The Woman's Club of Exeter Township is a service-oriented group of women with hearts and helping hands. It’s an organization that welcomes women of all ages to get involved in the community and have a little fun. As one of the few remaining woman’s clubs in the area, the Exeter Township group boasts roughly 70 members. And you don’t need to live in Exeter Township to be a part of this community of women.
Annual membership fees are $25, and monthly meetings are held from September to May at the Exeter Community Library. At those meetings, you’ll find ample activities, small subcommittees, community outreach efforts and more ways to serve. President Gail DiBlasi explains, “The formal objective is to develop the educational, civic and social interest of our members and to advance the welfare of the community.”
How They Help
Being a part of the Woman’s Club of Exeter means sharing the compassion and care that each member holds in her heart for the community and giving back in many ways. Here are just a few:
- School support: The original motivation behind The Woman’s Club, organized in the late 1940s, was to establish a kindergarten in the Reiffton area. It makes sense then that of the many subcommittees within the club, the education committee is held especially near and dear to members’ hearts. There is a strong relationship between the Woman’s Club and the Exeter Township School District. Some of the ways club members give back to the district is by providing books to every new kindergarten student each year, as well as by presenting scholarships to graduating students during the high school’s annual awards banquet.
- Food bank contributions: Canned goods and non-perishable items are collected and donated to the local food bank. The effort becomes extra-special at Christmastime when shoebox gifts for children are created and gifted to brighten their spirits. The boxes contain a collection of small items and goodies from personal hygiene products to books, puzzles, crayons, pens and more. During the holiday, when families come to collect their meal, they are also presented with this shoebox gift for their children.
- Local and international outreach: Gail says, “The more memberships we have, the more we can do for our communities.” She continues, “We also help The Red Cross and international organizations and other community needs outside of Exeter. We are more universal than it sounds like we are.” This year the club has given support to the Ukrainian church to help those in need.
Spreading Holiday Cheer
On Valentine’s Day, members show love and appreciation to local Veterans by crafting Valentine cards containing special messages accompanied by a delicious piece of chocolate. The cards are personally delivered to the Lebanon VA Medical Center to hand out to patients. Gail says, “At Valentine’s we recognize the Veterans and tell them how much we care that they loved us enough to do what they did.”
A variety of fundraisers are held by the club year-round, including a Christmas Cookie Sale this holiday season. Check them out online to see which strikes a chord with you. More info can be found at womansclubofexeter.com.
Fun Facts:
Did you Know? Prior to township recycling services, the club started its own recycling endeavors in 1990. Though rigorous work, they continued for five years until the township took over.
Beautifying the Area. The Woman’s Club keeps the Trolley stop in Mt. Penn fresh with flowers and TLC. They also adorn the area with decorations during the holiday season.
