Greenwood Civic Club
The Greenwood Civic Club was founded in 1917 by a group of wives and mothers in the town of Greenwood dedicated to culture, beauty, and community service. Members established a library and focused much of their attention on the welfare of the town’s children. They gathered to have coffee and cake, sometimes bringing their “fancy work” and other times working together making qu
ilts or rag rugs. Not to be missed were the wildly popular monthly Whist games. In the 1960s and 70s, the group went by the name of the “Greenwood Hobbyists” and the interest of the members turned to arts and crafts, as well as the preservation of the area’s history. To this end, the Club published several books on the subject written by local authors. In the mid 1980s, the group took back its earlier name – the Greenwood Civic Club – and once again focused its activities and fundraising to benefit the community and its youth. The Club created a scholarship program for graduating Elk students, provided ongoing support for the Greenwood Community Center and its various children’s programs, and helped sustain the Elk Volunteer Fire Department and the ambulance service. In 2007, the Greenwood Civic Club incorporated and became a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charitable organization in 2008. The first male members were welcomed in 2011. The Club’s mission is to promote, publish and preserve the history of the town of Elk, California and to support Elk community organizations, activities and residents. It is led by a five-member volunteer Board of Directors, elected by the membership. Members meet bi-monthly, January through November, and enjoy numerous social events throughout the year. Membership is open to anyone interested in pursuing the Club’s mission and committed to enriching the town of Elk and providing service to its residents. Dues are $35 per year. Please click here for a membership application:https://www.elkweb.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Membership-App2017.pdf
The Civic Club sponsors two annual events: a Soup Supper before the Annual Town Meeting and the Elk Rummage Sale (https://www.elkweb.org/annual-events/ ). The Club also sells postcards and note cards of historical photographs, three books on Elk’s history, a cookbook of recipes from past and current residents, cotton afghans depicting Elk landmarks, Greenwood/Elk decals, coffee mugs, and Elk-themed gift bags. Items are variously available at the Elk Store & Deli, Matson Mercantile and Queenie’s Roadhouse Café. Most items may be also be ordered by mail. For a complete list of items and an order form, please click here: https://www.elkweb.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/OrderForm2020.pdf. Additional funds are generated from dues, donations, and sales at the Greenwood Community Center's Great Day in Elk, the end-of-summer community celebration, and the churches' Holiday Arts and Crafts Fair. Proceeds from the Club’s fundraising efforts are intended to benefit the Elk Volunteer Fire Department and ambulance service, the Greenwood Community Center and its children’s programs, a scholarship fund for local students, and other local and coastal nonprofit organizations and projects, and respond to community welfare needs and emergencies. Members also volunteer time and goods to the Elk Volunteer Fire Department’s Summer BBQ, Great Day in Elk celebration and the churches' St. Patrick's Party. The Club co-sponsors and moderates ElkWeb (https://www.elkweb.org/); sponsors and maintains the Elk Community List, a disaster supply container, and a Little Free Library; assists at memorial celebrations; donates and decorates the annual Christmas tree located at the Greenwood Community Church; supports community disaster preparedness; and collects food and/or warm clothing for the Food Bank during the holidays. Donations
You can support the Greenwood Civic Club’s efforts to serve the community by sending tax-deductible donations to the Greenwood Civic Club, PO Box 282, Elk, California 95432. The Club encourages residents to “shop local,” at home and on the coast, but recognizes that folks often need to shop online. If you shop at AmazonSmile, Amazon will make a donation to Greenwood Civic Club.
