With a program punctuated by ample prayer and song, members of The Charmettes, Inc., on Sunday marked five decades of charitable work in Alachua County.

“For half a century, we have been guided by a shared vision and a commitment to excellence in this community,” said Sarah Richardson, president of the national women’s service organization’s Alachua County chapter.

Richardson’s remarks welcomed a crowd of approximately 200 people to Mount Carmel Baptist Church in Northeast Gainesville: Charmettes in their signature red dresses and suits, their family members and the friends who have helped the women advance social programs and fund scholarships geared toward improving the lives of African Americans.

“I know you’re here to say thank you to the community, Charmettes, but the community wants to say thank you for all you do to enhance our culture,” said the Rev. Dr. Marie Herring, a speaker during Sunday’s event.

In 1951, Gwendolyn Baker Rodgers and Frankie Drayton Thomas formed the first Charmettes chapter in Riviera Beach. The friends were guided by a desire to bolster education and healthcare — particularly cancer research – for African Americans in Palm Beach County and beyond.

Claire Hinson is credited with launching the Alachua County chapter. She learned about the organization’s mission and shared its impact with nine friends who gathered weekly to play cards. The group formed a charter in November 1975 with Hinson serving as the chapter’s first president.

The chapter’s first charitable act was helping a local family of 14, said Bettye Jennings, one of five charter members honored Sunday with a bouquet of red roses for committing decades to The Charmettes’ mission.

There are now 20 Charmettes chapters across six states and in Washington, D.C. Fundraisers, like the Alachua County chapter’s biannual “Breakfast for Madame” pageant, have helped the organization contribute $1.3 million toward cancer research at the Howard University Cancer Center in Washington, D.C. A chemotherapy infusion center there is named in honor of Rodgers, who passed away in 1994.

In the coming year, The Charmettes’ national leadership team wants to expand the organization’s focus to include initiatives that support mental health awareness and combat human trafficking, Richardson said.

They also hope to expand membership.

“We’ve kind of lost track of the fact that we’re all getting older, so we’re reaching back to attract younger members,” Richardson said.