a legacy of caring
INFANT WELFARE SOCIETY OF CHICAGO 3600 W. Fullerton Avenue, Chicago, IL 60647 773.782.2800 fax 773.782.5042 info@infantwelfare.org
It seems fitting that as we continue our countdown to IWS’ centennial celebration next year, we’ve paused to reflect on the rich and storied history of both the Clinic and the Auxiliary. It also seems appropriate that at this time of reflection, there is important news to share concerning our Hinsdale Chapter, the very first Auxiliary Chapter to be formed in 1913. At our Auxiliary Annual Meeting on June 9th, it was announced that the Hinsdale Juniors have merged with the Hinsdale Chapter. The new group will be called the Hinsdale Chapter.
Joan McGill, President of the Hinsdale Chapter from 2007 - 2010, is justifiably proud
of her Chapter’s deep roots in Infant Welfare’s history. When IWS was founded in
1911, it consisted of 10 storefront stations providing a much-needed source of safe
milk for infants and medical services to children in need. At that time, one of the
IWS physicians, Dr. Clifford Grulee, was concerned about IWS’ ability to continue
to provide medical services like his without ongoing financial support. His mother-in-law,
Mrs. Freer, resided in Hinsdale, and he approached her with the idea of organizing
a group of women from her community to serve as fundraisers for this fledgling charity.
Fortunately for IWS, Mrs. Freer was receptive to the suggestion, and she immediately
began work on organizing what would ultimately become the Hinsdale Chapter of the
Infant Welfare Society Auxiliary.
With that thought in mind, Mrs. Freer held an informational meeting in her home on March 19, 1913. Her enthusiasm for the new venture was apparently contagious, and many of the women who visited her home that day agreed to become a part of the newly formed Hinsdale Senior Center of the Infant Welfare Society of Chicago.
With an eye to growing their membership and supporting the Society with more monetary
donations, the Chapter sponsored a “field trip” for its members and prospective members
to one of its milk stations, the Davis Square Station. It proved to be a potent motivational
experience because once again, more women agreed to become part of this dynamic group.
Their first official “fundraiser” was a play, The Faraway Princess, that was held
on June 25, 1913. It took place on Mrs. Freer’s lawn, and it raised $150.
Interestingly, Jean Hatch, a longtime member of the Hinsdale Chapter, fondly recalls hearing her mother reminisce about her experiences as a volunteer at another IWS station back in 1914. Jean’s father, John Turner, worked in the meat packing industry, and he knew J. Ogden Armour who was then a member of the IWS Board of Directors. Mr. Armour’s wife recruited her friends (Jean’s mother among them) to work at one of the storefront stations in the Kenwood neighborhood in Chicago that was providing medical services for Chicago’s infants and children.
Women volunteers like Mrs. Turner assisted the doctors at the station in whatever ways they could whether it involved weighing babies, taking temperatures or simply providing comfort to a sick child. Mrs. Turner began to recruit her own friends, and the movement gained momentum. Jean remembers how important IWS was to her mother, and she says this was the reason she became associated with the Hinsdale Chapter of the Auxiliary nearly 60 years later in 1971. “I knew how much the Infant Welfare Society meant to my mother, and I wanted to honor her with my own volunteer service. It’s been a very rewarding experience for me as well.”
From the Hinsdale Chapter’s humble beginnings with that very first fundraiser in 1913, the group continued to grow, both in the number of its members and the amount of money it raised on behalf of the Clinic. Over the years, they’ve sponsored myriad fundraisers, including luncheons, fashion shows, card games and auction benefits. Its members have hosted an annual cocktail buffet and sponsored bridge flights. They have been staunch supporters of events such as Lollipops and Roses (the All-Chapter luncheon/fashion show fundraiser), and activities like Christmas stockings as well as many other Auxiliary-wide activities and events.
And just as the Hinsdale Chapter conceived of new and innovative fundraising efforts over the course of nearly a century of service, so too has the Hinsdale Juniors Chapter, organized in 1924, made its own memorable philanthropic mark in the 86 years since it was formed. Today, the Chapter is synonymous with its perennially popular Tablescapes event. This past May, the annual fundraiser attracted over 400 guests and raised $91,000.
The Hinsdale Juniors Chapter has also been a formidable presence within the Auxiliary. Each year, the group assembles gift bags for our IWS moms on Mother’s Day. Its members have also served with distinction on the Auxiliary’s Executive Committee. For the past four years, Polly Pierce has served as our Treasurer and Peggy Cleary now serves as the Third Vice President of the organization. This year, Julia Wade joins the Board as our First Vice President.
For many years, the Hinsdale Juniors Chapter hosted a holiday tea that featured tastings from the Auxiliary’s Sugar Snips and Asparagus Tips cookbook. They’ve also had a calendar fundraiser that featured photos from past Tablescapes events. And over the course of the years, the Hinsdale Juniors Chapter has developed some impressive corporate and business partnerships with Neiman Marcus, Topaz Café, Reel Club and Vie among many others.
Jennifer Salerno, Hinsdale Juniors Chapter President, says it’s a great honor for her membership to merge with the Hinsdale Chapter. “We are proud to be part of this historic group, and we look forward to carrying on their legacy of support with heartfelt dedication and enthusiasm.”
On May 26th, Joan McGill joined Jennifer and the Hinsdale Juniors at their annual dinner. It was a momentous occasion, and Joan says how pleased she is that the work her Chapter began in 1913 will continue to be carried on with this dynamic group of fundraisers. She says, “Our Chapter regards this as a perfect opportunity for our members to continue their association with IWS through a sister Chapter in the same community. Certainly, the loyalty and dedication of our Hinsdale Chapter members will never fade, and Infant Welfare will always be in our hearts and minds. We look forward to this new association with great optimism.”
Joan credits the work of Hinsdale Juniors members Jennifer Salerno, Sharon Smith and Carol Coughlin and Hinsdale Chapter members Wendy Brown and Shirley Lineberry who brought this merger to fruition.
We congratulate both groups, and we wish the newly reorganized Hinsdale Chapter continued success in the years ahead.
Joan McGill, past President of the Hinsdale Chapter, with Hinsdale Juniors Chapter Pres. Jennifer Salerno
Hinsdale Chapter members enjoy our 1995 Holiday Buffet.
Leah Conway, Debi Kisluk, Sharon Smith, Joan McGill, Jenny Baird, Becky Moats, Polly Pierce, Peggy Cleary, Jennifer Salerno and Pam Schwarzkopf
The Tablescapes event provides guests with innovative member-designed table settings as well as a great raffle, silent auction and luncheon. This year, the event raised $91,000!
