The LaGrange (GA) Chapter of The Links Incorporated was chartered on June 30, 1979, at the Days Inn in LaGrange. The chapter was chartered with the assistance of Juanita Johnson, Southern Area Director and Delores Albury, Southern Area Secretary.

In 1978, Ruth McBride and Mattie Jessie formed an interest group of 20 women known as the “Concerned Ones Unlimited”, who came together to serve and transform their communities through friendship and service. The Charter Officers and Members: Ruth McBride (President), Mattie Jessie (Vice President), Katherine Marian Banks (Secretary), Lois Debnam (Corresponding Secretary), Mina Woods (Treasurer), Bertha Skinner (Financial Secretary), Mable Mitchell (Historian), Mary Anderson (Parliamentarian), Helen Brown, Parrie Cody, Genevieve Dunson, Lucille Greene, Ann Hoggs, Annie Salter, Gladys Spencer, Dorothy Stokes, Ann Warrior, Geraldine Washington, Ruth Weathering, and Dorothy Willoughby, embodied “Linking Friendship, Leadership and Service to Meet the Challenge of Community Needs”.

The LaGrange (GA) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated has a rich history and members who have diverse professional backgrounds ranging from education, law, medicine to business owners.

During the initial years of service to the community, the chapter supported local youth through programs like the Miss Teen Sweetheart Pageant. This pageant provided educational programs and book scholarships to local students. Other community involvement included voter registration drives, work with the NAACP, support for the American Cancer Society and West Georgia Medical Center.

As the years progressed, The LaGrange (GA) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated boundaries expanded from Troup and Meriwether Counties to include Harris, Heard, Coweta, Fayette, Haralson, and Talbot Counties in Georgia and Randolph, Chambers, and Lee Counties in Alabama.

As new members were inducted, new ideas were planned and implemented to prepare them for future leadership roles and responsibilities. Induction services included impactful projects planned by the inductees as they were mentored by the existing members. Some of the inductee projects were informational for the community. For example, a group of inductees developed a directory of black businesses in Coweta and Troup Counties. Other projects included, but not limited to, services to children and youth, financial literacy, and voter registration.

The Art Facet has continuously held workshops and art classes over the years. This facet has also sponsored and exposed local children to the symphonies, art galleries, and plays. The Services to Youth Facet assisted children in registering teens to attend programs conducted in the LaGrange community. Including programs that focused on reducing teen pregnancy and drug and alcohol abuse.

The National Trends and Services Facet conducted voter registration drives throughout our service areas. International Trends and Services sent black dolls, financial donations to build water wells, and sent books to schools in Africa. The Health and Human Services facet provided an array of factual educational information for women and children with mini workshops, period poverty project and health briefings at regular meetings.

The chapter received a $3,000.00 grant from the National Office of The Links, Incorporated to implement a project designed to distribute health information to the public through organizing and participating in community health fairs. The Health and Human Services Facet utilized the grant to sponsor subsequent health fairs which included the use of a dental van for oral health services. This Facet also partnered with other entities (business and health professionals) to sponsor Links in Pink events and the Link2Link Heart2Heart Workshops.

On June 15, 2019, The LaGrange (GA) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated celebrated the 40th Chapter Anniversary and induction at the Historic Hills and Dales Estate in LaGrange. To highlight this grand occasion, a luncheon was held where Chapter Charter and Platinum Members were honored. Other Link Chapters and organizations were invited to attend.

During the 2020-2022 we were unable to meet in person due to the pandemic. However, this opened an avenue to become more creative to stay connected. We were intentional about fostering and making sure friendship was at the forefront of all activities, committees, facets, and chapter meetings. During the pandemic our chain of friendship became even stronger.

Our passion for helping others has transformed the communities in our service areas. Over the 2020-22022, the LaGrange, Georgia Chapter of The Links, Incorporated donated to the Bloom Foster Care organization, and suits to Promise Place (Dress for Success), introduced a STEM Education and Career Readiness Program, planted a tasting garden for Maidee Smith Memorial Day Care Center, volunteered by reading to the children and providing donations. This chapter also made an impact through voter registration drives, promoted heart health initiatives, volunteered with Communities in Schools to distribute 1,248 boxes of food (2-day event) in Talbotton and Grantville, Georgia, provided lunch to Environmental Service workers at Well Star West Georgia Medical Center.

Moreover, this chapter sponsored friendship activities with the Athens (GA) Chapter, organized a series of educational webinars to support “Closing the Gap” in foster care, partnered with Talbot County Board of Registration to conduct virtual Voter Registration training, was awarded a $5000 Covid-19 grant to support 25+mammograms and breast cancer screening through the Georgia Department of Public Health and raised awareness for breast cancer prevention through chapter health briefings and other public events, Wellstar period poverty project, partnered with Transamerica Financial Advisors and the University of Alabama to conduct virtual Financial Literacy workshops for both adults and youth existing foster care, organized virtual “Healthy Homestead” workshop.

Also, friendship activities were hosted: including Bingo Game Night, Friendship Tea honoring our Legacy, Love Bug card sending campaign, and Paint ‘n Sip. We partnered with DFACS officers in Coweta, Fayette, and Troup counties to host several virtual educational sessions on “Closing the Gap to Foster Care”, partnered with Chanticleer Learning Center to host LIFE (Links International Foreign Affairs and Business Empowerment for Youth) classes. Additionally, a $10,000.00 grant was received for the Black K.A.R.E. Initiative to raise awareness of chronic kidney disease in black communities, with a focus on its risk factors, complications, treatment-and how to reduce the risk of kidney failure and or improve outcomes for people living with the condition.

We challenged ourselves and earned the honor of being named a 2022 Southern Area All-Star Chapter.

The current chapter membership is 34 with a full complement of elected officers, appointments, facet, and committee chairs.

The current board of directors: