First Posted: 3/17/2015
WEST PITTSTON — The West Pittston Women’s Club has been a staple in West Pittston for 95 years by organizing events to give back to the area.
At the group’s most recent meeting on March 17, club president George-Anne Neff said the organization is all about giving back to the club’s namesake.
“It’s a community-oriented club,” said Neff. “We do everything for the community and it’s been around since 1919.”
Neff has been a member of the club for almost 30 years.
“I came because a friend of mine came here,” said Neff. “She brought me and I’ve been a member ever since.”
Neff became president when fellow members asked her. Usually, presidents serve the organization for two years before letting someone else take over, but her fellow peers insisted she stay on.
Places and organizations the club helps with are the West Pittston Library, Meals on Wheels, Salvation Army, the First United Methodist Church and others.
The group also chooses one graduating female student from Wyoming Area High School as the recipient of a $500 scholarship.
Neff said a majority of the women’s club members serves as board members for organizations throughout the West Pittston community.
“Almost everybody here serves in the library or the Meals on Wheels and we donate money,” said Neff. “All the money we make goes to somebody in the community. We are big sponsors of the library and if we have a member, or close family member, (pass away) we donate a book in their memory.”
The money earned for donations comes from events held throughout the year.
One member in attendance at the monthly meeting was Beverly Williams, 73, one of the longest-tenured members of the West Pittston Women’s Club.
The West Pittston native said her time with the organization began after another club she was in disbanded.
“I joined the Junior Women’s Club when I came here in 1956,” said Williams. “When they disbanded, I came over to this club.”
Williams joined the women’s club in 1978 and served as president for two years in the late 1980s. She recalled her favorite things the group did to benefit the community.
“One of my favorite things was we put Century Plaques on homes in West Pittston (in the 1970s),” said Williams. “Another thing is when we planted trees throughout the town.”
The Century Plaques were assigned to certain homes in the West Pittston community for being 100 years old.
While Williams has been enjoying a good run with the women’s club, two new members began their tenures at the latest meeting.
Pat Galloway, 78, of Falls, and her daughter Sherri Morgan, 58, of West Pittston, became the club’s newest members.
Both were convinced to attend the meeting by friend and fellow West Pittston native, 78-year-old Lois Miller.
“We’re friends and our Sunday School class meets here,” said Miller. “I said, ‘Sherri, why don’t you come?’ and her mother thought she’d like to come, too.”
Galloway and Morgan both enjoyed their first meeting and can’t wait to do some good in the community.
“I’m looking forward to the fellowship,” said Galloway.
“I’m looking forward to the community service,” said Morgan. “That’s why I thought I’d like to join, for the community.”
