Discover The Village Club 190 EAST LONG LAKE ROAD, BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MI 48304 THEVILLAGECLUB.ORG 248-644-3450 Our History

The idea for the Club came from Marian Gilbreath who, after lunching at the Pasadena California Town Club, came home eager to see a similar club in the Birmingham area. Contact was made with a nucleus of 30 women in the community. Each of these women supplied a list of names from which membership was selected. The response for membership was overwhelming, resulting in a waiting list. The 30 charter members signed the Articles of Incorporation in May 1956, establishing The Village Woman’s Club as a charitable and educational organization. A Board of Directors was elected, and the first official meeting was held in June. By fall, the first classes were offered, community service was underway with members volunteering their time and talents, a theater trip to New York was planned and the first issue ofThe Villager was published. All this was accomplished in the first year without the Club having a room or roof to call its own. Prior to settling in the present clubhouse, meetings were held at other clubs and The Community House in Birmingham. The Martha Baldwin House, which still stands on Maple Road, was rented and served as the Club’s office. The ladies decorated and furnished that location with the help of trading stamps. Coffee and tea were available in the afternoon. A milk glass dish wel- comed monetary contributions to defray the cost. Property was purchased at the corner of Woodward and Chesterfield (where the Masonic Temple now stands) with the members’ intention of building a clubhouse. However, the property was sold before plans could move forward on the project. Finally, the Winningham House, the Club’s present site, was purchased in 1961. With expanded facilities, dining could be offered, providing the Club with a true social dimension in addition to its charitable and educational purposes. As the years passed, however, federal tax laws neces- sitated separation of the social part from other activities of the organization. Accordingly, The Village Club was established for social and educational purposes. The Village Woman’s Club remained the charitable branch, becoming known as The Village Woman’s Club Foundation and more recently, The Village Club Foundation. The Village Club has grown, expanded and remodeled, while always retaining a gracious and inviting ambiance for “The Ladies of the Club.”

The Village Club Mission Statement The mission of The Village Club is to provide a unique, private club experience and gracious, friendly environment for its members while offering casual and fine dining, cultural, educational, social and philanthropic opportunities. Inside Our Club If you have ever been to a wedding or other event at The Village Club, you know that our clubhouse is tastefully decorated and our award winning Executive Chef provides an out- standing array of fabulous dishes for your dining pleasure. What you may not know is that through the work of our member committees, The Village Club also offers so much more. The Village Club Foundation One unique aspect of The Village Club that sets us apart in the world of private clubs is The Village Club Foundation (TVCF), the philanthropic arm of the Club. All members of The Village Club are automati- cally members of TVCF. The Foundation’s purpose is to further educational, cultural and civic activities;

to promote philanthropic projects; and to operate for the good of the community. TVCF offers financial T

H N support, in the form of grants, to qualified nonprofit organizations throughout Wayne, Oakland and E O I V T Macomb counties. The Foundation has given over $2,000,000 to 185 charitable organizations in the Tri- I L A L D County area over the past 30 years. To accomplish our goals, members work diligently on Foundation A N G U committees such as Grants, Finance and Special Events. E CLUB FO Classes Exciting classes and lectures with prominent speakers are offered year round for the personal enrichment and lifelong learning of our members. The Village Club Classes Catalogue is published twice a year with diverse subjects such as Humanities, Global Issues, Culinary Arts, Technology, Personal Style and Bridge. Travel Our members venture into the world of travel with day jaunts, overnight or extended trips. The trips may be cultural, educational, entertaining or just plain fun! Events usually include transportation, accommodations and meals. Some of our recent trips are: • Shinola Factory Tour • Chicago Shopping/Culinary/Theater • Detroit Architectural Tour • Charleston, South Carolina • Grand Rapids ArtPrize • Nine-day Golden China Trip • Petoskey and Harbor Springs • Ten-day Cape Town Africa Trip and Safari • Quicken Loans Holdings Walking Tour • Napa Valley Wine Tour • Pewabic Pottery • Sante Fe, NM Art Galleries and Cooking School Programs and Social Events Exciting one-of-a-kind programs are always standing room only events. Recent speakers include Governor Rick Snyder, General Motors CEO Mary Barra, Attorney General Bill Schutte, Dr. Sonja Friedman and the mothers of Meryl Davis and Charlie White speaking on raising a gold medal Olympian, to name a few. Theme parties, holiday festivities, family nights, jazz nights and elegant evenings are all part of the social life at The Village Club. Here are a few of our events: • Ban-Joe’s, Beer and Brats • Holiday Boutique • A Night in the Tropics • Santa Brunches • Fall Fashion Show • Holiday Tea and Champagne Party • Family Halloween Brunch • Holiday Cocktail and Dinner Dance Bridge The Village Club is well known for bridge. We offer many bridge classes for beginner, intermediate and advanced players. Several organized events for bridge players run throughout the year: • Winter Marathon • Snow Bird League • Summer Marathon • Couples League • Wednesday Night Duplicate • Friday Afternoon Duplicate Inside Our Club Clubs within the Club Within The Village Club, smaller groups of members with similar interests enjoy planning activities and gatherings. As new interests arise, new Clubs within the Club may form. • TheEpicurean Club enjoys the food and hospitality of various outstanding local restaurants, professional culinary demon- strations and visits to a variety of food-related businesses. They meet for lunch almost every month. Occasionally, the Club ‘s Executive Chef will prepare an outstanding “Mystery Luncheon” for this group. • The Evening Book Club members love to read and talk about books! Members read an eclectic selection, everything from Catherine the Great to Gone Girl. Books are suggested and voted on by Book Club members and volunteers lead informal dis- cussions of each book. Discussions are stimulating, often with diverse viewpoints, and always provide an interesting evening! • TheGarden Club members give both their love and expertise of gardening to the grounds of The Village Club. Our beautiful gardens are the perfect setting for a picturesque wedding. Through the efforts of the Garden Club, the beds and urns of the Club produce spectacular floral displays throughout the year. • TheMah Jongg Group meets weekly for games of skill, strategy, calculation and a bit of chance. • The New Member Connectors Club is for all new members who have joined The Village Club within the past 18 months. New Members are automatically put on an email list to receive information and invitations to special events planned by the Membership Committee to feel welcomed and at home while “connecting” with other new members. • TheProfessional Women’s Network is comprised of working and non-working members with years of experience and insightful stories to share. There are exciting opportunities to mentor working members or be mentored and to benefit from the vast experience and knowledge of our group. In return, you can enjoy the new friendships and the singular feeling of being of value and encouragement to other members. The opportuni- ties to network among experienced and interesting women in our Club are unparalleled in our community. The Professional Women’s Network meets monthly as well as additional events planned throughout the year. ACTIVITIES FOR MEN

• TheMen’s Book Group meets monthly for dinner at the Club followed by lively and informative discussion. Their “season” runs from September through June. At their June meeting, they finalize the list of 10 books for the upcoming season. Each book is recommended by one of the members, and typically that person leads the discussion. There are 21 members and they read a variety of books, tending toward history. • TheMen’s Luncheon Group meets every month in the Presidents’ Lounge for fellowship followed by lunch. All gentlemen are welcome. Committees There are more than 25 committees at the Club for member participation. In addition to those previously mentioned, members serve on committees such as:

• Communications • Membership • Finance • Preservation Fund • Food and Menu • Strategic Planning • House and Gardens • Wellness Yoga Yoga can be enjoyed by all, regardless of flexibility or mobility. Whether you are new to yoga or have taken yoga classes, you will find yoga at The Village Club a comfortable and welcoming experience. Wherever your interests lie, there is an activity or committee to utilize your skills and talents, as well as a place to meet new friends. Experience the activities created by our numerous groups and committees and make The Village Club your home away from home. Reciprocal Clubs

A benefit to membership in The Village Club is the reciprocal arrangements we have established with clubs, both nationally and internationally. Our members are welcome at the following clubs:

• University Club of Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ • The Woman’s Club of Minneapolis, Minneapolis, MN • Petroleum Club of Bakersfield, Bakersfield, CA • The One Hundred Club, Portsmouth, NH • Beverly Hills Country Club, Los Angeles, CA • The Cosmopolitan Club, New York, NY * • The Bellevue Club, Oakland, CA * • The Chatterbox Club, Rochester, NY • The Town Club, Pasadena, CA • University Club, Durham, NC • The Metropolitan Club, San Francisco, CA * • The Intown Club, Cleveland OH • The George Town Club, Washington, DC • The Acorn Club, Philadelphia, PA * • Sulgrave Club, Washington, DC • The Cosmopolitan Club of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA • Naples Yacht Club, Naples, FL • The Austin Club, Austin, TX • University Club of Tampa, Tampa, FL • Sunset Club, Seattle, WA * • The Georgian Club, Atlanta, GA • Women’s University Club of Seattle, Seattle, WA • Women’s Athletic Club of Chicago, Chicago, IL • The University Club of Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI * • Chilton Club, Boston, MA • City University Club, London, England • The Ann Arbor City Club, Ann Arbor, MI • The Lansdowne Club, London, England * • Women’s City Club of Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids, MI • The St. James Club, London, England * • Great Oaks Country Club, Rochester, MI • Saint James Paris, Paris, France * • Traverse City Golf and Country Club, Traverse City, MI *overnight accommodations Golf Privileges FOR VILLAGE CLUB MEMBERS Great Oaks Country Club of Rochester offers tee times to our members and spouses based upon availability during the golf season. A phone call to the starter is all it takes to enjoy golf at their club!

Best Suburban Private Club 2014 ◆ 2015 ◆ 2016 ◆ 2017

For more information about The Village Club, visit our website: thevillageclub.org.

Rev. 4/18