Member of Kentucky BPW/USA

The History of Franklin BPW

BPW Beginnings

On June 19, 1955, a group of sixteen women met at the Homestead Restaurant with Katherine Peden (then President of the BPW/KY Federation) and six women from Bowling Green to discuss plans for organizing a club in Franklin.  The chapter was presented to President Mary Alta Hood in Louisville, KY on July 2, 1955.  There were seventy-eight members and by the end of the first year, there were one hundred two members.  Officers for 1955-56 were as follows:

Among the many projects undertaken by the club in 1955-56 were:

• Preparation of the History of Progress Scrapbook in the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Community Betterment Contest which won second place of $700 and a plaque

• Welcome for newcomers to Franklin

• Tourist promotion project

• Clean-up week

• Landscaping of Courthouse yard started

• Essay contest for high school students "Why I Am Proud To Be A Kentuckian"

• Donation of $55 to UGF

• Christmas gifts to the Tuberculosis Hospital at Glasgow

• Sponsored organization of Russellville BPW and were hostesses at their charter dinner

• Observed Boss' Night and Business Women's Week

The club won first place in 1957, 1958 and 1959 in the Kentucky Chamber Community Betterment Contest.  The award was $1000 for each year.  In 1960, the club won second place and the $700 award.  On September 13, 1960 at the Kentucky State Fair on Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Day ( in the parade of Kentucky cities), Franklin received $1000 for winner in the five year Community Development Program:  The total awards the club won in this program amounted to $5400.

The program was changed to a district level and the Franklin Club won first place, $200 in its district in 1961 and $200 for first place in 1962.  The money from these awards has been used for community betterment such as schools, courthouse, industrial landscaping and furnishing a room at Franklin-Simpson Memorial Hospital.

The club has participated in Clean-Up Week, Farm-City Week, Christmas Parade, Beauty Pageants, Gray Ladies and Red Cross.  Starting in 1958, the BPW Award has been given to a senior girl at graduation and in 1962 a $150 scholarship fund for a senior girl was started.  These awards are still given today.

The Franklin Club has had seven members serve as state officers.  Mary Alta Hood and Heather Thomsen as state president, Christine Vincel was state corresponding secretary and Rowena Sullivan, Ann Mary Butts, Katherine McCutchen and Jerilyn Dawson served as district directors and several others have sat on committees.

Concept '67 under Janet Roark and '68 under Eugenia Thurmond were great strides in developing more interest in Arts and Crafts in the community.  Throughout the years the club has held several fundraising events such as style shows, card parties, broom sales, rummage sales and pecan sales at Christmas.

The club currently has a program they sponsor at the Franklin-Simpson Middle School called "Choices".  Classes are conducted by club members and other volunteers to teach young girls about the different avenues in their lives that they can choose.

Franklin BPW members have always enjoyed a fine spirit of being a part of the community.  Cooperation with the Chamber of Commerce, local government and other civic groups has helped the club to express its beliefs and hopes for progress.  BPW continues to be the leading "Advocate for Working Women" with a major emphasis on those issues that are deemed important to today's women such as pay equity, child card, social security, women's health issues and their community.

To view a list of all Franklin BPW past presidents, click here.

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