In the heart of the beautiful Bluegrass
Central Kentucky Women: a force in philanthropy since 1894
Join the Club ⟶
Judy Owens, President
“Woman’s Club is about fun, fellowship, and philanthropy. We’re excited about the future of beautiful Central Kentucky and honored to carry on the legacy of the history-making women who came before us.”
Woman’s Club’s legacy . . .
The Woman's Club of Central Kentucky was established in November 1894 in Lexington, Kentucky, just after the formation of the Kentucky Federation of Women's Clubs in the summer 1894. Counties represented include Bourbon, Boyle, Casey, Clark, Fayette, Jessamine, Madison, Mercer, Montgomery, Scott, and Woodford. The organization's mission is to "further the educational and cultural life of the community and to broaden the outlook of the women of central Kentucky by keeping them informed on matters of national and international scope." The Club led fundraising to establish the Carnegie Public Library in 1898, in public school reform, and in woman's suffrage in local school elections.
Today’s Woman’s Club focuses on childhood education, historic preservation, welfare and seniors. WCCK’s philanthropic efforts touch many aspects of Fayette County's civic life.
Woman’s Club financial support at work in Central Kentucky . . .
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William Wells Brown Elementary
Woman’s Club has supplied coats, cleaning supplies, and materials to make more than 500 custom-made masks when Lexington’s great kids needed them most.
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YMCA of Central Kentucky
The Club made its annual $4,000 grant in 2021 for children’s programming aimed at girls at the Y. CEO Paula Anderson provided daycare to frontline workers during the COVID-19 crisis.
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Lady Veterans Connect
Judge Lindsay Thurston and Kymberlei Locke represented the Woman’s Club at the dedication of Lady Veterans Connect, transitional housing for women vets. Woman’s club has been a strong supporter of this project.
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The Well
The Well of Lexington provides a holistic program of safe housing, recovery support, education and healing for women and their families exploited by sex trafficking.
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Grace Place
Grace Place is a residential program for women who are recovering from problems arising from addiction, domestic abuse, and homelessness
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ITN Bluegrass
The Independent Transportation Network® does more than just provide rides for senior adults and adults with visual impairments. It helps to solve a huge social need
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Food Chain
Established in 2011, FoodChain is situated in the former Rainbo Bread Factory, a building that began baking & distributing bread in the 1870s. Some of the oldest spaces in the building now host Kentucky’s first indoor aquaponics farm as well as our teaching and processing kitchen. In this space we grow fresh food, transform food waste, lead cooking programs, organize community dinners, and coordinate education and community outreach efforts.
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Arbor Youth Services
Arbor Youth Services' mission is to end youth homelessness by providing a safe and supportive environment to youth who have suffered abuse, abandonment or are at risk of being victimized. It provides emergency shelter for unaccompanied children under 18 and helps youth between 18 and 24 years of age transition from homelessness to housing. It provides the only Safe Place designated shelter in Central Kentucky.
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Assurance
Our March spotlight speaker was Ronda Webber, executive director of Assurance, a nonprofit that helps meet the needs of those facing unexpected pregnancies. Ronda was sponsored by BJ Cunningham, past president and current member of the Philanthropy Committee.
Meetings where we connect and learn.
Meet the Leadership Team
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Judy K. Owens
PRESIDENT
Co-Chair, Philanthropy
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Pace Cooke Emmons
SECOND VICE PRESIDENT
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Deborah Gresham
TREASURER
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Ann Hamlin
ASSISTANT TREASURER
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Nicola Burkett
CORRESPONDING SECRETARY
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Amelia Wisner
RECORDING SECRETARY
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Linda House
CHAPLAIN
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Martha King
RESERVATIONS
Meet the Philanthropy Committee
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Judy K. Owens
President, WCCK and Co-Chair, Philanthropy
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Jean Dorton
Co-Chair, Philanthropy Committee
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Linda House
Member, Philanthropy Committee
Sponsor of the 2022 Annual Grant Winner
Arbor Youth Services
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B.J. Cunningham
Member, Philanthropy Committee
Past President, WCCK
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Pace Cooke Emmons
Member, Philanthropy Committee
Arbor Youth Services
Winner of the 2021-22 Annual Grant, Woman’s Club of Central Kentucky
From left, Pace Cooke Emmons and Linda House, Philanthropy Committee; Judy Owens, WCCK President, Andrew Shayde with Arbor Youth Services, Lori Clemons, CEO of Arbor Youth, BJ Cunningham, Philanthropy Committee member and past president and Jessica Berry, representing the YMCA of Central Kentucky, Inc. winner of the 2020-21 Annual Grant. Photo by Kevin Nance of Lexington, Ky.
When Woman’s Club found a home
When the Woman’s Club first formed, the women met in homes, including the elegant home of Mrs. Jere R. Morton, located at 137 Short Street. Meetings were later held at the Merrick Lodge Rooms on Broadway, and later at the Elks Club. In 1964, “a cherished dream of 70 years came true and the Woman’s Club purchased its own home on 214 Broadway.”
Dr. Thomas Hunt Morgan was raised in the house. In 1933, Dr. Morgan received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for “his discoveries concerning the role played by chromosomes in heredity.” He was the first Kentuckian to receive the Nobel Prize and he is known as the “Father of Modern Genetics.”
In 2014 the house was deeded to the Blue Grass Trust for Historic Preservation, and is now the home of the Lexington History Museum.