Celebrating 50 Years of Service to the North Strand Community in 2024
In the spring of 1973 twelve young women from North Myrtle Beach met to form a new club, “The Plant and Pamper Garden Club”. Their membership grew, but within a few short months they realized that their main interest centered around the people and the endeavors of their community, and not gardening.
In the fall of that year they unanimously decided to change from a garden club to a Woman’s Club with the main goal being community service and involvement. In 1974 with over 25 members, the Woman’s Club joined the GFWC (General Federation of Woman’s Clubs) and officially became a GFWC club called The Woman’s Club of North Myrtle Beach. In 1984, the name was changed officially to the North Myrtle Beach Woman’s Club.
In the beginning the club pledged its support to help facilitate a new library for North Myrtle Beach, a community center for the city, and a new North Myrtle Beach Rescue Squad.
Thru the years the club continued to grow with monthly meetings and community projects. Today the club has over 100 members representing all age groups from different areas of the city and county.
In May of 2024, the NMBWC proudly celebrated 50 years of service to the North Myrtle Beach area at The Surf Golf and Beach Club. It was a great celebration. North Myrtle Beach Mayor and club member, Marilyn Hatley, presented the club with a formal declaration proclaiming May 14th in our great city as officially “North Myrtle Beach Woman’s Club Day”.
At the Destination North Myrtle Beach Dinner in March of 2024, the NMBWC was named “Non-Profit of the Year” based on its community service and fundraising activities. Club members attended the gala and all shared in the awards presentation.
Club members regularly attend the Annual GFWC-SC State Convention in Columbia where both club and individual awards are presented to the members.
The contributions of the club have been made possible by the hard work of many woman who are and have been members of the club during its 50 year history. Close to a Million dollars have been donated by the club since its inception through the now infamous Struttin’ on the Strand local talent revue held during the early years, yard & attic sales, pancake breakfasts and dinners, barbecues, fashion shows, jumping rope, little Miss and Mister pageants, silent and Chinese auctions, selling opportunity tickets, Heart Walks, Relay for Life teams, food booths at the Blue Crab festival and other festivals, paper back book sales, club recipe book sales, Christmas gift wrap projects, the annual Christmas Candlelight Tour of Homes, Purses with a Purpose, Domestic Violence Walk and the list continues to grow each year. Our generous donors and sponsors also contribute by financially supporting our large fundraising efforts.
We have come a long way since our humble beginnings in 1973… just imagine what the future will bring. Our club continues to be a vibrant service organization whose main focus is to make a positive contribution in our community.