Our History Makes Us Who We Are
The Frederick Woman’s Civic Club, Inc. has served the local community since 1911. What distinguishes FWCC from other civic organizations is the breadth of our volunteer outreach through our community service programs and outreach.
We work for to create a better Frederick through:
· support of the arts
· investment in education
· advocacy of health and wellness
· civic engagement and partnerships
· preservation of historic community treasures
· conservation of natural resources
Domestic violence is our signature project. Club members work tirelessly to end domestic violence through greater awareness while providing support to survivors in partnership with Heartly House. We also work to end child abuse through involvement with the Child Advocacy Center of Frederick County.
Our members represent a diverse cross-section of the Frederick community. Some of our members have lived in Frederick County all of their lives; others have more recently moved into the area. Our members have a wealth of talents and skills, expertise, and compassion. What unites us is our dedication to enhancing the lives of others in Frederick through volunteer service.
To accommodate the different family and work situations of our members, we hold monthly meetings in both the daytime and in the evening. Our community service program groups have many ongoing activities so there is always something to do!
The club meets at the historic Steiner House, a Frederick City landmark built in 1807 and purchased by FWCC in 1962. We maintain the house as close to its original condition as possible and open it to museum tours and other events. Steiner House reflects the club’s dedication to preservation of historic sites in our community.
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Our Organizational Structure
Sandra Dalton
Repudiation Day, November 23, 2019
FWCC, Inc. member Sandra Dalton (right) on Monday, Nov 25th, with Ramona Osborn, Frederick Chapter DAR, read the court proclamation celebrating Repudiation Day. It is the 21st year that Sandra Dalton, Frederick County Clerk of Court, has read the proclamation for the DAR.
Frederick County recognizes Repudiation Day every Nov. 23, but how many people have heard of this day or know what it honors?
While the Boston Tea Party is known around the world as a public display of anger toward the British crown in 1773, what many people do not know is that in 1765 a dozen judges gathered in a home on Record Street, behind the current Frederick City Hall, and agreed they would not enforce Parliament’s tax, known as the British Stamp Act.
These judges became the first to reject the British Stamp Act, a tax imposed on all 13 colonies, designed to pay for the costs of keeping British troops in the American colonies. The Frederick County judges decided they were not going to enforce the tax.
The judges reasoned that the stamps had not arrived from England, so they had no stamps to fix on the merchandise, and were also upset that the colonists had not been properly notified about the new tax. The late Judge Edward Delaplaine, a prominent Frederick jurist, historian and Francis Scott Key biographer, called the 12 Frederick County judges who repudiated the British Stamp Act the “12 immortal judges.”
Each year the Frederick Chapter National Society Daughters of the American Revolution meets to celebrate Repudiation Day with a tea party where tea and crumpets are served and the Clerk of the Court reads the original proclamation passed by the judges in November 1765 and by the Maryland Provincial Assembly.
There is a plaque in the Frederick County Courthouse, placed there by the Frederick Chapter National Society Daughters of the American Revolution in 1904, listing the names of the twelve men who took the brave stance and repudiated the Stamp Act. The plaque is on the right side of the vestibule of the courthouse front entranceway.
From the President
I am incredibly excited to begin my term as President of the Frederick Woman’s Civic Club, Inc. My goal is to promote our Club's mission: To unite the women of Frederick County and vicinity dedicated to community improvement by enhancing the lives of others through support and volunteer service in the areas of education, home life, art, public issues, conservation and historic preservation for the good of the individual and the community. To do this, we continue to strengthen our Club and our community.
In 1911, it all began with a vision: to serve our local population for the benefit of all. The history of the Frederick Woman’s Civic Club,Inc. is true testimony to the fact that women, organized to utilize their abilities, can achieve monumental goals of change and reform. The group of eighteen women, who met and formed the first Woman’s Club in Frederick on April 24, 1911, was the nucleus of an organization which has made a profound difference in the history and development of the city of Frederick, Maryland. From the beginning, they rolled up their sleeves and addressed problems within the city, and helped underprivileged children.
Today, we continue this work. Assisting me in achieving this goal are 66 amazing women. Each of us had an individual objective when joining our club, and each brings a diversity of thought, talent and passion to our Club. I am extremely proud of our FWCC members who continue to strengthen this legacy and honor those women who served before us.
In February, we will hold our Mardi Gras 2019, a Jazzy Night for Caring and Sharing. This event raises funds for the many projects and non-profit organizations that we support all year.
I am honored to lead and work with such an amazing team, but nothing we do would be possible without a strong community supporting our mission. Thank you for your continued support!
Living the Volunteer Spirit,
Carol Feser, President
Frederick Woman’s Civic Club, Inc.
FWCC, Inc. is part of a large network of caring women
GFWC, the Maryland Federation of Women's Clubs
There are three districts in the state of Maryland. Each is made up of a group of clubs serving their individual communities. In addition, members of these clubs initiate and support efforts, goals and activities of the GFWC of Maryland, as well as the national/international GFWC.