South Hills Women’s Club going strong after 80 years
In 1943, Mildred Jones, a resident of Bower Hill Road in Scott Township, walked from house to house to share with neighbors her idea for forming a women’s club.
Her idea came to fruition when the first meeting was held in November 1943 in a basement room of Bower Hill School. The South Hills Women’s Club was formed with about 20 charter members and a plan “to develop the educational, civic and social interests of its members and to advance the welfare of the community.”
Eight decades later, the club is still going strong with a group of women who continue to work toward that goal.
“We try to just be a pleasant group of women and not make problems,” said Sherry Sypien, club president. “We’re here to be a social community for ourselves and also to do good deeds in the community and to raise money for a yearly charity. If someone comes, we are so welcoming. If people come, they stay.”
The club is open to anyone who wants to join. Information on joining can be found in many area newspapers, including The Almanac. Sue Scott is the club’s membership chairwoman and can be reached at 412-959-3209.
Several communities are represented in the club, including Peters Township, Mt. Lebanon, Scott Township, Bridgeville, Collier Township, South Fayette and Whitehall.
The club currently has about 30 members, but there was a time when that number was as high as 100.
When Rosemary Kasper of Bridgeville joined the South Hills Women’s Club in 1976, there were a little more than 100 members. She sees key reasons why the club has been active for 80 years.
“It’s camaraderie, and we give what we can to charities,” she said. “That’s what we like to do. That’s the main reason we are all together.”
Sypien, of Scott Township, said the main issue facing the club is recruiting new members. They would love to have younger women in the club but understand all of the commitments they have.
“People in their 20s and 30s and 40s have busy lives,” she said. “Their kids are in all kind of activities. They don’t have the time. So, we’re looking for single people that are empty nesters, people who may be widowed and need something to do.”
The club does have a few new members who were in attendance at the Nov. 13 meeting, including Whitehall neighbors Ginny Walker and Joyce Hegedus.
“The programs they had last month and this month sounded interesting to us,” Walker said. “Last month, when we came, the women were just so friendly so we came back.”
“We’ve very interested in getting out and making new friends and doing activities,” Hegedus added.
The South Hills Women’s Club meets the second Monday of each month from September through April in the lobby of Vanadium Woods in Bridgeville.
The group also participates in social activities such as miniature golf, lunch, bowling or attending a play.
“This is a great organization,” Kasper said. “There isn’t any animosity. No one has ever quit because they were upset with anybody. It’s a great group of women.”