Club: Younger women drawn to The Contemporaries

FROM PAGE 4 carve out time for their own personal growth.

With the Womanʼs Club of Westwoodʼs blessing, particularly that of executive board members Merianne Quillio, Lynda Bager, Joanne Toole, and Deen Meloro, the co-chairs hosted an informational meet and greet at Moxie Salon on Nov. 17, 2022 that was attended by more than 40 local women.

At the end of 2022, the Womanʼs Club of Westwood counted 22 women among its active members. Since the formation of The Contemporaries committee, 15 additional women have registered to become members. Although there are no age restrictions on membership, The Contemporaries have focused on reaching a younger set of women to join the ranks of the well-established organization.

For its first official event, The Contemporaries will host candle-lit Restorative Yoga led by Lauren Foley on Thursday, Feb. 2 at 7:30 p.m. at the Womanʼs Club of Westwood Clubhouse. Registration is required. The event is free to all members of the Womanʼs Club, inclusive of new members of The

Contemporaries, and $20 for all non-members.

The History of the Womanʼs Club of Westwood

Founded by the Dorcas Sewing Society in 1908 and federated in 1919 under the General Federation of Womenʼs Clubs (GFWC), the Womanʼs Club of Westwood is part of the largest volunteer womenʼs service organization in New Jersey. With state headquarters in New Brunswick, on the campus of the NJ State Federation of Womenʼs Clubs (NJSFWC) founded Douglass Residential College of Rutgers University, the NJSFWC boasts more than 10,000 members.

Through its national affiliation, the Womanʼs Club of Westwood is part of the oldest and largest nonpartisan, non-denominational service organization of women in the world with over 300,000 members in the United States and an additional 10 million members worldwide.

For over 100 years, the members of the Womanʼs Club of Westwood have actively supported local charities including the Westwood Volunteer Ambulance Corps, Westwood Volunteer Fire Department, Westwood Heritage Society, local food banks, Paramus Veterans Home, as well as state-wide and national charities such as Autism New Jersey, March of Dimes, American Red Cross, Easter Seals, and the Special Olympics. Furthermore, the club was integral in the founding of the Westwood Free Public Library and funds an annual scholarship for local young women.

Like the Womanʼs Club of Westwood, the mission of The Contemporaries is to bring together a diverse group of women in an inclusive environment who, through fellowship, volunteerism, and leadership, engage in hyperlocal philanthropy to serve the Club and the greater Westwood community.

Under the Womanʼs Club of Westwood, this new committee is composed of local women who share a dedication and enthusiasm for making the Westwood community a great place to live.

To learn more about The Con- temporaries of the Womanʼs Club of Westwood or register for the upcoming Restorative Yoga, email Nicole Dragona at westwoodcontemporaries@gmail.com. Additional upcoming events and opportunities can be found at instagram.com/westwoodcontemporaries

The Womanʼs Club of Westwood clubhouse is at 205 Kinderkamack Road. To contact the membership chair, call Lynda Bager at (201) 916-1580.