By PHOEBE DONALD ROBINSON / Community Columnist

For more than 100 years, Shelby County has been blessed to have active federated women clubs that give countless volunteer hours and thousands of dollars each year to our community. The three clubs — Columbiana Culture Club, Vignette Club and Novella Club of Columbiana — are all members of the Alabama Federation of Women’s Clubs (AFWC) and General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC). Not only are the clubwomen active at the community area, but also at the district and state level.

Novella’s Peggy Wood is the Third District director, responsible for all clubs in Jefferson and Shelby counties. Recently she organized the Third District Spring Meeting held at the Church of the Nazarene in Columbiana, where more than 75 women met for the meeting, program and lunch. AFWC Vice President Jackie Clark was special guest. Vignette Dr. Rachel Brown Fowler was the guest speaker. Fowler was appointed by Gov. Dr. Robert Bentley to the Alabama State Council of the Arts and spoke of the importance of the arts to all citizens.

Wood recognized clubwomen with more than 25 years of service: Culture clubwomen — Anne Davis (56 years); Ouida Mayfield (53 years), Carolyn Knowles and Nancy Vincent (37 years), Brenda Tidmore (36 years) and Joyce Jones (32 years); Vignette clubwomen — Fowler, Carol Hill, Donna Morris, Dolores Jones and Linda Major (more than 25 years); Novella clubwomen — Adell Edmondson (56 years); Bonnie Atchison (26 years), and June Storey (more than 25 years).

The presidents of the three clubs are: Culture Club President Linda Cundiff, Vignette President Barbara Robinson and Novella President Lisa Sallas. The Culture Club raises funds with its Culture Club cookbook and annual pecan sale. The Vignette Club sponsors the Miss Shelby County and Miss Shelby County Outstanding Teen Pageants, part of the Miss America Scholarship Organization. The Novella Club sponsored its annual Antique, Art and Crafts Show, which was April 27 at the Shelby County Exhibition Center. The three clubs work together to sponsor the annual luncheon and fashion show to benefit the Shelby County Arts Council.

 

Phoebe Donald Robinson is a community columnist for the city of Columbiana and can be reached at phoeberobinson@bellsouth.net.