History

On a hot and humid day on July 15, five prominent and influential women inspired to create a movement that would make a significant impact on the Douglas County area by way of community service and friendship. Justina Lagretta Reynolds, Tremelle I. Howard, Sylvia Pace, Ishan Malik, and Sherita Cherry met at the home of Justina Lagretta Reynolds to discuss the needs of Douglas and surrounding West Georgia communities. While partaking of snacks and sipping on tea, the ladies constructed an intricate blueprint and embarked on a journey to uplift the community through mentorship, volunteering, and service.

With exciting ideas originating, Erin M. Redwine was invited to join the sisterhood the following year and immediately cultivated the goal of forming a friendship group with the purpose of service. In 2017, the ladies decided to strengthen the group by extending invites to distinctive women who are making an impact in the surrounding communities. Three exclusive meetings were at the beautiful home of Tremelle Howard. During these meetings, twenty-eight women were selected, and Women Impacting West Georgia was formed. On July 30, 2017, the initial meeting of Women Impacting West Georgia was held in Douglasville, Georgia, affectionately known as “New Growth, Old Charm, Always Home”. They began the world of servicing their community and growing closer as friends.

The initial blueprint had become a reality and expansion was inevitable. As a result, in October 2019, discussion began to broaden the group’s reach in the West Georgia area with the Emerald Rose Club of West Georgia (ERC), led by Monica Williams Smith and Marilyn Francois Glass. The two groups met and discussed their existing programs and goals and ultimately the decision was made for the ERC to merge with Women Impacting West Georgia and the group made a commitment to serve Douglas, Carroll, Coweta, and Paulding counties. Aligned in vision and service, Women Impacting West Georgia and the ERC formally joined hands in November 2019 and their friendship circle expanded as well as their service focus.

As the group concentrated on serving the community and strengthening their bonds of friendship, in October 2018, a formal inquiry was written to the Links, Incorporated expressing an interest to establish a new chapter in the West Georgia area. An official notification was received from The Links, Incorporated in October 2019, requesting additional information and our response was submitted immediately thereafter. On January 31, 2020, Women Impacting West Georgia received notice of its official interest Group status. Continuing to serve and grow as friends and after demonstrating resilience in the midst of the global health pandemic and racial unrest that has impacted us all, on November 11, 2020, the group received Chapter-Elect status. Women Impacting West Georgia is proud of the groundwork it has laid in serving the community and the bonds of friendship that have been created. The ladies look forward to continuing their friendship and serving the community as a member of the West Georgia (GA) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated.