A Look at the Ladies of the Peters Township Newcomers & Neighbors Club

Barb Wehn invites ladies of all ages from Peters Township, Upper St. Clair and their nearby communities to join her for an evening of fun and friendship at  on Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 7 p.m..

Who is Barb Wehn and why is she doing this?

Wehn is the president of the Peters Township Newcomers & Neighbors Club (PTNNC), and the event marks the kick-off of the group’s new year.

Originally founded in 1965, when women started stepping out of the home and into the workforce, the community and the social limelight, the initial purpose of PTNNC was to welcome and acclimate new female residents to life in Peters Township.

Over the years, the group incorporated other goals into its mission. Community service became a very important priority, as did expanding the scope of membership to accommodate women already situated in Peters Township and women new to, or already familiar with, other neighboring areas.

According to Wehn, that’s why the group recently changed its name.

“(The group) was originally called the ‘Peters Township Newcomers Club,’” she said. “We added ‘Neighbors’ to our name to make it clear that members don’t have to be new to the area to be part of our group.”

Wehn went on to explain that there are many groups and clubs across the country which operate to welcome newcomers to particular areas, but many of them have term caps and other restrictions.

For example, Wehn noted that some clubs allow ladies to remain members for only three or four years, since, after that time, they are no longer considered newcomers to the area. What’s more, such clubs prohibit already situated residents from joining and limit membership to only women who live in the community where the club is seated.

But the gals in the PTNNC aren’t down with these types of limitations. “We want everyone to feel welcome, regardless of where they live or how long they’ve lived there,” said Wehn.

Because of its more liberal membership policies, the body of the PTNNC is comprised of approximately 110 women from McMurray and Venetia as well as from areas likeCanonsburg, Upper St. Clair and the city of Washington, among others.

Though the majority of members are in their 40s and 50s, the club encompasses a much larger age spectrum, including women from younger than 30 to women older than 70.

Within this one club, there are many smaller, distinct subgroups, which are as diverse as the PTNNC’s membership itself. Subgroups meet monthly and are centered on interests and activities such as books, wine tasting, luncheon excursions, children’s playgroups and Bunco.

Since subgroup involvement varies from member to member, it isn’t very often that the whole group gets together as one.

Holiday celebrations and fundraisers, however, typically garner a large collection of club ladies.

The biggest turnout by far, Wehn said, is at the PTNNC’s annual kick-off, where members are given a chance to come together and showcase what the group does and provide an overview of its general mission to potential new members.

The kick-off is a free event that will feature a cash bar, hors d’oeuvres and raffles and a silent auction to benefit Avis Arbor, a women and children’s center of the Washington City Mission.

Other organizations the group benefits throughout the year include the , the  and the Washington Women’s Shelter.

Women interested in attending the kick-off can visit www.ptnc.org for more information, contact forms and event registration.