Baldwinsville’s oldest continuing June tradition will be back again at 2 p.m. Wednesday, June 22, in the Presbyterian Education Center when the Female Charitable Society holds its annual meeting. This will be the 199th annual meeting of the organization which began as a cooperative female effort to fend off possible starvation among the members of this fledgling pioneer community during the crisis of 1816, known as “the year without a summer.”
By pooling their pantries, the women were able to sustain life for both community members and 250 of their Native American neighbors. The following year agriculture returned to normal, but the women had discovered that community needs continued. In 1817, a band of 21 women met and formally organized themselves as the Female Charitable Society, a group dedicated to discreetly assisting neighbors in need.
As Baldwinsville grew, the needs of its residents grew as well. Successor generations have stepped up to the plate for the last 199 years to maintain the society’s viability as a quiet resource for those in need. Membership has grown from 21 to 500, with hundreds of women sustaining the organization during its 199 years of active service.
Today a working board of directresses is responsible for the activities of the society, which range from quiet acts of assistance to the high-profile Loan Closet, a storefront at 10 River St. that loans home medical equipment to any resident of the Baldwinsville Central School District at no charge. The Loan Closet is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays, year round, and is staffed entirely by volunteers.
All are invited to the society’s annual meeting where tradition and today each have a role. The event offers information and updates about the organization and its activities as well as an opportunity for members to meet each other as they enjoy the traditional refreshments of strawberries over ice cream accompanied by “dainty cakes.” The Presbyterian Education Center is located at 60 Oswego St.
Membership is open to all. Dues are modest (less than the price of a movie ticket) but cumulatively they make a difference in the society’s ability to help others. Anyone unable to attend but who would like to support the organization through membership or by volunteering to assist at the Loan Closet may pick up a membership brochure at the Loan Closet or from the information rack at the Baldwinsville Public Library.
