Arlington-based Girls Inc.

of Tarrant County was established in 1976 as the Arlington Girls Club by a group of community leaders who saw a need for comprehensive programs for girls in their community.

Now, some 40 years and a name change later, the non-profit organization that has been a positive influence on the lives of thousands of area girls since its inception is planning to celebrate its birthday in a big way.

A 40th anniversary gala is set for Nov. 11 at the Worthington Renaissance Hotel in Fort Worth, and Girls Inc. officials are hoping the 22 living past chairs of the organization can be part of the festivities. The buildup to the November affair started in February, when eight former chairs attended a social, which helped define plans moving forward.

”That set the tone for the feeling we have,” says Amy Razor, director of development for Girls Inc. “It was like a high school reunion. We decided we want to feel that way for the rest of the year.”

Razor says proceeds from the gala will go to scholarships to girls involved with Girls Inc. Organization officials hope to raise $25,000 from the event. That would mark yet another step in Girls Inc.’s remarkable evolution that started four decades ago, when eight girls were involved in the Arlington Girls Clubs programs. Last year, Girls Inc. served 13,000 girls.

Girls Inc. assists girls

through nationally researched and developed programs on relevant topics that help them to overcome challenges and achieve success. The fruit of that labor: 96 percent of this year’s seniors involved in Girls Inc. programs are pursuing post-secondary education.

In the past five years, Girls Inc. has awarded $167,500 in local, national, alumni and 8th grade scholarships to Tarrant County girls.

The organization’s initial chair, Charlotte Moore, is proud of the progress. “As the first board chair for Arlington Girls Club, I have watched and been amazed at the way the organization has grown,” she says. “We had a vision and a passion and worked hard to establish an entity that would thrive. A beginning is one thing, but it takes the continued dedication and leadership of board and staff to have made the organization a 40-year success.”

For more information, or to donate to the cause, call (817) 468-0306.