What is the Bronxville Women’s Club?

The Bronxville Women’s Club (BWC) is a not-for-profit organization that offers participation in educational programs, such as literature, art, music, dance, health, history, and more! It’s a place to explore philanthropic opportunities with your friends.  BWC provides programs for men, women, and children. Contact us for more information about membership, programs, and our facility at bronxvillewomensclub@gmail.com or call 914-337-3252. For our Rental Coordinator email: bwceventsinc@gmail.com

The BRONXVILLE WOMEN’S CLUB  (BWC) was founded when Anna Lawrence Bisland, its first president, organized representatives of various organizations to meet and, in 1925 with 176 women enrolled, The Bronxville Women’s Club, Inc., was born.  At first, BWC rented property in Lawrence Park West for its clubhouse but soon ran out of space.  Mrs. Bisland donated the present site at the corner of Midland and Tanglewylde Avenues, and, with a thousand members contributing fifty dollars each and a mortgage, the building of a new BWC began.  The Women’s Club still operates out of this building, a landmark of the opulence and optimism of a specific time and place in American history.  The architectural and historical significance of the building was recognized when the Bronxville Women’s Club House was placed on the Westchester County Inventory of Historic Places in 1999 and on the National List of Historic Places in 2007.

As a 501(c)(3) organization, donations are tax-deductible to the extent of the IRS code. Besides the philanthropic, educational and cultural endeavors, this designation helps with our mission to preserve the building for today and future generations.

The 2020-2022 BWC President

Mary Westmoreland, BWC President 2020 – 2022

Mary Lynch Westmoreland, Colonel, US Army, Retired, is former Chairwoman of the Advisory Committee on Women Veterans, under the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.  She served from 2013-2017.  First serving as an appointed member. For her last 2 years, she served as the National Chair. Now on the Executive Board of the United War Veterans Council New York.

Colonel Westmoreland is a decorated combat veteran with 31.5 years of service. This includes membership in the US Coast Guard and later the U.S. Army, both Active and Reserve Components, experience as enlisted and officer.  Her positions stretched across the spectrum of Command positions, staff and operational assignments.

With the Army, she specialized in systems integration projects, human resources, and expanded to program and contract management, force integration analysis, policy development, process redesign, and operations.  She oversaw HR studies in deployments, mobilization impact, personnel policy, gender, and reintegration. She also served within the Military Police Brigade missions in CONUS and Overseas.  Mary Westmoreland served as executive officer to the Department of the Army’s Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel (DCSPR/G1), and later XO to the Chief of Army Reserve, HQDA.

In her civilian years, she served as executive director of the Long Island University Southampton Campus Women’s Center; Director of Operations for EPIE, an educational research and development institute headquartered at Teachers College of Columbia University; and early in her career as a College Admissions Counselor and Foreign Student Adviser at Pace University.

She holds dual roles with the Department of Defense Employer Support of Guard and Reserve Program as NYC Area Chair and NY Region Vice-chair.  She is a Board of Director member on several organizations, the Navy League NY Council, and current president of Association of US Army NY Statue of Liberty Chapter.

Mary, as Grand Marshall, with Village Dignitaries

Mary is an active member of her hometown Rotary Club, and the Military Officers Association of America Lower Hudson Valley.   She is also an active member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans Association.  Colonel Westmoreland is a graduate of Pace University and the US Army War College, along with graduate studies at Duquesne and Stony Brook Universities.   Among her many recognitions are two Legions of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, five Meritorious Service Medals, and Pace University Dyson School Distinguished Alumna.

Colonel Westmoreland is a dedicated volunteer with the NYC area Midnight Run, equipping the homeless for their employment searches.  She is a vocal advocate on behalf of military families, women and children issues, and veteran support programs.

Mary is married to veteran Gene Westmoreland and is the proud parent of two military OIF veterans.

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