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Looking Back: Woman’s Club serves many

| 11 Nov 2025 | 03:22
    Girls who attended the Citizenship Institute at Douglas College, representing West Milford Women’s Club in 1968 were guests at the women’s first fall meeting that year at West Milford Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall. From left are Florence Fredericks, a long-time teacher in the local school district and Education Department Chair for the Women’s Club, Rae Wagner, Lorraine Studt and Nan Manus, Chair of the Youth Conservation Department and wife of wife of West Milford Presbyterian Church Minister Rev. Albert Manus.
    Girls who attended the Citizenship Institute at Douglas College, representing West Milford Women’s Club in 1968 were guests at the women’s first fall meeting that year at West Milford Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall. From left are Florence Fredericks, a long-time teacher in the local school district and Education Department Chair for the Women’s Club, Rae Wagner, Lorraine Studt and Nan Manus, Chair of the Youth Conservation Department and wife of wife of West Milford Presbyterian Church Minister Rev. Albert Manus. ( Photo by Ann Genader)
    West Milford Women’s Club President Evelyn Andresen (third from left) conducts a meeting in 1968. Ladies of this era usually wore hats to complete their outfits.
    West Milford Women’s Club President Evelyn Andresen (third from left) conducts a meeting in 1968. Ladies of this era usually wore hats to complete their outfits. ( Photo by Ann Genader)

For more than 75 years, members of the West Milford Women’s Club have volunteered their time and talents to strengthen their community. Part of the New Jersey State Federation of Women’s Clubs (NJSFWC) of the GFWC Ramapo District, the local group was already well established by the 1950s.

In its early days, the club focused on community self-improvement and social engagement — common goals among women’s clubs of the postwar era. Members met to share ideas, host events, and promote cultural and civic betterment. Today, the club’s objectives, according to its website, are to encourage friendship, promote civic and social welfare, assist youth organizations, and hold educational meetings to foster a higher standard of citizenship. Meetings continue to be held the second Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at Echo Lake Church on Macopin Road.

By the 1950s and 1960s, the West Milford Women’s Club had several active departments, including Drama and Music. In 1966, that department presented And So They Came to Bethlehem, a Christmas pageant performed during a club meeting at West Milford Presbyterian Church. Directed and narrated by Evelyn Andresen, the production featured club members in various roles, including Elva Hirsch as Mary.

Social gatherings were also memorable highlights. One of the most talked-about events was a Hawaiian luau hosted by Jack and Evelyn Andresen at their home on Greenwood Lake’s Rocky Point. Guests enjoyed tropical decorations, hula performances, and live organ music by Jack Andresen, who was also a township councilman and an accomplished underwater photographer. His South Pacific diving films were featured in New York film libraries and even used in television and movie productions.

Annual dinner dances were among the club’s most anticipated traditions. In 1967, the event was held at the Windemere Restaurant on Macopin Road — now the site of a Bubbling Springs Park parking lot after the restaurant’s later destruction by fire. That same year, the Drama and Music Department led a successful drive to collect books for the children’s section of the West Milford Library, while the Public Welfare Department gathered and prepared Christmas gifts for a local family. Members of the American Home Department showcased their creativity by designing and modeling fashionable clothing in district competitions.

Evelyn Andresen was re-elected club president in 1969 for a second term, leading a delegation to state competitions in Atlantic City. The club’s strong leadership continued through the 1960s under presidents like Mrs. John Fredericks, whose committees organized dinner dances, community projects, and charitable efforts.

Beyond their social calendar, club members made an enduring mark through philanthropy. Their participation at the Community Fire Company fairs in Newfoundland and Oak Ridge became a beloved annual tradition. Members planned and presented the popular Flower Show, a highlight of the fair’s competitive events. Over the decades, the club has donated thousands of dollars to local causes.

In 1995, the Women’s Club distributed nearly $11,000 in donations to volunteer fire companies, ambulance corps, Parks and Recreation, church blood banks, and scholarship funds. That year’s recipients included the Echo Lake Church, West Milford Heritage Society, West Milford Handbell Choir, and other local organizations. The funds were largely raised through the club’s “Victorian Christmas” at Ringwood Manor, an event that remains a hallmark of their fundraising success. Scholarships that year went to local students Diane May, Carrie Wacha, Carrie Albano, and Weide Gessler.

The club’s service has continued to evolve with the times. In 2011, the Women’s Club partnered with West Milford Recycling Director Dave Stires to promote environmental awareness. After Stires presented a program titled “Everything You Want to Know About Recycling,” members helped share the message throughout the community. That same year, West Milford received $63,305 in state recycling grant funds — the highest amount awarded to any New Jersey municipality — through the state’s Recycling Enhancement Act.

From staging pageants and luaus to leading charity drives and environmental initiatives, the West Milford Women’s Club has remained a constant presence in township life for more than seven decades. Its members’ commitment to service, education, and community spirit continues to reflect the enduring legacy of women’s clubs across New Jersey.