The purpose of the Fort Worth Button Club shall be to encourage and promote interest in collecting buttons for educational and historical reasons, for personal enjoyment, and to preserve for future generations all that is beautiful and historical in buttons.
Our History
Doris Abel and Leoti Flippo
Irene Reece
The Fort Worth Button Club was founded in 1975. The first meeting was held on Tuesday, January 14, 1975. Here is the story as told, mostly unedited and typed by founding member, Doris Abel.
"COMMEMORATING THE FORT WORTH BUTTON CLUB'S FIRST MEETING" After seeing my name in the National Button Society Bulletin, two 'new-comers' to Fort Worth contacted me by telephone, and after a few calls back and forth we got together. The two ladies were Irene Reece from Missouri and Betty Potter from New Jersey. With the two of them, my sister, Leoti Flippo, my niece, Kimberly Sanderson and myself, we decided that Fort Worth needed a Button Club – and herewith set up a meeting date of January 14, 1975. We invited a National Button Club member, Mr. M.W. Speights, (better known as Freddie), to come meet with us, and this he did.
So - fifteen years ago on January 14, 1975 the Fort Worth Button Club was born. Freddie took charge of this meeting, discussing and guiding us along the way. The first on the agenda was the selection of the name for our Club, The Fort Worth Button Club. The next was the election of a President. Now this, it seemed, no one wanted - we all found excuses. A strange thing happened - about this time Irene Reece excused herself and went to the bathroom. Now- low and behold - while she was out of the room we voted and drafted her as our new President. Upon returning to our group we explained to Irene that she had been selected as our new president. We all had a big laugh- after that she accepted with dignity- the great honor. The other offices were filled as follows: Vice President, Leoti Flippo. Secretary Treasurer, Betty Potter, State and National Director, Doris Abel, Assistant State and National Director, Betty Potter. Irene Reece took over the meeting at this point and the following was voted:
Club Dues to be $3. 00 a year, due January 1st. Date of meetings - Second Friday of each month, from September to May – excluding December. Meeting Place - In home of members, 10:00 AM. ~ Refreshments to be served by Hostess.
After the Business Meeting had closed Freddie gave us a Pep-talk - on how important it is for us to study and learn more about Buttons. He also brought out the importance of "Advertising"- Of keeping Button Write-ups before the public. Let people know that there is a Button Club right here in Fort Worth, Texas. How right Freddie was - - For our Button Club keeps studying and growing each year. May we all keep up the good work -- Long may it live. Respectfully submitted -