The Uptown Civitan Club was founded May 24, 1983, and active, founding and former members and their guests gathered Tuesday at The University Club to celebrate the club's 30th anniversary.
"I am in awe of this club. They are remarkable women and they are my family," said Karen Taylor, club president.
The club was founded by more than 50 women who met at Strickland's Town House restaurant along Philips Highway, said club Past President Mattie Fraser.
After the first meeting, the group moved to a series of Downtown venues, including the Independent Life Building, now Wells Fargo Center; the BellSouth Tower, now EverBank Center; and the CSX Building.
About 20 years ago, Uptown Civitan moved its meetings to The University Club in Riverplace Tower on the Southbank.
Each year the club designates a "flagship project" to support. Representatives from recipient organizations were guests Tuesday.
Nonprofits that have received support include Angelwood, The ARC Jacksonville, Dreams Come True, PACE Center for Girls and the Jacksonville Speech and Hearing Center.
Uptown Civitan considers one of its most notable accomplishments to be its selection 11 times for the Dr. Courtney W. Shropshire Award, given annually by Civitan International to the club chosen as most outstanding.
The keynote speaker Tuesday was Polly Forestier, who in 1990 was the first woman elected president of Civitan International.
Forestier said her late husband was a member of Civitan before women were allowed to join the club. She volunteered in the "Civinettes," the women's auxiliary group.
"We met once a month and enjoyed projects, but we weren't allowed to attend the men's meetings. I joined Civitan in 1974 as soon as women were allowed to join," she said.
Forestier spoke of her experience in Civitan.
"Why do people join a service club and then continue to be a member? Our role is to create a culture that stimulates motivation of volunteers," she said.
Club Past President Karen Nasrallah said the name of the club is related to the men-only policy that remained in place even after Civitan International opened its membership to women.
The Uptown Civitan Club was named by its founding president, the late Circuit Judge Virginia Beverly.
"The women went to the Downtown Civitan Club and asked the men if they could join their club. The men refused, so Judge Beverly said, then we'll start our own club and call it Uptown Civitan," said Nasrallah.
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