”
If the current members of the Club are willing to have us take responsibility for organizing an interim board to serve beginning on January 1 as indicated above, we will immediately begin trying to rebuild the momentum that the Club had when it was formed in 1907. We respectfully ask that you support this proposal and grant us the opportunity to keep the Club from being disbanded.
Jana Haehl, Joan Vaughan, Kitty Prosser
First, you probably want to know who and what the Corte Madera Women’s Improvement Club is. The Club was founded in 1907, and its first project involved raising $500 in gold to pay for street lights in the little village of Corte Madera, which didn’t become a Town until ten years later.
Members of the Club went on to landscape Railroad Park, across from the train station; organized socials, dances, and picnics; and stepped up to feed teams of volunteer firefighters when a calamity occurred. They put the starch into community government, making sure that public services were adequate, and they even set up a field hospital in town when World War II began. Money donated by the Club made it possible for the Corte Madera Lions Club to build the Recreation Center in 1951.
These days, the Club doesn’t have to be responsible for so many of the things that give our town its special qualities. We rely on good Town government to make the parks beautiful and keep the street lights lit. However, the Corte Madera Women’s Improvement Club still has a vital role to play in Corte Madera during this 21st century.
This is where you come in! The Club is looking for new energy, new ideas, and new members to enjoy the kinds of activities that interest women in Corte Madera today.
As you may know, the Club was going to be disbanded at the end of last December, due to declining membership. When this news got out, a wellspring of support arose for saving the Club, and we had a chance to revitalize this historic organization. A new board is taking responsibility for bringing in more members and setting an agenda that will appeal to them. Because the Club’s bylaws allow for having various ‘sections’ based on shared interests, members can organize new sections within the Club. The chair of each section is a member of the Club board.
Here’s how it goes: The Club has the use of the Corte Madera Recreation Center every Tuesday, year-round, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The monthly business meeting takes up only an hour on second Tuesdays. A luncheon, tea, or program of particular interest to the older members is usually scheduled from 11:30 to 1:30 on fourth Tuesdays. The Marathon Bridge Group sponsored by the Club uses the Main Hall on third Tuesdays. There are many hours available each month for other kinds of activities to be scheduled in the Rec Center by new sections within the Club, including the entire 10–to-3 period on first Tuesdays. Sections can meet as often or as seldom as they choose.
Now, getting back to YOU! The Club needs your ideas, your energy, and your leadership to keep it going until at least the 100th anniversary in 2006—and it should go on much longer than that!
A revitalized Club can be a way to meet new people, get together informally for fun, work on projects that benefit the community, share your talents, pick up know-how in areas you haven’t had time to explore until now, use your organizational skills…. The possibilities are wide open.
Even if your time is so limited that you can participate only occasionally, please become a member of the Club by paying the annual dues of $15 and lend your support to others who will take on the challenge of revitalizing this great old organization. Membership dues can be sent to the Corte Madera Women’s Club at P.O. Box 486, Corte Madera CA 94976.
Come and talk about your ideas and interests with us at the Club’s next regular meeting on Tuesday, May 11th, at 10:30 a.m. in the Rec Center, or let us know if you’re interested in joining the Evening Section, which we plan to get started next month. We hope you’ll fill out the enclosed survey, which helps the Club make good plans.
Jana Haehl, Interim President Joan Vaughan, Interim Secretary
P.S. If you can’t come to the meeting on May 11th, please send your comments, ideas or questions anyway.
E-mail: jghaehl@comcast.net or Joan.Vaughan@gte.net Call: Jana at 924-4253, Joan at 924-0150
Members of the Club went on to landscape Railroad Park, across from the train station; organized socials, dances, and picnics; and stepped up to feed teams of volunteer firefighters when a calamity occurred. They put the starch into community government, making sure that public services were adequate, and they even set up a field hospital in town when World War II began. Money donated by the Club made it possible for the Corte Madera Lions Club to build the Recreation Center in 1951.
These days, the Club doesn’t have to be responsible for so many of the things that give our town its special qualities. We rely on good Town government to make the parks beautiful and keep the street lights lit. However, the Corte Madera Women’s Improvement Club still has a vital role to play in Corte Madera during this 21st century.
This is where you come in! The Club is looking for new energy, new ideas, and new members to enjoy the kinds of activities that interest women in Corte Madera today.
As you may know, the Club was going to be disbanded at the end of last December, due to declining membership. When this news got out, a wellspring of support arose for saving the Club, and we had a chance to revitalize this historic organization. A new board is taking responsibility for bringing in more members and setting an agenda that will appeal to them. Because the Club’s bylaws allow for having various ‘sections’ based on shared interests, members can organize new sections within the Club. The chair of each section is a member of the Club board.
Here’s how it goes: The Club has the use of the Corte Madera Recreation Center every Tuesday, year-round, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The monthly business meeting takes up only an hour on second Tuesdays. A luncheon, tea, or program of particular interest to the older members is usually scheduled from 11:30 to 1:30 on fourth Tuesdays. The Marathon Bridge Group sponsored by the Club uses the Main Hall on third Tuesdays. There are many hours available each month for other kinds of activities to be scheduled in the Rec Center by new sections within the Club, including the entire 10–to-3 period on first Tuesdays. Sections can meet as often or as seldom as they choose.
Now, getting back to YOU! The Club needs your ideas, your energy, and your leadership to keep it going until at least the 100th anniversary in 2006—and it should go on much longer than that!
A revitalized Club can be a way to meet new people, get together informally for fun, work on projects that benefit the community, share your talents, pick up know-how in areas you haven’t had time to explore until now, use your organizational skills…. The possibilities are wide open.
Even if your time is so limited that you can participate only occasionally, please become a member of the Club by paying the annual dues of $15 and lend your support to others who will take on the challenge of revitalizing this great old organization. Membership dues can be sent to the Corte Madera Women’s Club at P.O. Box 486, Corte Madera CA 94976.
Come and talk about your ideas and interests with us at the Club’s next regular meeting on Tuesday, May 11th, at 10:30 a.m. in the Rec Center, or let us know if you’re interested in joining the Evening Section, which we plan to get started next month. We hope you’ll fill out the enclosed survey, which helps the Club make good plans.
Jana Haehl, Interim President Joan Vaughan, Interim Secretary
P.S. If you can’t come to the meeting on May 11th, please send your comments, ideas or questions anyway.
E-mail: jghaehl@comcast.net or Joan.Vaughan@gte.net Call: Jana at 924-4253, Joan at 924-0150
*** THE CORTE MADERA WOMEN'S CLUB HAS MAINTAINED AN ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP OF OVER 100 SINCE 2004. ***