Moving to a new town comes with its challenges — one of which is building a network of friends. This challenge is what caused the original Women’s Welcome Club of State College to form in 1978. Now, the group is celebrating 45 years of friendship and warm welcomes.
“When the group first started, it was actually called The Welcome Wagon,” Pamela McDonough, the club’s president, explained. “The women would go around to people’s homes who were new to the area and bring a basket of goodies from different businesses in town.”
McDonough explained that although the original group lost some steam after its first few years, with member numbers dropping, a few members helped build a new iteration of the club to carry on the original’s legacy. The group eventually evolved into the Women’s Welcome Club of State College.
McDonough will celebrate being in the group for 31 years this July and has seen the group evolve throughout the years. Since taking on the role of president for the club, she has seen the group numbers continue to climb.
The group now consists of 231 members, though McDonough notes she has a mailing list with several hundred more women in the community that she regularly updates on the group’s happenings.
“Back then, but also now, women who had lived here forever just wanted to help people get connected. And there are always people looking for friendship,” McDonough said. “Some people work all the time and don’t have time to go out and meet people. Or some are busy raising a family, so it can be a hard time coming to a new town. It can be even harder here because college towns are so transient.”
To help people connect, the Women’s Welcome Club hosts a variety of events throughout the year and has a wide variety of interest groups members can participate in.
McDonough shared how the group had a Celtic band and dancer perform at a recent meeting in March as a unique activity for members to enjoy.
“So many wonderful women have joined the group. But others leave to move to a new location, or unfortunately, many of those wonderful women have died,” McDonough said, sharing how one of her goals as president was to coordinate unique events that would encourage new women to join.
The club also has over 20 interest groups that do different activities throughout the year. Each group fits into different categories: cards and games, dining, getting together here and there, and special interests or crafts.
McDonough recently took one of her interest groups to Sight & Sound Theatre in Lancaster for a performance.
However, on top of doing different activities for their own enjoyment, the members of the Women’s Welcome Club also engage in philanthropic efforts and community outreach.
“Wherever and whenever, if we get a call for something that we can help with, we do whatever we can do,” McDonough shared. “People want to help and give back to our community.”
To celebrate 45 years of friendship and giving back to the community, the group will host a tea party. The tea party will feature all of the treats found at a proper high tea, from scones with clotted cream, lemon curd and berry compotes to assorted tea sandwiches and, of course, tea.
“This club is made up of wonderful women and this is a way for them to be celebrated,” McDonough said. “I want the tea party to feel special.”
For McDonough, the Women’s Welcome Club has helped her through some of the best and toughest times in her life.
“My very best friends that I have made in my lifetime are from this club,” McDonough shared while reminiscing on her 31 years with the group. “They are all special women.”
McDonough will complete her presidential role at the end of the year, joking how she is ready to sit back, relax and enjoy some of the benefits she has helped build within the group. However, for her, all the effort she put into growing the group’s numbers, planning events and working with the community is worth it for the women who have supported her over the years.
“My biggest hope is that the group will last another 45 years, and more women will continue to join and carry on the tradition of the group,” said McDonough. “I want other women to get to experience this amazing group for many more years.”
For more information on getting involved in the Women’s Welcome Club, email wwcmembership@gmail.com.
