Pleasure Guild, one of the oldest women’s organizations in Columbus originating in the 1890s, is calling for new members for 2010. Although the group has changed in size and function, its primary mission has remained the same – to bring pleasure to the young patients of Nationwide Children’s Hospital through direct volunteer work and fundraising. The first informational session for potential new members will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, January 6, 2010 at La Chatelaine on Lane Avenue in Upper Arlington.
Pleasure Guild members make a three and a half year commitment, and volunteer a total of 2,000 hours each year by participating in a variety of fundraising and service projects. Annual events include the family musical held in March at the Palace Theatre – this year’s production is Meredith Willson’s The Music Man set for March 12-14; “A Celebration of Wine, Food and Dining with the Stars” at SPAGIO in Grandview; and many other events that benefit the Hospice and Palliative Care Program at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
For more information and to obtain a Pleasure Guild membership application, contact Jackie Comisar, vice president, at (614) 607-6572 or jurso2@yahoo.com.
About Pleasure Guild
Pleasure Guild, an organization of women committed to raising funds and volunteering for Nationwide Children’s Hospital, traces its roots to the hospital’s beginnings. In 1890, a group of boys and girls decided to make and sell small crafts to raise money so they could purchase “pleasures” for children in the hospital. In 1908, a group of women formalized the children’s fundraising efforts and Pleasure Guild was born. Pleasure Guild has raised more than $3 million for the children of Nationwide Children’s, and in recent years, contributions have gone to support children for whom a cure is beyond reach.