Vision
The Londonderry Women’s Club brings diverse women together, creating an environment that nurtures friendships while encouraging community involvement through volunteerism.
Mission
The Londonderry Women’s Club (LWC) has gathered women together to build a better community through giving, sharing, and caring in Londonderry since 1970. The members of the club take an active interest in the educational and civic welfare of Londonderry and its neighboring communities in an apolitical forum. The club offers annual scholarships to Londonderry High School Seniors and to adult females who are continuing their education. The members of the club strive to enhance their lives through friendship and volunteerism.
Executive Board
History
Beginning in the 1960’s, the Town of Londonderry, New Hampshire, began to show a rapid increase in population. The new residents put down roots and created a new home they were proud of and never wanted to leave. The old residents had their way of taking care of the town, but the new residents had energy and talents that were not yet fulfilled. The new residents wanted to be more giving to the town.
In the first full year, the club raised and donated $50 to the Swift Water Girl Scout Troop 377 for sponsorship, $25 to the Boylston Home, $310 to the Alexander Eastman Hospital, $100 to the Londonderry Schools Athletic Department, a $58 tuberculosis testing kit for the school nurse, $100 to the new library fund, and $40 to the Londonderry Recreation Commission. By April of 1971, the members had decided to donate their time to preschool testing in Mayflower Hall. This was carried on as an annual service project. The club was successful in bringing new and established residents together and creating friendships while working together on social and civic projects.
In 1975, the club took over the Miss Londonderry Scholarship Pageant in conjunction with the Chamber of Commerce with Rosamond Van Dyne in charge. The club also helped with a dental program for needy children, helped with first grade registration, held the Candidates’ Night before the elections, and collected clothing and household items for needy families.
The Londonderry Women’s Club has continued to be a productive group of citizens who join together to help others. Our Motto is “Good for You, Good for the Community”. We have volunteered both time and money to help the school nurses in the elementary schools, deliver meals for the Sonshine Soup Kitchen, help with crafts and entertainment at a nursing home, give to the troops overseas, fingerprint all the kindergarten students, send money to the Home Base Program for traumatic head injuries and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder for our veterans, give three $1000.00 scholarships to high school seniors, and give a $500.00 scholarship to a Londonderry woman who is continuing her education. We enjoy spending time with friends and neighbors who have the desire to help others and have fun doing it!
The first social event presented by the programming committee was a barbeque at the home of Wallace P. Mack. By the time the group was incorporated under state law, the club already had many common interests.
In the early 1970’s, the newer residents organized the “Londonderry Newcomers’ Club”. Membership was restricted to new town residents, and their purpose was to devote themselves to the social and civic welfare of the area on a nonprofit basis. There were 55 women at the first general meeting and 108 became charter members. The first board meeting was held on June 15, 1970.
Social events included a fashion show, a masquerade party, wine and cheese parties, Las Vegas night and a luau. Speakers met with the members to discuss various subjects from antiques to Russian art.
In the middle of the 1970’s, the club was renamed to its current “Londonderry Women’s Club”. Members pledged to broaden their spectrum through total community involvement. The club formed the Drug Awareness Committee and worked with the schools on the elementary and junior high levels.
As a major fundraiser in following years, the Club, with the help of local talent, wrote, directed and produced grand productions of live performances in a cabaret style, casting spouses and prominent town members for multiple evenings of local entertainment and fun. Broadway had no better entertainment than we had here in Londonderry! The proceeds from these fundraisers established a permanent scholarship fund for Londonderry High School. The club continues to provide annual scholarships to Londonderry High School seniors who are continuing to higher education.
Our thanks to Ferne Schmidtchen for the early history of the Londonderry Women’s Club from the research for her book “History of Londonderry, Volume 3. 1900-1976”.
Presidents:
- Beth Conlin – 1970-1971
- Nancy Sell-Erion – 1972-1973
- Gail Blaisius – 1976-1977
- May O’Malley – 1978-1979
- Geri Foucher – 1980-1981
- Sally Campbell – 1982-1983
- Chris Holahan – 1984-1985
- Michelle Sossei – 1986-1987
- Jane Blake – 1988-1989
- Sherry Quintey – 1990-1991
- Liz Bannon – 1992-1993
- Leslie Schilling – 1994-1995
- Melissa Shea Sartain – June 1996-Nov 1996
- Carol Murgo Corrado – 1997-1998
- Emily Miele – 2000-2001
- Anne Gibbons – 2002-2003
- Jodi Cummings – 2004-2005
- Leslie, Lynn, Rosemary, Anne, Kathy, Jodi, Martha, Sandy, Cris, Trish – 2006-2007
- Lisa Cariello – 2008-2009
- Cris Navarro – 2010-2011
- Ann Griffin – 1971-1972
- Sandra Czuchry – 1973-1974
- Mary Ann Bembridge – 1975-1976
- Marie Bouchard – 1977-1978
- Paula Goduti – 1979-1980
- Pat Pantazis – 1981-1982
- Pat Neos – 1983-1984
- Joan Colletta – 1985-1986
- Anne Wood – 1987-1988
- Cindy Freyberger – 1989-1990
- June Munro – 1991-1992
- Maureen Hegg – 1993-1994
- Martha Smith – 1995-1996
- Sandy Engler – 1996-1997
- Trish Herrmann – 1999-2000
- Rosemary Hersey – 2001-2002
- Kathy Bohlig – 2003-2004
- Lynn MacDonald – 2005-2006
- Deb Crowley – 2007-2008
- Sandy Engler – 2009-2010
- Cyrilla Lombardi – 2011-2012
- Leslie Schilling – 2012-2013
- Sue Joudrey – 2013-2014
- Deborah Scilingo – 2014-2016
- Emily Crane – 2016-2018
- Sara Clark – 2018-2020
- Sylvia Roberts – 2020 – 2023
- Emily Crane – 2023 – Present