The Fairfield County Chapter of The Links, Incorporated started in 1975 as a service group called “The Associates”. Clara Scroggins, a longtime Stamford resident, had established a relationship with the Eastern Area Director of The Links, Incorporated, Thelma Hardiman, who had expressed an interest in forming a chapter in Fairfield County prior to 1974. At the time there were not enough women that she knew in the area that shared The Links vision. In July of 1974, Clara heard through mutual friends that Velmarie Davis and family were moving to Stamford. Although the two had never met previously, a fast friendship developed. Around this time a large group of African Americans in the corporate community moved into Fairfield County and friendships blossomed.

Clara and Velmarie invited all of the possible candidates they knew to join “The Associates”, a volunteer group that would perform community service. A year later the group had fulfilled the criteria for the establishment of a Links Chapter. The Fairfield County Chapter was chartered on May 15, 1976. The first president of the Fairfield County Chapter was Velmarie Davis. Both the National President of The Links, Incorporated, Pauline Ellison, and the Eastern Area Director, Thelma Hardiman, attended the chartering ceremony and festivities.

Charter Members

Dorothy Arnette, Ann Bush, Eleanora Clarke, Velmarie Davis*, Dorothy Ellington, Jeannie Ellis, Brenda Grant, Eileen Howard, Mary Howard, Vera Hilliard, Sheila Mingo, Alice Mitchell, Cheryl Neal, Otherine Neisler, Thelma Payton, Patricia Pinado, Doris Randall, Myrtle Roane, Clara Scroggins*, Margaret Strayhorne, Janice Taylor, Ruby Terrell, Leila Toledo, Louise Travis

*Chapter Organizers