The Downers Grove Junior Woman’s Club celebrates a milestone anniversary and its founder

By Valerie Hardy | Photography by Carolina Menapace

On Sept. 24, Emmett’s private party space – aptly named the Founder’s Room – was packed with women who were pretty in pink. None more so than Shirley Tolbert, however.

Tolbert was the guest of honor at the evening’s event, which celebrated the 65th anniversary of the Downers Grove Junior Woman’s Club (DGJWC) along with the kickoff to its current club year. The Club received its charter in 1959 and has been committed to doing good in Downers Grove ever since. Tolbert founded the DGJWC and served as its inaugural president.

Current DGJWC president Meghan Jacobson expressed gratitude to everyone who celebrated the Club’s 65th Anniversary and September Kickoff event. “We’re especially grateful to our Alumni, Active, and Prospective members for continuing the legacy of giving in our community,” Jacobson said. “It was an honor to share this milestone with General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC) Illinois leadership and to pay tribute to our founder, Shirley Tolbert.”

Tolbert was born in Los Angeles and attended school in Hinsdale before finishing high school in Downers Grove. Still living in Downers Grove in her mid-twenties, Tolbert – whose sister lived in Riverside, where there was an established Junior Woman’s Club – decided to start a chapter in her own community.

The Club started with Tolbert and four other women. These “founding mothers” then each recruited five additional members. With a core group in place, meetings were held on the fourth Tuesday of each month, a practice that continues today.

Within its first five years, membership grew to 100. During this time, the Downers Grove Juniors disbursed nearly $3,900 through philanthropic contributions. For example, the Club’s major fundraiser in 1965 was a dinner party held at the Candlelight Theater.

After giving the Downers Grove Juniors a strong start, Tolbert moved to Hinsdale to raise her three children. She joined the Hinsdale Junior Woman’s Club and became a representative for the 11th district of Junior Woman’s Clubs. She also volunteered through the Children’s Home & Aid Society for four decades.

Additionally, Tolbert became a realtor and, ultimately, the sole owner of Hearthstone Realty. “She never went to college, but she was 110 percent in on all she did – and was successful,” her daughter, Jan Hammersley, said.

Hardworking and community-minded, Tolbert is also adventurous. She traveled to every continent, including Antarctica and the North Pole while in her mid-eighties, and she completed a tandem skydive at age 84.

Tolbert’s zest for life makes her a role model for today’s Juniors, and her DGJWC legacy remains as strong as ever. Volunteerism is central to the Club. For example, its members provide Thanksgiving meals and holiday gifts to local families in need each year. The Club also helps run the community’s annual Safety Town program for kindergarteners, and it provides high school seniors with college scholarships.

Monetarily, the DGWJC donated over $125,000 to individuals and nonprofit organizations just last year. To raise funds, the DGJWC hosts at least one event annually, combining giving and gathering. For many years, the Club’s major fundraiser was called Taste of the Town and featured samples served from local restaurants. In the more recent past, the Club has held charity golf outings, themed galas, casino nights, and more.

This year, the DGJWC’s major fundraiser is a House Walk being held Friday, May 2 from 4-7 p.m. Registration will be available closer to the event date.

For more information about the House Walk and related sponsorship opportunities, please contact [email protected]. To learn more about the Downers Grove Junior Woman’s Club in general or for membership information, visit dgjwc.org.

DGJWC Vice President/President Elect Emily Heise pins a corsage on guest of honor Shirley Tolbert at the anniversary event.

DGJWC veteran members Kelsey Austin,
Valerie Hardy, Michele Reichl, and Jen Kirby
at the anniversary celebration

Numerous DGJWC alumni attended the event, including Maria Vogler (1992-93 president), Gloria Salazar, Cindy DeMarco (1989-90 president), Patricia Borla (1986-87 president), and Lynn Zaba (1987-88 president).