Accessibility • Safety • Functionality
The purpose of this Campaign is to provide funding for handicap accessibility, building safety, electrical and lighting upgrades and updating of the catering kitchen of a 1927 historic landmark building. The desired outcome is to improve accessibility and safety for Club Members, Guests and the Community.
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Why Are We Launching This Campaign?
Enhanced accessibility will encourage the continued engagement of the Club’s older members, making it easier to park, enter the building & attend meetings & events. The proposed interior improvements will facilitate the expanded use of the Clubhouse for Club fundraising & programming, Community events & rentals. Expanding the use of the building will encourage a broader Community outreach.
The Clubhouse is rented for Community events, parties, weddings, showers, business meetings, seminars, classes etc. & the lack of handicap accessibility has curtailed some rental opportunities. The condition of the kitchen has also been a deterrent to some rental prospects. Rental income is key to supporting the operating costs of the building.
Three Areas Of Funding
Handicapped Accessibility
A handicap lift at the rear of the building will address the four steps at the front & back entrances which make it difficult for individuals physically challenged or dependent on walkers or wheelchairs to enter the building. Paved parking off the alley, with a walkway to the front of the building, will make off street parking more accessible and building access easier. The restrooms are the original 1927 configurations and impose additional limitations for the physically challenged.
Upgraded
Electrical
Enhanced safety will be accomplished by upgrading the electrical service & interior and exterior lighting. The current electrical capacity is so limited that precautions have to be taken not to plug in too many appliances or increase lighting wattage in order to prevent tripped breakers. Extension cords, a tripping hazard, are employed because of limited outlets. The targeted improvements would entail relocating & upgrading the electrical panel, adding electrical receptacles & introducing supplementary lighting with switching options.
Catering
Kitchen
An updated configuration with an appropriate aesthetic, providing additional surfacing & storage, will greatly enhance the use of the kitchen for Club meetings, events, fundraising activities & rentals. The current kitchen was retrofitted with laminate cabinets in the 60s or 70s. It is not only an incompatible aesthetic for the historic provenance of the 1927 interior, but accommodations have to be made for sagging doors & shelves & general inefficiencies.
History
The Clubhouse is significant for its history as the home of the Hollywood Women’s Club (HWC) since 1927. From the activities of the founding members to donate hundreds of books to create the first public library, to canvassing citizens & businesses to enlist subscribers to the Miami Telephone Company & thereby establishing the first telephone service, to the WWII “War Bonds Drive” which netted over $12,000.00, the HWC has been an integral part of the social fabric of the City of Hollywood.
The gable-front, columned, wood frame structure is an example of modest classical revival architecture. There is a Greek revival entry, a vaulted, open timber ceiling, & original red & white oak flooring. The 1,700 square-foot clubhouse is located on two lots that were donated to the Hollywood Women’s Club by the City Founder, Joseph W. Young, in the early 1920s. Built following the devastating 1926 hurricane, the building symbolizes the immediate need for a social & civic center in a period of economic hardship.
Today
With the Clubhouse as a base, Community support & charitable works continue. Members volunteer, support & make donations to local schools, the Rotary Club Youth Scholarships, the Broward Outreach Homeless Shelter, Boys & Girls Club, ChildNet foster care, & many other charities. The Club hosts the Founder’s Day Celebration of the Hollywood Historical Society & supports the annual “Night Out Against Crime” in collaboration with the Lakes Civic Association & the Hollywood Police Department. Many other community organizations use the Clubhouse for events at a discounted rate.
As a 501(c)3 total volunteer, diverse organization with 100 members, the Hollywood Women’s Club mission is to help those who are less fortunate than we by working with and supporting other nonprofit organizations. In addition, we are also dedicated to restoring and protecting the beloved historic landmark the 1927 Hollywood Women’s Club building has become. We are devoted to volunteering where needed, when needed with compassion and enthusiasm for the betterment of our community.
The Club raises funds from annual membership dues and fund raising activities. Three years ago we raised $300,000.00, including a $50,000.00 grant from the State of Florida Historic Preservation, and the remainder from individuals and fundraising events to save the Clubhouse from sinking into the sand.
Finally
The Club has always emphasized diversity & an open door policy, striving to attract new Members who will continue the tradition of working together to give back to the Community. Removing the focus from restoration fundraising to a charitable emphasis will fully embrace the GFWC motto of “Living the Volunteer Spirit,” attracting a broader diversity of women to the Club, and encourage the continued support of our residential neighbors, City and County officials.
We are grateful for your continuing support and hope we can count on you this time!