Chapter History

The Missouri City (TX) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated ( “MCCL”) was chartered on May 12, 1979, as part of a national philanthropic organization, The Links, Incorporated. At the time of our chartering we were known as the Missouri City, Fort Bend County Chapter of Links, Inc. The Missouri City (TX) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated was later made a multiple chapter under Link Edwina Higgins, who was the Western Area Director at the time, and Link Marion Sutherland, who was then the Tenth National President. The significance of this change was that we could work within a 50-miles radius of Houston with membership intake and programming. Also, it made way for the establishment of another chapter in the Fort Bend County area.

The chapter had 27 charter members, 9 of whom are still members of Missouri City, six are members in other chapters, three (3) are deceased and eight (8) resigned. The Missouri City (TX) Chapter was installed by Link Julia B. Purnell, Link Marion S. Sutherland, and Link Anne Campbell, who were then National President, Western Area Director, and National Program Director respectively. Charter Members were Claudia Anderson (deceased), Priscilla Hill-Ardoin, Gwendolyn Boyd, JoAnn Brown, Faye Bryant, Ada Cooper, Rudyne Crawley, Benaye Demby, Leola Edwards (deceased), Gayla Gardner, Pamela Gaskin, Jerelyn Gooden, Pamela Jackson, Catherine LaBohne Williams, Delores Lee, Dorothy Logans, Patricia Odom, Jo Ann Palmer, Yvonne Peterson, Maggie Porter, Eva Purnell (deceased), Mary Jane Simpson, Delores Smith, Donna Smith, Gloria Walker, Lois Walker, and Lodis Wykoff. The organizer was Delores Tarver Smith.

Over the past 38 years, the Missouri City (TX) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated has attained a proven record of commendable activities and community service in Fort Bend County and in the greater Houston area. Our programs feature youth enrichment activities as well as support for families, the elderly, the disabled, and our international neighbors. For many years the focus for the energies of The Links was found in four program facets: Services to Youth, The Arts, National Trends and Services, and International Trends and Services. Recently, a fifth program facet area, Health and Human Services, was added. Within these program facets, local chapters determine their community’s needs, and they then design and produce programs which effectively address those needs.