The Pillars Club recently opened in Jacksonville, FL. The private members-only establishment was founded on the mission to support those who give back to the community. To maintain this commitment, The Pillars Club has partnered with the Jacksonville Historical Society to honor those who have given to Jacksonville throughout its history. You will find adorned along the walls of their Downtown West Adams Street location historical images of Jacksonville’s icons such as James Weldon Johnson, Ninah May Holden Cummer, and J.E.T Bowden.
“The Pillars Club is about community, celebrating the people who built it and those that keep it going now,” says location owner Simone Williams. “We want to honor everyone, the founder, the worker and the everyday hero alike.” The everyday hero promise is echoed in a wall hanging of the famous “Kiss of Life” Pulitzer Prize winning photograph by Times-Union photographer Rocco Morabito.
“The Pillars Club’s mission to honor past and current community heroes is right in line with our mission of fostering understanding of how the region’s past shapes our present,” said Kate Hallock, Director of Marketing & Communications for The Jacksonville Historical Society. “We are thrilled that these great people from our past are getting more recognition.”
To join The Pillars Club you have to show that you are contributing to the success of the larger Jacksonville Community in some way. The private club’s members include investors, volunteers and civil workers. The Club itself has a goal to directly support Jacksonville as well. Each quarter they will be hosting an art auction of their curated works with proceeds going to a different chosen Jacksonville charity each time. This is where local artists come into the picture.
The Pillars Club is putting a call out to local artists to partner to create their own versions of the historical art adorning The Club walls. Interested artists can sign up on The Club’s website and one artist will have an exclusive feature each quarter. The artists will have a 3-month exhibition time each, exposing their works to the club members and visitors, plus press during the auctions of their work. There will be celebration of the current art installation for members and special guests on October 7, 2021. Decedents of the “Original Pillars” depicted in the art will be present, including Warren Singleton, son of featured historical pillar Charlie “Hoss” Singleton.
