One of the town’s longest-running social organizations, the Madison Winter Club, a social, non-profit, volunteer organization, is planning a renaming, rebranding, and revamping of the club following a pandemic closure this season, with a soft launch aimed for early March.

Founded in 1939 as a social club mainly catering to golfers but with a seasonal twist, the Winter Club will re-launch as The Club at 251, aiming to expand both its demographic reach as well as its offerings, according to President Joanne Wilcox, aiming to bring together locals just looking for fun social events through the colder months with things like trivia and a full-service bar at 251 Boston Post Road.

“Over the years dynamics have changed, people have changed, life has changed,” Wilcox said. “So it was felt that with COVID, like many places, we did have to close our doors...so we’re looking into...what the world wants now. And so we have re-imagined the club.”

Focused on lighthearted community fare, Wilcox said the new Club at 251 will aim to allow members to contribute more to what the club will look like. It will also offer a la carte contemporary meals with the opportunity for craft beer and wine tastings, Wilcox said—again, with an eye on what community members are most interested in and with a sensitivity for food allergies.

Josephine Mokriski, a club member, said that while the Winter Club had remained a staple in Madison, there had been some membership stagnation in recent years and the pandemic had inspired not to start over, but start adding to what people enjoyed

“So we’re going to try to keep all that and revamp in other ways,” she said.

Both Mokriski and Wilcox admitted that, with its origins as a country club, there definitely was a skewing in demographics and a perception that they catered to an older crowd. A lot of the changes and re-branding is aimed at bringing in younger folks, Wilcox said, through offering Sunday brunches on a semi-regularly basis and bringing the energy up with contemporary games or focus.

“We want to address what the members want,” Wilcox said. “We’re trying to gear for the younger people, but we’re not exactly sure what the younger people want...I’m open to ideas.”

Growing a social club and volunteer-run non-profit that can offer this broad appeal is a difficult ask anytime, but The Club at 251 will be kicking off their new look in the shadow of COVID. Wilcox said she is aware of the limitations, with restrictions on indoor seating and gatherings, but if the weather cooperates the club will begin with some beautiful outdoor events.

“I’m crossing my fingers,” Wilcox said.

Though it will remain volunteer-driven, with members helping to craft their own events, Wilcox said she plans to have staff actually take on more of the nitty-gritty work to make it all happen.

Mokriski emphasized that the Winter Club had grown in a unique way—it’s a cold-weather club in a summer beach town—and that would always guide it.

After more than 80 years, though, and with the impetus of a global pandemic, both Wilcox and Morkiski said that The Club at 251 hopes to bring more than that. For more information on the club, visit madisonwinterclub.org or call 203-245-9377