What happens at the Wellesley Hills Junior Women's Club?

This page was updated Dec. 2023.

The top two things the Wellesley Hills Junior Women’s Club (WHJWC) does very, very well are fundraising and socializing. If you’re new to town, want to meet friends, and are willing to roll up your sleeves and get things done, this could be the group for you. What kind of work, you ask? The executive board lists 20 members in charge of areas such as marketing, finance, charitable giving, and more. Rank and file membership provides the muscle to make the Clubs major initiatives happen. Everyone brings their talents and abilities to the table.

Wellesley Hills Junior Women's Club, Marketplace — Wellesley Marketplace, 2023. Want one of those cute aprons with your name on it? (And who wouldn’t?) Look into membership in the WHJWC.

Here’s what’s next on the Club’s agenda:

Grants (application deadline TBA, usually Feb. 1)

The 2024 Grant Application will be available soon. For first-time applicants, please complete the Grants Application. Please complete the Grants Application and the Grants Report below for returning applicants. The deadline for grant applications is usually February 1.

Following the grant review process, applicants will receive written notification of the committee’s decision by the end of May, regardless of whether they are awarded a grant or not. Awards are distributed in early June.

Wellesley Kitchen and Home Tour (2024 TBA, usually early May)

The Wellesley Kitchen and Home Tour showcases gorgeous homes in Wellesley, and the work of local design stars. Juniors work behind the scenes all year to make it happen. On the big day, you can see them in every opened-up room of every home, with smiles on their faces, and an eye on the crowd.

WonderRun 5K and Kids Fun Run (2024 TBA, usually late May)

The WonderRun 5K & Kids Fun Run celebrates health and wellness for all ages. Lest you begin to think it’s all about the ca-ching for Juniors, this event focuses more on getting families moving together. Wonder Run may not rake in the big bucks, but that’s not the point here. A day of community togetherness is what it’s all about on Wonder Run day.

Scholarships (application deadline TBA, usually March 1)

The Club annually awards college scholarships to both graduating high school seniors and college undergraduates. Total awards typically range between $60,000 and $70,000 each year, with each scholarship ranging between $1,000-4,000. Juniors have awarded more than $1.5 million in scholarship money to students since 1972.

Wellesley Marketplace (Nov. 2024)

It’s all hands on deck for this annual fundraiser, a shopping extravaganza held at Wellesley High School. Wellesley Marketplace brings over 200 vendors and artisans together under one roof and connects them with about 2,000 shoppers, who mark their calendars in red for this event.

Juniors are everywhere during Marketplace. You can spot them in their green aprons staffing the entryway; selling raffle tickets; fielding questions; and more.

Between ticket sales and vendor fees, Marketplace typically pulls in about $100k. It’s the Club’s biggest fundraiser of the year, and that money goes to scholarships (around $70k per year in college scholarships to about 25 Wellesley High School students) and the Club’s grants programs (about the same numbers to Wellesley-area community groups).

How to become a Junior

If you’re connected: ask your Junior friend to sponsor you.

If you’re new in town: drop an email to membership@whjwc.org and ask for help finding a sponsor.
Attend a general meeting and a coffee to get a sense of the Club.
Get to work, and have fun.

To whom much is given, much is required

Commit to serve five years. (Then you can become a sustainer.)
Attend monthly general meetings September through June.
Serve on committees that support the service project and fundraising event of your choice

It’s all hands on deck on the big day of Wellesley Marketplace, Wellesley Kitchen and Home Tour, and the WonderRun
Attend optional social events throughout the year.
Pay annual dues. (Scholarships can be arranged for members in need.)