Overview of the Collection
Historical NoteThe Druzea Club was formed in Bellingham, Washington in 1937 in the home of Mrs. Maude Fischer with the express purpose of facilitating mental improvement and social enjoyment for its members. In 1938 the club joined the Washington State Federation of Women’s Clubs and enjoyed a long association with this umbrella organization. Druzea is a Russian word meaning ‘friendship’ which was to be the root of the Druzea Club’s purpose in the local and regional communities. The club was active in a number of service projects which included aiding needy families during the holidays, collecting magazines for monthly drop-off at the Juvenile Detention quarters of the Court House, sponsoring a rural school through the Save the Children Federation, assisting in the restoration of the Whatcom Museum as well as engaging in war service projects during World War II. Library service was also one of the main focuses of the Druzea Club, which took an active role in the formation of Friends of the Bellingham Public Library in October 1952. The club was also involved in the establishment of a library at Pt. Roberts by furnishing books and magazines to the local community. The Druzea Club was active as well in supporting State and General Federation of Women’s Clubs projects and also gave financial assistance to the Heart, Cancer, and Polio funds, the local food bank, the Indian Youth Mission, the Home for Abused Women and the Salvation Army. The club also acted as a leadership training ground in that five of its members eventually became Federation of Women’s Clubs district presidents, three were general chairman to the state convention when it was held in Bellingham, and several members went on to become state officers and department chairs. This connection with the Federation was cherished by club members and fortified their resolve to continue actively supporting their local and regional communities. The club celebrated its fiftieth anniversary in 1987 and has since disbanded. Content DescriptionThe Druzea Club Records (1937-1987) contain textual materials which document the history of the club’s volunteer and community service activities as well as the active role the group played within the Washington State Federation of Women’s Clubs. The materials primarily consist of club scrapbooks which are organized chronologically. Scrapbooks contain numerous clippings from the Bellingham Herald and the Washington Clubwoman regarding the activities of the club, certificates of award from the Washington State Federation of Women’s Clubs, photographs of club members, thank you letters to the club, yearly membership and officers lists as well as numerous ephemera from various functions and gatherings. The collection also contains materials relating to the Washington State Federation of Women’s Clubs of which the Druzea Club was an active part. These materials include Bellingham-hosted convention booklets, club bylaws, a 1986-87 directory and speech and communication help-manuals. These materials can help in the establishment of the connection between the Druzea Club and the umbrella organization of the Federation. Use of the Collection
Restrictions on Access :
Collection open to the public. Preferred Citation :Druzea Club Records, Center for Pacific Northwest Studies, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, 98225 Administrative Information
Arrangement :
The Druzea Club Records are organized in accordance with the following series arrangement:
Detailed Description of the CollectionThe following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.
SubjectsThis collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.
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