Community Service

The Western Pocono Women’s Club have the following Community Service Programs: Community Beautification of natural resources, Education and skill improvement, involvement and interest in Community Outreach programs, and women’s Home and Life issues.

Western Pocono Memorial Park flower bedWest End Fairgrounds flower bedCOMMUNITY BEAUTIFICATION: The  Beautification Program encourages the club to educate members and citizens about the importance of beautifying their communities and keeping them litter free. The club members support local efforts to maintain gardens, parks, and other places of beauty. They now maintain the flower beds at three areas at the Western Pocono Memorial Park on Molasses Valley Road in Kunkletown and three areas at the West End Fairgrounds in Gilbert. We have memorial planters at the fairgrounds.  Our members are busy beautifying these areas. Financial support has been appropriated to Chestnuthill and Polk Township Parks. Yearly monies are given to support a camper at the Monroe County Conservation Camp organized and directed by Monroe County Conservation District

EDUCATION: The Education Community Service Program encourages club women to create learning opportunities for themselves and their communities through volunteerism. Monetary contributions are made to the Western Pocono Community Library. The club provides two scholarships for two Pleasant Valley High School seniors. Annually, the club sponsors a high school sophomore to attend HOBY (Hugh O’Brian Leadership Program) at Shippensburg University. Our ongoing project is to supply free children’s books to promote literacy. The two bookshelves in our community are located at the Lehigh Valley Health Center and St. Luke’s Health Center both in Brodheadsville.

HOME and LIFE: The Home and Life Community Service Program includes programs that acquaint members with contemporary issues facing their area and offer resources to enable club women to improve their communities.

WPWC-quilt-pic-resizedMany ladies are involved in making quilts.

The Western Pocono Women’s Club in the past has offered instruction in CPR, information about Estate Planning, Food Preservation, Identify Theft, Hospice, and Monroe County Women’s Commission to name just a few. Members purchase diapers and wipes, newborn outfits, and crochet or knit items for Angel’s Closet  -a support group for families needing layettes for newborns upon leaving the Lehigh Valley Pocono Medical Center. Other ways the members help the community is by providing food for food baskets at Easter. The club also financially supports  Garden of Giving. and  Meals on Wheels.  Other projects the members participate in are making donations to local Food Banks and the Pleasant Valley School District Healthy Meals Program and Project Smile. The ladies also construct and donate quilts for their Quilts Made with Love Program.  Quilts are given to Meals On Wheels for their clients.

Making Christmas Cards for the Military

COMMUNITY OUTREACH: Community Outreach Program allows the club to reach beyond their own communities. These programs encourage members to take an active interest in safety and citizenship issues. Safety informational programs are presented to the members. Christmas Cards for the Military is a satisfying projects for the ladies.   In the fall a few of the places they are sent to are: the Veteran Hospital in Wilkes-Barre, PA, Bethesda (formally Walter Reed Hospital) in Maryland, Wounded Warriors, several military bases in the United States, VALOR in Jonas, PA, and to troops of local families. In 2023 900+ cards were sent out to our veterans and servicemen/women.

WPWC visits Getz Personal Care Home

Playing bingo at Getz Personal Care Home

Another project the busy members do is visit Getz Personal Care Home. Several members serve refreshments, play bingo, and often make a holiday craft with the residents.  It is an enjoyable afternoon for both the residents and the club members.  In December they go and sing Christmas carols.

 

 

 

In order to booster troops’ morale, the club has provided money to assist Operation Touch of Home. Donations also go to Veterans Assisted Living Out Reach (VALOR). Monies are sent to Women’s Resources, the local volunteer fire companies, and Relay for Life to help in community outreach. The ladies have made donations to PATH-Pocono Area Transitional Housing. Several members volunteered to make desserts for one of PATH’s fundraisers at the Blue Ridge Estate Vineyard & Winery