Restoration Celebration

Restoration Celebrationthu24oct4:00 pmthu7:00 am

Event Details

A Restoration Celebration will take place at the Peoria Women’s Club (located at 301 NE Madison Ave. in downtown Peoria) from 4 – 7 pm.   A fundraiser and membership drive for the Club, the members’ goal is to reinvigorate and renovate one of the oldest such clubs in America, dating back to 1886.  Admission is free.  For more information and to register, visit http://peoriawomensclub.com

 

The red brick structure was built in 1893 at the behest of some of the most prominent women in Peoria history. The likes of Clara Parsons Bourland, Lucie Brotherson Tyng and Julia Proctor White sold stock at $10 per share to raise the necessary funds for construction, a full quarter century before women even had the right to vote.

Investor/philanthropist Kim Blickenstaff has promised $500,000 toward the restoration efforts, and is challenging others in the community to pitch in as well. He envisions the Women’s Club and its 432-seat theater becoming part of a revived theater district that also includes the Scottish Rite Cathedral.

The building needs significant work including a modern HVAC system, lead paint abatement, updated plumbing and electrical, new windows plus must be brought up to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. Meanwhile, club leaders are hoping to add a new generation of members dedicated to the same mission which is female empowerment and community service that emboldened its founders over a century ago. Those women were instrumental in the introduction of Peoria’s first kindergarten class, efforts to care for and educate blind children, and the development of a pioneering mental health hospital, among other endeavors.

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Time

(Thursday) 4:00 pm - 7:00 am(GMT+00:00)

Location

Peoria Women's Club

301 NE Madison Ave.

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