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Elm Grove Civics, Women’s Club celebrating 100 years

Photo by Bubba Kapral Pictured planning a 100-year open house celebration are members of the Elm Grove Women’s Club and Elm Grove Civics Club. They are Sue Steinman, Evelyn Birch, Patty Straughn, Jerry Straughn, Joe Birch, Joyce Toth, Nena Bitzer, Nancy Barry, Mary Kay Fitzsimmons, Marilyn Zeypenfeld and Betty Jane Myers.

ELM GROVE — The Elm Grove Civics have been a popular fixture in the Wheeling area for a lifetime … make that many lifetimes.

The same can be said about the Elm Grove Women’s Club.

The Elm Grove Civics as well as the Elm Grove Women’s Club were both established in 1925. The two charitable organizations are jointly holding a 10-year celebration “open house” on Sunday, Sept. 7 at the two groups’ headquarters, located at 21 Sycamore Ave. in Elm Grove.

The event will run from 5-7 p.m. and is open to all current members, past members as well as the community.

Refreshments will be provided. That is only part of the event.

The Women’s Club and Civics will be showcasing their elongated past by displaying a host of memorabilia and plaques.

“We have been planning this for a year now,” Women’s Club officer Evelyn Birch said. “We are proud of our past and all the help we have provided the community over the years. We almost folded after the pandemic but we endured. Our group likes fellowship.

“At the open house we want to pay tribute to all our members, both active and past,” she added. “We also hope that this event attracts a large turnout and we can have some new members come on board.”

The Elm Grove Women’s Club’s purpose is “The intellectual and moral development, social enjoyment and a united effort for the welfare of the community.”

Former West Liberty University baseball coach Bo McConnaughy is the president of the Elm Grove Civics. He has been an active Civics member for nearly 40 years, the last three as the organization’s president.

McConnaughy said the Civics currently have 28 active members while the women’s club has nine. At one time there were 200 active Civics.

“We (The Civics) have helped countless groups over the years as well as athletics at all levels. We are proud of that,” McConnaughy said. “The Civics were an original sponsor of the Beast of the East and continue to be one to this day. The Beast has really proved a big plus for the Ohio Valley.

“For two charitable groups like the Civics and our Women’s Club to still be in existence after 100 years speaks volumes about their passion, dedication, vision and caring,” he added. “Through this open house we want to thank and honor all the people who have helped make our groups so successful.”

Over the years, the Elm Grove Women’s Club has held a bevy of fund-raising events, including bake sales, broom sales, card parties, jewelry sales, white elephant sales and 50/50 raffles to name just a few. Those fund-raising efforts resulted in the women’s club donating to dozens of organizations and causes such as Augusta Levy Learning, American Legion Post 1, Catholic Charities, Easter Seals, Florence Crittenton Home, House of the Carpenter, Laughlin Chapel, Salvation Army, YWCA, Soup Kitchen of the Ohio Valley, the Winter Freeze and countless others.

“Every group that we have helped over the years has been invited to the open house. The response has been positive,” Birch said. “We (women’s club) have put a lot of work in planning this open house. We are excited about it and hope the community comes out and takes part.”

Anyone planning to attend should RSVP no later than Aug. 31 to elmgrovecivics21@gmail.com.

The organizations’ building is also available for rental. The Elm Grove Women’s Club and Civics meet the third Wednesday of each month at noon at the Elm Grove Civics headquarters. For more information, call 304-905-9190 or 304-280-7080.

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