Woodstock Business and Professional Women's Club Records

The Woodstock Business and Professional Women’s Club organized in 1931 as the McHenry County B.P.W. Club with 13 charter members.  In July 1955 the members voted to change the club’s name for three reasons: most of the members lived in Woodstock; the unpredictability of winter weather made it difficult for out-of-town members to attend the meetings; and a club was being organized in Harvard, Illinois.  As membership increased, the club became more active in community affairs.   The group sponsored a benefit mink fashion show in 1965 to promote a nurse’s scholarship.  Another benefit fashion show in 1966 raised money to reconstruct the Spring House, one of the local historical society’s buildings, in the Woodstock Civic Square.  Since the B.P.W. club sponsored the historical society’s organization, they designed many of their projects to promote the society and insure its continuation.  Other programs given by the club included a benefit bake sale for the Crystal Lake Tornado Fund (1966), a “Bosses” Night (first one in 1967), and the members supported a foster child in Viet Nam.   Today, the Woodstock B.P.W. Club continues to sponsor programs benefitting women and the Woodstock community.

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