The best clubs bring friendships, memories and community service, said Judy Rathfon.

“It's such a worthwhile organization. They help so many people,” said Rathfon, a 20-year member of the GFWC Intermediate League of Butler. “You can't always take from the community; you have to give back.”

Nearly 20 women got down to business last week as they discussed events and finances and chatted over cookies at the club's monthly meeting. The Intermediate League recently reported its members completed 80 projects with a total of 7,871 service hours.

The organization is for women who want to be social, charitable and make friends in the process.

The club's community work includes donating neck pillows to female veterans in Butler County for the past four years, Rathfon said.

Members also recently gathered 81 towels and 465 small personal items to donate to the Grapevine Center, said Phyllis Laporte, a 15-year club member.

Rathfon joined the club after she left the Junior Women's Club, which has an age range of 21 to 50, she said.

The group was organized and federated in 1950 to provide a club for women in the age gap between the Junior Women's Club and the clubs for older women.

“It's heyday has kind of passed,” said Yolanda Cypher, the club president. “Women are so busy nowadays with everything.”

A junior women's club is for younger women, while there is no age limit on the intermediate club, Cypher said.

There are 56 members in the Intermediate League, with members ranging from 45 and up, Cypher said. Seven members joined in May, she said.

Cypher joined the junior club in 1979 and then the intermediate league in 1992. She became club president last May.

Initially, she joined the club when her children were infants because she wanted an opportunity to meet and interact with other people.

“In a way, it was a support group because we all had young children,” she said.

This year, the club is providing funding to 16 different organizations.

The extent of its work includes volunteering and providing funds for different nonprofits and facilities, such as the library and theater, she said.

“Becoming familiar with the community, what's the needs of the community and helping through volunteer work and providing funding for community needs,” she said is the club's role.

Ruth Ann Blose of Renfrew was invited by a friend to the club in 1975 and continued her service into the Intermediate League.

“I renewed old friendships to start with,” Blose said. “There's such a variety of things we participate in.”

When Blose was president of the league in 1980, she looked for fundraiser opportunities.

She had been quilting for the First United Methodist Church and suggested a quilt be made and auctioned off, Blose said, which is a fundraising opportunity that has stood the test of time.

“The money we earn from Intermediate League will eventually be going back to the community,” she said.

Judy Neigh became involved with the Junior Women's Club in 1974 when it participated in the drug awareness programs in schools, she said, which was an interest of hers.

She then went on to the Intermediate League in 1984 where she has served in different committees and as the club's president twice.

“I like it because we do a lot of community service,” Neigh said. “You can be as busy in this club as you want to be.”

Every month brings along a different project. Members also plant flowers at the top of the North Main Street hill, collect items for VOICe, and volunteer at the community health clinic, she said.

The bonds of friendship and support are the benefits of the club, while having fun and volunteering in the process.

“We've become such a close group — we've been through marriages, babies, divorces, everything, lost our husbands,” Blose said, “It's a wonderful group.”

Friendships develop over the years and follow the women as they transition and continue their work from one club to the next, Cypher said.

“There's a certain amount of satisfaction when you know you can do something small to help someone out,” said Cypher. “When you put the individual efforts together it makes a real difference.”

- Organized and federated in 1950.- Members have made a difference in the Butler community through volunteer work providing parties at PARC, assisting in the special-needs classrooms at McQuistion School, and assisting with the Butler Historical Society's “Butler Brush-Up” Walldog Mural Project.- The club's most well- known accomplishment was the establishment of 911 service in Butler County in 1969.- Received the 2018 Heifer Hope Award for contributions to Heifer International in May 2018. Other awards include the GFWC Pa. State President's Project Jr. Special Project and Advocates for Children Award for the work on a backpack initiative, Treasures for Tots Christmas gifts, classroom volunteers, pinwheel garden and Project Linus blankets.- To become a member, visit the <a href="https://www.gfwcintermediateleagueofbutler.org/becoming-a-member">organization's website</a> and fill out a membership form.SOURCE: <a href="https://www.gfwcintermediateleagueofbutler.org/">GFWC Intermediate League of Butler</a>

WHAT: Next GFWC Intermediate League of Butler meetingWHEN: March 4, with social time at 6:30 p.m., business meeting at 6:45 p.m., and program at 7:15 p.m.WHERE: YWCA, 120 W. Cunningham St.PROGRAM: The History of Butler’s Movie Theaters. Bill May will speak about Butler’s historic theaters and famous Hollywood stars who claimed Butler as their hometown.