The Public Affairs CSP of the Fuquay-Varina Woman’s Club invited the Museums of Fuquay-Varina to present a program on NS Caboose # 375 for their January 11, 2016 meeting. Taking part were Donald Cotton, President of the Friends of the Museums, Rob Rousseau and Tim Carroll, railroad enthusiasts and caboose promotion specialists. Shirley Simmons introduced the group and shared some of the history of the rails in Fuquay and the club’s historical involvement with the museums complex for new members.
The ladies were intrigued by the visual presentation of trains in Varina Station, the changed scenery along the rail lines, the crossing of the Durham and Southern and Norfolk Southern Rails in town, the historical use for the caboose, and the recounting of the search, location, purchase, and moving of NS Caboose # 375.
Fuquay-Varina Woman’s Club member, Marilyn Gardner, presented the Friends with a collection of funds in an engineer’s hat in the amount of $305 on behalf of the Public Affairs CSP and club members in attendance. Quite a “passing of the hat!”, Marilyn.
Vickie Currin, Fuquay-Varina Woman’s Club Treasurer, presented the Friends with a check from the Civic Improvement Project which the club had accumulated. The Fuquay-Varina Woman’s Club voted to contribute $1,500 from that fund, largely from the sale of spring prints, to the Friends for the Caboose project.
Thank the ladies for recognizing this as “CIVIC IMPROVEMENT” within our town.
Bobbie Assad with Mad Hatter in downtown Fuquay-Varina had sponsored a “Tiger” for the Fuquay-Varina Downtown Association community effort earlier and upon auction, one-half of the funds she designated for the Fuquay-Varina Woman’s Club. From that, she requested that the club give $2,000 to the Caboose project. Hats off to BOBBIE!
Marilyn, Bobbie, and Vickie all serve as docents for the museums and certainly were the appropriate choices to present the funding. The Fuquay-Varina Woman’s Club, the oldest civic organization in town, was one of the original civic groups involved with the Ballentine School House. Then the women joined with their Quester neighbors in the restoration of the Post Office, earning a District CIP recognition for their assistance.
Finally, the club gave support to the Centennial Commission, their two members who served as co-chairs of the commission, and assistance with the museums complex.
The club has provided an annual meeting site for the Friends of the Museums since 2010. This generous donation of funds is hailed by the Friends of the Museum as evidence of the club’s continued community service and an enviable record to be recognized in the restoration of Caboose # 375.
Fuquay-Varina Woman's Club 