Tuesday event marks anniversary
By:
When the 20-member Woman’s Club of Hillsborough celebrates its 40th anniversary at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, in the Hillsborough Municipal Community Room, the club members will have a lot to reflect on.
While their accomplishments range from founding the Hillsborough Public Library to an ongoing scholarship program for Hillsborough High School graduates, the members have also been involved in such local events as the annual Community Tree Lighting.
Because of those contributions, the club’s event Tuesday will include recognition by Nancy B. Byers, 4th District vice president for the General Federation of Women’s Clubs and the Hillsborough Township Committee.
The club was organized in February 1965 and was accepted for membership into the GFWC on June 11 of that year. The first president was Glenna McShefferty, and the current president is Barbara Zielsdorff. The club founded the library in the fall of 1966, staffing it with volunteers from the community and the club until the township provided financial support in 1967. One of the major donations from the club was $1,500 for a microfilm copier reader at the library.
In early 1991, the library established a home in the Municipal Building. In conjunction with our 40th anniversary, the Woman’s Club will be sponsoring a raffle next month and half of the proceeds will be donated to the Hillsborough Public Library.
In the past 40 years, the Woman’s Club of Hillsborough has held numerous fashion shows, rummage sales, art auctions, antique shows, children’s fairs, dances, holiday boutiques, basket auctions, candidate night events and bus trips to Atlantic City and shopping outlets.
The club also coordinates the local UNICEF program by obtaining the boxes, distributing to the eight local schools and collecting and counting the money to be sent to UNICEF.
Money raised from these events is donated back into the community in scholarships, including eight to Hillsborough High School students, one to Immaculata High School.
The club also helps support the Hillsborough Rescue Squad, Camp Oakee Sunokee, Rolling Hills Girl Scout Council, Boy Scouts of America, 4-H, Breast Cancer, Juvenile Diabetes, the Hillsborough High School Band, NJSFWC HOBY and National Multiple Sclerosis.
This year three Working Women Scholarships were given to Thomas Edison College student, and a working relationship with the township’s Social Service Department has resulted in numerous donations for local needy families; which includes clothing, food, household supplies, holiday gifts, Thanksgiving meal supplies and Easter baskets.
The Woman’s Club also participates in Federation-sponsored activities such as the annual NJSFWC Convention, Achievement Day where awards are given for hand-made items made by club members; and Operation Cookie, Cracker/Soup cookies, crackers and soups are donated to local nursing homes and to township families.
Over the past 40 years, the Woman’s Club of Hillsborough has donated over $500,000 and many more hours of service to the community helping the club live up to its motto "Serving Our Community."
Anyone interested in attending Tuesday’s meeting can call the membership chairperson at 526-1989.

