Washington Women's History Consortium

Women's Clubs and Organizations

Nancy Jones, Kent, President, 1994-1996

Washington State Federation of Women's Clubs

"Unity in Diversity: Opportunities Unlimited" was he theme chosen by Mrs. Millard Jones (Nancy) for her term as 52nd President of the Washington State Federation of Women's Clubs. Nancy was born in Seattle, graduated from Evergreen High School in Burien, and attended the University of Washington.

Nancy met her husband, Millard, through her roommate (Millard's sister) when Nancy worked for the Simpson Timber Company. They married in 1964. They had two daughters: Karen, a navy nurse married in 1994 to a Navy JAG lawyer, and Lorne, an office administrator for an orthopedic clinic. Millard is an instrumentation engineer at the Boeing Company. Nancy also works at Boeing as an executive office administrator in the Customer Relations Department. Their favorite leisure activity is spending time on their sailboat.

The family moved to Palmdale, California for a few years. While there, in 1971, Nancy joined a Junior Women's Club.

Returning to Washington in 1973, Nancy joined the Kent Junior Women's Club. She was elected club president, and went on to become King County District Junior Director and Washington State Federation of Women's Clubs Director of Junior Clubs (1980-1982).

As a general member, Nancy also became president of GFWC Sokico Club and president of King County District during 1996-1988. She served in a variety of WSFWC board positions and offices prior to being elected president. She was installed on April 23, 1994, in Vancouver.

At the post-convention board meeting, Nancy announced that Leadership Development was her President's Project. Her daughter Lorrie, also a federated club member, was named Nancy's Administrative Secretary.

An innovation in procedures was a Strategic Planning Meeting in July 1994 at Snoqualmie Summit. Officers, District Presidents, Department Coordinators and Program Chairmen met to discuss new reporting methods and to plan workshops.

The WSFWC Fall Board Meeting and Workshop was September 16-18, 1994 in Wenatchee at the West Coast Wenatchee Center Hotel. The theme was "Opportunities Unlimited." The Executive Committee recommended to the Board that the date and place of the WSFWC Convention be changed from Yakima to Seattle to coincide with the 1995 GFWC Convention in Seattle.

Workshop sessions were offered covering the six departments, memberships/public relations, public speaking, grant writing, Community Improvement Program, ways and means, and leadership.

During that fall and prior to the 1995 WSFWC and GFWC conventions, the Leadership Team, consisting of the six officers and WSFWC Leadership Chairman, began visits to the ten districts of WSFWC. The day-long seminar covered history, membership recruitment and development, quality vs. quantity of members, parliamentary procedure, public speaking, use of the GFWC Leadership Handbook and how to turn round the negative members to a positive outlook.

In addition, to all this activity, WSFWC members were planning the GFWC Convention. Chairman Carlene Garner, working with Nancy, assembled a committee to handle such concerns as finances, special dinners and banquets, amenities, registration, decorations, boosters and the need for over 200 volunteers.

The 1995 WSFWC Convention was at the Mayflower Hotel in Seattle, May 30-31. The meeting was condensed to a day and a half in order to meet the responsibilities of the GFWC convention. The theme was "WSFWC in the Spotlight." The WSFWC High School Art Contest was eliminated and the Member Arts and Crafts Contest was postponed until Fall Board.

Washington State was instrumental in the successful 1995 GFWC Convention. The "Over Washington" State Night Dinner featured the Boeing Community Chorus and pianist Walt Wagner. Many compliments were expressed by GFWC members about the courteous, efficient, and hospitable manner in which members of WSFWC hosted the international convention.

The 1995 WSFWC Fall Board and Workshops was at the Red Lion Inn in Yakima September 15-17. Jackie Pierce, GFWC Leadership Chairman, spoke to the attendees at two dinners and led a morning workshop.

The Junior Scholarship Chairman announced that the First Junior Scholarship in the amount of $600 will be awarded at state convention.

The Endowment Fund reached the $100,000 mark.

An Executive Committee recommendation was ad concerning a Constitutional change to re-name our organization the GFWC - Washington State. This change will be considered at the 1996 WSFWC Convention.

The final months of this administration will take place after this book goes to print.

The first 100 years of WSFWC have been outstanding and the needs of our communities, states, nation and world assure that the Washington State Federation of Women's Clubs and the General Federation of Women's Clubs will continue to be a vital volunteer organization m the future.