Coeymans-Ravena Woman’s Club: 100 years of helping the community

RAVENA — There are not many organizations that can stand the test of time to one day celebrate their 100th anniversary. The Coeymans-Ravena Woman’s Club did just that during a celebration on Oct. 21.

The club was created in 1918, the final year of World War I. Early meetings were held in members’ homes, and the first president was Mrs. C.H. Hallenbeck, who served from 1918-1919.

The club’s initial purpose — which continues to this day — has always been to aid the community in whatever way they can, holding fundraisers and donating to local causes.

All these years later, that purpose remains the same.

“The goal of the club is to give back to the community,” said club president Glenda Ottaviano.

She ticked off on her fingers a long list of local organizations that receive donations from the Coeymans-Ravena Woman’s Club — Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts; the HOBY award, which is given each year to a 10th grader at the high school; annual scholarships to one male and one female student at RCS High School; The Matthew Project; local food pantries; Senior Projects of Ravena; CHOICES; Remembrances; and the Brown Bag Project.

This year, a new group was added to the list — Teen Challenge.

“We have roughly 10 organizations that we donate to,” Ottaviano said. “The money comes from our fundraisers — the sale of pepperoni sticks, which we sell in November and December, and a raffle of a quilt that is donated by QUILT in Delmar in the spring.”

The quilting club donates a quilt each year for the raffle, at a value of between $200 and $300, Ottaviano said.

While the goal hasn’t changed over the years, early club records have been lost in the annals of time, and the meeting venue has changed. Early meetings were held at members’ homes, but in 1934 the club found a new home at the Lutheran Church that once stood on Edna Avenue. Meetings were later moved to the Rotary Club.

By 1939, the club’s membership swelled to 90 members, and then 100. It remained active through World War II, holding card parties at members’ homes to raise money for the War Fund and a scholarship for nursing trainees, according to club members.

In 1958, club meetings were moved to Congregational Christian Church, and they have been held there ever since.

While the club’s numbers are smaller these days — there are currently 10 members — its good works continue, and they are always looking for new members.

“I joined the club a year ago and became vice president this year in September,” said Sara Camley. “I wanted to do the volunteer work and help with guest speakers who are from the community.”

Speakers address club meetings, sharing all kinds of information, and the community is always invited to participate. In recent months the group has hosted speakers from the Ravena Coeymans Historical Society and the library. The next guest speaker, Camley said, will be Ravena Mayor Bill Misuraca.

Janice Mormile is a life member of the Coeymans-Ravena Woman’s Club, and has spent most of the past 35 years as its recording secretary.

“The community gets a lot out of this club because of all the organizations we donate to,” Mormile said. “It’s volunteer work and camaraderie. I have always been involved with the community and the school, and I enjoy that kind of work.”

With all the good works the woman’s club undertakes, they can always use a helping hand and more members are encouraged to join.

“I wish more people would join because we do so much for the community,” said publicity chair Marion Shields. “We need younger folks to pitch in. I love giving back to the community.”

Treasurer Sue Williams echoed that sentiment.

“I would like to see more of the community become involved in our club,” Williams said. “Our group is small and we do such worthy things for the community. I would like to see more community involvement.”

One former member came from afar to help celebrate this year’s milestone. Carolyn Wright now lives in Florida.

“I have been a member for 45 years. I live in Florida now and I spend summers in Berne. I came today for the centennial celebration,” said Wright, who is also a past president of the organization.

To mark the occasion, the Ravena Village Board awarded a proclamation to the Coeymans-Ravena Woman’s Club on its 100th anniversary during the board’s Oct. 16 meeting.

Another honor was also in store for the club.

“The Ravena Village Board wishes to proclaim Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018, as Coeymans-Ravena Woman’s Club Day in honor of their 100 years of service to our community,” Mayor Bill Misuraca said during the meeting.

“Things like this are what make our community what it is,” Misuraca added.

At the meeting, Helen Barber from the ladies auxiliary also congratulated the club’s membership and contributed a $100 check to the club’s efforts.

“May you have another hundred years,” Barber told Ottaviano.

At the centennial open house at Congregational Christian Church, Deputy Town Supervisor Tom Dolan presented the group with a proclamation from the town.

“They help a lot of groups and individuals in the town,” said Dolan, who also works with CHOICES, a social service program in Ravena that aids low-income individuals and has been the recipient of donations from the woman’s club.

“They give money every year to CHOICES, which helps people in the community who don’t have help from anyone else,” Dolan said. “They do a lot of good work for the community.”