Inventory
 

Terre Haute Women's Club
Dates: 1984-1998
Accession Number: 20050601
Description: Twelve file folders in a document case
Donor:  Elizabeth Warner

History

The Terre Haute Women's Club was founded in July 1971 by Scotty Terhune and Pat Derks.  Terhune and Derks had been members of the General Federation of Women's Clubs before they moved to Terre Haute and wanted to start a group affiliated with that organization in Terre Haute.  The GFWC is an organization of independent volunteer organizations formed to promote common interests in conservation, education, public affairs, the home, international affairs and the arts.

Terhune, Derks and six other women chose two projects for their new club to become involved in.  Their first project was the "adoption" of the Cara School.  The women participated with other groups in the "Toy Coffee" program from 1971 to 1977 in which club members and their friends were invited to drink coffee and brought a $2.00 toy to be given to the Cara School as the price of admission.  As their second project, they participated in the Terre Haute Recycling of Waste (THROW) program for recycling glass and paper.

In January 1972, the Women's Club decided to establish its own charitable cause, a "Shoe Bank"  from which Club members would distribute shoes to Vigo County School Corporation students in financial need.  The Vigo County School Corporation approved the Shoe Bank project in May 1972 and a local auto dealer donated a van to the Club in June 1972.  The van became known as the "Shoe Bus".

To raise funds for purchasing shoes and maintaining the Shoe Bus, the Women's Club has held an annual "Evening of Art and Wine" from April 1972 onward.  Members of the public bought tickets for which they were able to sample local wines and hor d'ouevres plus they had an opportunity to purchase artwork in various media from local Wabash Valley artists.  The Evening of Art and Wine was originally held in the Swope Gallery but was so successful that it was moved to the Hulman Center.

The Terre Haute Women's Club incorporated in 1988-1989.  The Club meets from September to May on the second Tuesday of the month in the Vigo County Public Library.  In May the members hold a private luncheon at which Club officers and committee chairs report on the previous year.

A more detailed history of the Terre Haute Women's Club is available in the Celebrate the Century: Historical Surveys collection (#20001231).

Content and Scope of Collection

This collection consists of annual reports, financial reports and minutes of the Terre Haute Women's Club.   The collection also contains material about the Shoe Bus project.

Document Case
Folder 1	History, bylaws, criteria for the Outstanding Clubwoman Award	n.d.
Folder 2	Annual reports	1988-1992
	Officer and committee rosters	1988-1992
Folder 3	Annual reports	1992-1995, 1997-1998
	Officer and committee rosters	1992-1996, 1998-1999
Folder 4	Minutes, THWC Board Meetings	1988-1991
Folder 5	Minutes, THWC Board Meetings	1991-1996
Folder 6	Minutes, General Meetings	March 1984, Sept. 1988- May 1991
Folder 7	Minutes, General Meetings	Sept. 1991- April 1995
Folder 8	Minutes, General Meetings	Sept. 1995- April 1998
Folder 9	Financial reports	Aug. 1988- June 1992
Folder 10	Financial reports	July 1992- March 1996
Folder 11	May Luncheon	1989-1995, 1998
Folder 12	Shoe Bus Project - Procedures	n.d.