North Fork Women's Club

History of North Fork Women’s Club

Our Mission Statement is: The North Fork Women’s Club supports the social welfare and educational needs of North Fork.

Our Motto: Giving Back to the Community

2006 Board of Directors
President – Linda Morse
Vice-President – JoAnn Decker
Treasurer – Jean Hancock
Secretary – Pat Butner
Director-at-Large – Chris Stanley

In November of 1946 the idea of the Women’s Club was conceived in the mind of our first loyal president, a tiny red-headed lady named Marcia Putney. Her wish was to attain for our town a more optimistic attitude. At that time there were 32 members. The goal of this organization was to unite the influence and enterprise of the women in the community in a program of social, philanthropic, civic, educational interests and to promote the welfare of the community.

Early eligibility in the organization was limited to women who were gainfully employed. Early members included Justice of the Peace, telephone operators, real estate agents, teachers, bookkeepers, business owners, secretaries, nurses, clerks and the postmistress.
In 1951 the membership was opened up to all women in the community. The club expanded out of a need for a concentrated sponsorship of improvements in a rapidly expanding community.

One of the first projects of the club was the foot bridge built across Willow Creek. The bridge enabled children who lived on the outskirts of town to have a shorter walk to school. Of course, the bridge has long since gone down the creek.

Other accomplishments of the club include starting the annual Christmas tree and Christmas party for the children remaining at the Indian Mission during the holidays. They were instrumental in persuading PG&E to install more transformers to serve the people in outlying areas.

Our early members pressed the phone company for better service and in 1959 the dial system was installed. They contributed $500, tables and chairs to Town Hall and worked towards obtaining fire fighting equipment and the service of a sheriff for the community.

They supported a drive to provide an access road on the Madera side of Millerton Lake as well as donating seven Modesto Ash trees to beatify the picnic area.

They were instrumental in setting speed limits and parking in town and keeping the unwanted pets to a minimum. The early members also convinced ranchers to drive their herds around town instead of down Main St.

Today the ladies are just as busy. They support numerous non-profit agencies such as March of Dimes, Red Cross and the Cancer Fund, just to name a few. They raise all their funds from community donations, yard, craft and bake sales. They offer crochet and knitting classes and raffle a homemade quilt each year at the Christmas Bazaar. They are always looking for ways to raise money and serve the community. This year they will be offering a scholarship to a deserving home school student.

As you can see the ladies before us were very active participants in forming our town. This increases the need for involvement from our present day membership to be able to continue the tradition. At the present time we have 39 members, who like our ladies of the past, enjoy getting together to craft and quilt, where good food binds them together in love and friendship.