Flagler Beach Woman’s Club

Back in 1946, Flagler Beach was a very small community with few interests outside the pier which extended out into the ocean, and the beach. A group of 25 to 30 ladies met one spring afternoon on the porch of the Flagler Beach Hotel. Since there was no agreement on a proper name for the group, no action was taken to form this club.

Sometime later, 13 ladies met at the home of Luella Fleurie; and they formed a club named “The Flagler Civic Club.” The main objective of the group was to help the children of the town, so the first project was to put playground equipment on a vacant lot near the pier. This lot was on the south end of the block where City Hall is today. This equipment was later moved to the school yard. They also began a movement to get the school, which had been closed during the war, reopened. They even cleaned up the building in order to save the school board funds to get this project underway. They met in members’ homes, the Baptist Church basement, and even under the pier on the beach. To make money for their projects, they had bake sales at the post office. Flossie remembers,

"Soon after we started, we received a letter from the town commission stating they were pleased about our community interests, but to please try not to tell them how to run their business—which, of course, we had not planned to do. We decided right then and there to stay out of politics and have to this day. Although, we urge members to vote their choices, and we have ‘Candidates Night’ before every election, where several hundred people attend and we serve refreshments afterwards."

In 1948 the club joined the Federation and changed the name to the Flagler Woman’s Club to be designated as a county-wide club; they drew members from all sections of the county. The main objective at this time was to have their own building. They had many fundraising projects, and every cent was placed in the building fund (after Federation obligations were met). Soon, they had $4,000 in the bank, earned through bakes sales and the sale of the Birthday Calendar. They purchased two lots on Central Avenue for $1,500 each. By 1958, nine presidents later, they broke ground for the clubhouse that stands today. Mr. D. F. Fuquay, an architect and father of Mickey Massie and Isla Kester, drew the plans and oversaw the construction—free of charge.

This history was compiled by Flossie Wickline Haines, who is one of the Founders, a Charter Member, a Life Member, and four-time president of the club.