AFTER 78 years of help and philanthropy in the city, sparked by a simple game of bridge, the Junior League of Winnipeg has closed its doors.
But, far from being a sad ending to an organization with a long history, it's a time to celebrate.
From left, Lila Goodspeed, Rick Frost and Bernice Craig hold an archival Free Press documenting the paper's work with the Junior League.
The women involved in the JL have, in partnership with the Winnipeg Foundation, created the Junior League of Winnipeg Legacy Fund with the $200,000 remaining in their account.
This means that year after year, five per cent of the earned annual interest will be given to support local initiatives that follow the principles and goals of the JL. These include: development of the arts, educational activities, contributions to the well-being of children and activities for the benefit of all women.
Lila Goodspeed, a member of the legacy committee, said the organizations the JL created and nurtured helped many people in the city through the decades.
"You could always count on this group of women to do the job well," Goodspeed said.
"We're friends, we raised our children together, yet we always had our eye on the goal to make the community better."
Another member, Bernice Craig, said "We don't feel like we're ending something.
"The legacy is continuing. We feel very proud of advancing it. It's a very, very happy ending."
Rick Frost, CEO of the Winnipeg Foundation, said that "given its remarkable history of service to the community, we are honoured that the Junior League has entrusted The Winnipeg Foundation with this fund.
"Junior League's legacy of community-building is another example of how everyone can give a better future to our city; something that JL has been doing for decades."
The JL began in 1926 with four women playing a game of bridge in Winnipeg and saying they wanted to do something to help their community.
From there, more women were recruited and they became The Girls' Service League while they served a two-year probationary period necessary before being named an official JL site by the Association of Junior Leagues of America. During this time they ran a canteen in the General Hospital and sewed baby clothes for the Red Cross.
In 1928, the designation was granted and their name was changed to the Junior League of Winnipeg.
Through the years there was a veritable who's who -- or maybe that should be a what's what -- list of organizations in Winnipeg that were either created and established by the JL, or helped to grow.
These include not only the United Way, but Volunteer Manitoba, Manitoba Theatre Centre, and Age and Opportunity.
As well, the Social Planning Council of Winnipeg, Osborne House, Marymound Inc., and the Knowles Centre were all assisted by the Junior League.
Even the Free Press helped the JL through the years. In fact, on April 10, 1935, the profits from that day's newspaper advertising were given to the JL's charity work. The hope was that the money would enable the creation of a Family Welfare Agency.
The money did help. In 1936, the JL established the Family Bureau, donating sweat equity as well as $20,000 during the next six years to get it on its feet. The Family Bureau later became the Community Chest.
You've probably heard of what the Community Chest is called today: the United Way of Winnipeg.
One of the main avenues through which funds were raised over the decades was its Thrift Shop. The first opened in 1930 and the final one closed its doors in 2000. Other sources were fashion shows, calendar sales and house tours.
Pat Guy, the league's president in 1954-55, said her year as president saw the group create the Manitoba Arts Council.
"It's government-funded now, but we started it by calling a meeting of all the arts groups in Winnipeg," said Guy, who joined the JL in the 1940s after the end of the Second World War.
Guy said many people don't remember the key role the JL had in starting organizations because they quickly stepped out of the spotlight after the entity was turned over to community leaders who would keep it going.
"Our program was never to continue with the groups we started," Guy said.
Guy said the JL is a victim of changing times and the changing role of women.
"Today, women work and have families," she said.
"They have no time for volunteer work and if they do they do it at their childrens' school."
Goodspeed echoed that, saying that people now want to volunteer at organizations that directly support something close to them.
"It was different then -- it was the generous giving of time and resources and talents without any fanfare," she said.
"Fanfare was never the goal. The goal was to get the job accomplished."
kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca
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