Memorial bench dedicated at Woman’s Town Club in Springfield

A new memorial bench was dedicated last weekend at the Woman’s Town Club in celebration of the club founder and in memory of a former club president.

The ceremony honored the 125th anniversary of Clementine Berry Buchwalter of Springfield founding the Ohio Federation of Women’s Clubs and was in memory of Patrice Booze, former Ohio president and director of Junior Clubs from Loveland, Ohio, and other former state leaders.

The ceremony was conducted by Rose Logston, of Belpre, Ohio. She is a former president of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs of Ohio and current GFWC Great Lakes Region vice president, who has been leading the bench project.

“Today is a day of celebration, of celebrating the memory of a beautiful life well lived and to honor and recognize the dedication and commitment of members of the Ohio Federation of Women’s Club for almost 129 years of ‘Living the Volunteer Spirit’ in their own communities and around the world,” Logston said in her dedication speech.

Yvonne Ford, Ohio Federation of Women’s Clubs president, congratulated the Woman’s Town Club, The Springfield City Federation of Women’s Clubs, and the TRIAD Club for their “dedication and hard work in maintaining and preserving the historical home” of Buchwalter and Booze.

“As we move forward in our organization, we can never forget and learn from our past and the dedication that has gotten us to today,” she said.

Others who attended include Christine Zechman, president of The Woman’s Town Club of Springfield; Karen Kessen and Carol Christy, members of the GFWC Great Friends Working Cooperatively Club of Sharonville; Sandy Justice, president of City Federation of Women’s Clubs of Springfield; and Mary Ann Jung, president of TRIAD CLUB/GFWC of Springfield.

After the memorial bench dedication, an ice cream social was held, sponsored by the Woman’s Town Club.

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