HISTORY
In 1989 Dana McCoy founded the GFWC South Lake Junior Woman’s Club (SLJWC) as the Clermont Junior Women’s Club. Our sponsor club is the Clermont Woman’s Club. The Clermont Woman’s Club, affectionately referred to as the “Generals”, and was founded in 1927. We hold our meetings at their clubhouse located at 655 W Broome St in Clermont, FL. It is the only building in Clermont on the National Historic Registry. The late Miriam Johnson, as past president who was honored on October 19th, 2000 when she was inducted into the Lake County Women’s Hall of Fame, obtained this historic designation. Her picture hangs in the lobby of the historic courthouse in Tavares.
The founding of SLJWC “Juniors”, as we refer to our own club, soon established themselves as leaders in the community when the City of Clermont was building the Palatlakaha Recreation area on 12th Street. The Clermont Juniors spearheaded the successful $60,000 fundraising drive to build Park Pals playground for well and handicapped children.
The club received the GFWC Community Improvement Project award from Shell Oil Company for the park project, and Dana McCoy, representing the Club, received the 1992 South Lake Chamber of Commerce’s “Citizen of the Year” award.
The SLJWC was the recipient of the historic bell, which hung at the original Clermont School. The bell was donated to our club by former city council member Ken Norquist and currently holds a place of honor in the Rails to Trails tower in the historic downtown Clermont.
