Membership Profile

 Our 2nd Vice President, membership chairman, is Janet Cocke. Tri Club maintains a membership level of about 100 members, and our official reports are in the category of Large Clubs. Our members no longer have to be over a certain age, which once was the rule. Tri Club's maximum membership is 135, which includes only the category of Resident Members.


There are three categories of membership.

Resident Membership: Members who cooperate and promote the Club's objectives. One of the main interests shall be the West End Community Center. Dues are $55.00.

Non-resident Membership: Members in good standing who have moved from the area. Dues are $35.00

Sustaining Membership: Members in good standing who are unable to attend meetings regularly due to permanent physical or health disabilities. Dues are $35.00. 

                


Hands On Membership Benefits

Art Classes Available

One of our benefits is an informal weekly art class held at the Gayton Church Presbyterian Church on  Mondays from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. We generally meet from October through late March. Following our club tradition, the Tri Club Art Group takes its birthday members out to lunch. Contact Arts Chairman Iris Will for more information, or any member of the Tri Club Art Group: Shirley Spangler, Page Peyser, Lea Lightner and Doris Glisson..

Writing, Arts and Crafts Contests

Our Arts Committee offers other activities. These include a Writing Contest, where prose and poetry entries have a mid - December deadline.  See our calendar for the exact date.

Our Arts and Crafts Show is held the first Thursday in February.  Entries with completed entry cards must be turned in to our Arts Committee at the West End Community Center on the Monday before the Show. The judges work later that afternoon. All of the entries and the judging results are displayed at the February meeting.

First place winners in the various categories go to the Arts & Crafts Show held by Lee District. In turn, Lee District first place winners are entered into the GFWC Virginia contests.

Our Bridge Marathon Has a Long History

As a member, you may become involved with some of our projects and traditions.

For many years we have had a long-running Bridge Marathon where teams of two bridge players play all of the other teams to see who holds the top ranks.

Playing bridge, like doing crossword puzzles, is a good way to keep yourself sharp. It's a healthy way to keep your brain alert. This special interest group is a wonderful way to make closer friends over the years.

Adele Van Divender  and Mariett Eggleston  are in charge of our Bridge Marathon. Adele keeps track of the scores and holds the May luncheon, and Mariett keeps track of the money.

The bridge season runs year-round for some teams, trying to play all of the other teams while juggling time with travel and other activities.

Scores must be turned in by the end of April, and the winners are announced and prizes given at the Annual Meeting in May. In the middle of May, we hold a bridge luncheon.

In the 2011-2012 bridge season, the third prize was given to Liz Campbell and Carolyn Riviere,with a total of 22,650 points,  second prize to Barbara Bowry and Mary Anne Bryan, with a total of 24,730 points, and first prize to Page Peyser and Lucy Vick, with a total of 34,820 points. Peyser and Vick also had the highest single round with 4,950 points. Let the good cards continue!

Becoming a Member

Most of our new members are friends of a member. You are invited to a meeting, hear an interesting program, read our award-winning newsletter, The Tri Club Tribune, browse through our top-flight website  TriClubOnline and join us for lunch at the West End Community Center.  Our Membership booklet gives you lots of information about how Tri Club functions. After attending two meetings as a guest, you may apply for membership.

All members receive our Yearbook, another publication that helps Tri Club members know what's going on all through the year. The Yearbook is our "Little Black Book," except that now for new members it's our "Little Red Book."  It is maintained by Diane Golden.  Changes for the new Yearbook have a deadline of July 1st. The updated information is published in August.

"A candidate for membership shall be a registered voter. You shall be sponsored by one club member and endorsed by another. A candidate accepted for membership shall send a written acceptance to the Membership Chairman (the 2nd Vice President) within ten (10) days after receiving the notice of election. The acceptance shall be accompanied by the initiation fee.''

The Board may consider applications for membership at any regular Board Meeting. New members may be received at any time during the club year after attending two (2) regular meetings.

 

    Membership Application Form
  
    Membership Biography Form

 

GFWC Member Center

According to the GFWC Member Center, belonging to a GFWC club provides the opportunity to

  • contribute to the quality of life in your neighborhood and community
  • gain a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction in doing good
  • participate in interesting, informative, inspiring programs
  • explore and sharpen skills that can lead to professional advancement
  • expand your network of contacts - professional and personal
  • build lifelong friendships
  • have FUN!

Overview - From the Top Down

Tri Club is a member of a much larger organization than many of our members realize.

The General Federation of Woman's Clubs (GFWC) is our International organization. GFWC Virginia is our State organization, and GFWC Lee District is our local organization (one of eight districts in the State). Tri Club is a member of all of these.

We highlight women's and children's needs for many things, from babies to senior adults. We raise money for cancer research, birth defects, autism, women's and children's rights, food, medical care, and the list goes on and on.

Originally we were associated with three junior clubs: Thomas Jefferson,   Westwood and Westhampton Junior Woman's Clubs. When Tri Club was founded in 1959, we were formed by 18 graduates from these three junior clubs. The name Tri Club was chosen as a symbol of those three organizations.

Did you know?

Notable GFWC clubwomen include Eleanor Roosevelt, first lady of the United States of America, social reformer, columnist, teacher, and political activist; Jane Addams, founder of Hull House; Julia Ward Howe, author of  "The Battle Hymn of the Republic;" Margaret Chase Smith, the first woman to ever be elected to both Houses of Congress, and the first woman to campaign for the presidential nomination of a major political party; and Nellie Tayloe Ross, the first female governor and the first woman to be appointed Director of the United States Mint.