20th Century Materials Initiative
Washington Women's History Consortium

Washington Women's History Consortium

Women's Clubs and Organizations

Joan Ray, Junior Director, 1988-1990

Washington State Federation of Junior Women's Clubs


Joan Ray, Junior Director, 1988-1990, Washington State Federation of Women's Clubs.

Joan Ray served as WSFWC Junior Director while Jeanne Syverson served as WSFWC President.

The theme for this administration was GFWC

Opportunities for Service. A summer Board Meeting was June 4 in Ellensburg.

The WSFWC Juniors and Generals co-sponsored a Centennial Quilt Contest. Women quilters from across the state made quilts to celebrate the state's 100th Birthday.

Joan presided at the 54th Annual WSFWC - JM State Convention at the Sea-Tac Marriott in Seattle. Julie Rehberger, National Junior Project Chairman presented a workshop on Youth Suicide, followed by a Special Youth Suicide presentation by Joanne Poss.

Washington State had 251 members in 19 Junior clubs at this time.

During this two-year administration, Joan attended meetings in Grant Rapids, MI; Washington, D.C.; Tulsa, OK; Providence, RI; Las Vegas, NV; and New York, NY. The GFWC New York convention marked the 100 Anniversary of GFWC and was a highlight of Joan's term.

The 1990 Convention was April 27-29 in Spokane. It was reported that Washington State Juniors volunteered 25,956 hours and spent more than $30,000 in projects including membership, public relations, Washington State Centennial, hospital fund raising, support for local police, park improvements, Campfire, CARE and nursing homes at this convention.

Martha Smith served as General/Junior Liaison during this administration.

Sources

This biographical sketch, compiled by WSFWC's The History Resource Committee, appeared in The First 100 Years 1886-1996: A Condensed of Washington State Federation of Women's Clubs.

WSFWC's The History Resource Committee

Washington State Federation of Women's Clubs Resource Committee.

Corroborative Source Material

  • Biographical Histories by Serena Mathews and Leona Burke McCulloch
  • District and State Minutes
  • Club Member Books Club Yearbooks
  • The Washington Club Woman

Additional Reading

If you would like to do additional reading or research on the history of Women's Clubs consider the following:

  • Houde, Mary Jean, Reaching Out, A Story of the General Federation of Women's Clubs, 1989.
  • Wells, Mildred White, Unity in Diversity, The History of the General Federation of Women's Clubs, Published by the General Federation of Women's Clubs, 1965.
  • Wells, Mildred White, Unity in Diversity, The History of the General Federation of Women's Clubs. Volume IL Published by the General Federation of Women's Clubs, 1975.
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