Women’s

Literary Club

The Women’s Literary Club met Friday, Oct. 1 for our President’s Day Luncheon at the Pennhills Club. President Gae Colligan opened the business meeting and welcomed everyone to the first luncheon of the year. She stated that members had approved Mary Lou Detweiler as Vice-President and Carol Ryan as a new board member. She welcomed guests Holly Puglio and Sarah Rhodes to the meeting.

Gae thanked Bonnie Frisina for the decorations and Gisele Magnella for planning the menu. Cindy Benedict stated that the Sunshine Group will be sending cards for birthdays etc. for any member who has health issues and are home bound. Carol Shannon the new Assistant Treasurer stated that name badges are available to members who wish them and they need to see her if interested. Judy Yorks presented the budget for the coming year and announced that the Bradford Club would be hosting card day on Oct. 8 and the cost of the lunch would be $14. Members need to sign up for card day.

Harrijane Moore introduced the program speaker Nancy McCabe. She has authored six books and also published poetry. She is the Director of the writing program at UPB and has received many awards. Her most recent book is “Can This Marriage Be Saved?” Her latest project has been to uncover the history of her 100-year home at 23 Sanford St. She found that during the period between 1937-1941, a Jewish man by the name of Erwin Letterer had lived in the house with his daughter Betty. His wife Ruth, was an excellent horse rider and golfer and preferred to stay in Texas. Erwin was a chemical engineer and at the time was the President of the Bradford Oil Refinery. He supervised the operations of the refinery and made many refinery improvements. With the price of oil dropping, Kendall Refinery bought the Bradford Refinery and he left the company in 1940. He moved back to Texas with his daughter. Nancy encouraged anyone who might have any knowledge of the house’s history to contact her.

Past Presidents were then recognized and were given candles. Gisele Magnella, Virginia Durst, Norma Fitzgerald and Eugenia Nelson were recognized as Past Presidents and Honorary members of the Literary Club. President Gae Colligan explained that the next meeting would be on October 15th at the Hill Memorial Church. Presenters will be Sane and Bridgette Oshman. The program is called 100 Years Ago.

Current

Events Club

The Current Events Club met on Monday at the First Presbyterian Church. Members celebrated the club’s 121st birthday with a cake decorated with club colors. Decorations from the year 1900 were on display, including books and pictures. Readings on the club’s history were presented by Nancy Bess, Carol Zeigler and Theresa Bond. There were 20 members in attendance. Nancy Bessa and Marcia Abbott were tea servers. The Tea Committee was Chairman Chris Yeager, assisted by Rita Costello, Patty Lindstrom, Marcia Abbott and Pat Pascarella. Club President is Elsie Benson. Greeter was Theresa Bond. The next meeting will be held Nov. 1.