GREENE-DREHER HISTORICAL SOCIETY, INC

PO Box 176

Greentown, PA 18426

2009 Annual Report

Board Members: President - Ruth Altemier; Vice President - Web Gilpin (January – June)/Jeanne Brown (July-December); Treasurer - Bernadine Lennon; Secretary - Sam Jackson; Peggy Bancroft (Greene Township Historian), John Barna, Bill Brennan, Bob Lederer, Roy Richmond, Betty Roach

Organization Updates: The Society re-registered with the State Bureau of Charitable Organizations.

Publications Update: Published quarterly journal The Greene Hills of Home which is mailed to 294 Society members and offered for sale throughout the year at Society events, at Greentown Agway and Newfoundland Area Public Library. Published quarterly newsletter informing members and the community of our recent activities, events and accomplishments.

Summary of Monthly Programs, Meetings and Special Events (numbers in parentheses represent attendance): January, February, March – no meeting; April membership program “History of Camp Wissawanik” by Tom Parry (47); “Carlton Family History” by John Layton (46); Annual Luncheon for 50 year Greene-Dreher Alumni (52); “History of Pennsylvania’s 151^st Volunteer Infantry” by Fred Schoenagel (58); “Quilting” by Rhonda Robinson (42); September Potluck Luncheon (30); “Murder, Mayhem and Sundry Misadventures” by Ann O’Hara and Gloria McCullough, Wayne County Historical Society (32); “History of LaAnna” by Jill Porter and Ross Smith (46). The December Holiday and Awards Luncheon, held at Ehrhardt’s Waterfront Restaurant, was attended by 50 members and guests where the Society recognized the following community members for their work in historic preservation: Mr & Mrs George Stone, Mr & Mrs Ed Kaier, Mr & Mrs Brinton Thomas, Mr & Mrs Howdy Phipps for Houck Dam Restoration and Repair; Phyllis Vetter for creating and producing Houck Dam Repair DVD; Janet Ford for preserving and adaptive reuse of La Anna Chapel; Roger Altemier for designing and building handicap accessibility to the hall, correcting drainage problem behind hall and improving parking area; Greene Township Supervisors for nearly 30 years of supporting GDHS.

Community Outreach and Partnerships (numbers in parentheses represent attendance): Ruth Altemier briefed Greene Township Supervisors and Bill Brennan and Bob Lederer briefed Dreher Township Supervisors on society activities; eight members worked two and one half hours in the spring on the Route 507 Litter Cleanup collecting 20 bags of litter; seven members worked approximately two hours in the fall on the Route 507 Litter Cleanup collecting eight bags of litter; ten members worked approximately one and a half hours cleaning the Albright-Bennett Cemetery and two members worked two hours cleaning Wolfe Cemetery in Dreher Township; members mowed the Albright-Bennett Cemetery during the summer and repainted the cemetery sign; coordinated with Greene Township Supervisors to cleanup debris and remove overgrown brush and trees in the Kipptown Cemetery; opened the WSCS Hall to the public on June 13 (6 visitors). Board member Sam Jackson initiated and organized six monthly “Stories from the Past” at the Newfoundland Area Public Library where Society members and local residents shared their memories of the area for our oral history program (April(22); May(18); June(15); July(21);August(18); September(13)). Collections Chair Jeanne Brown updated the Society’s display areas at Spanky’s Restaurant, The Dime Bank and Greentown Agway and expanded the number of locations with GDHS brochures to include Dutch’s Market, Pop’s Drug Store and Frank’s Drug Store. Jo Ann Bogdanovicz presented “Gettysburg – The Aftermath” on July 11 (26). Held Open House on August 8 featuring “Quilt and Fancy Work Display” (28). Prepared a display of Quilts and Fancy Work for the GDS Fair at which members volunteered.

WASE Partnership: WASE Principal Dr Simon incorporated GDHS ice tool and photograph displays in a lesson plan which she presented to 55 Fourth Grade students; sponsored Civil War presentation by Jo Ann Bogdanovicz to 132 Fourth and Fifth Grade students; sponsored an ice harvesting essay and art contests for WASE Sixth Grade students and presented First, Second and Third Place prizes for each contest with $100 awarded in monetary prizes. Collections Chair Jeanne Brown set up ice harvesting tools in a display case at the Wallenpaupack Area South Elementary (WASE) School to complement our ice harvesting photograph display at the school

WSCS Hall: Installed picture molding on second floor; removed front concrete steps and constructed sloping walkway; added fill to parking area creating additional parking; landscaped front of building with perennials; constructed handicap accessible ramp in rear of building; resubmitted application to the Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission Historic Preservation Board to designate the WSCS Hall an historic structure on the National Register.

Other Activities: Received a grant from the Wayne County Community Foundation to purchase a laptop computer for the Society. 15286 visits to the Society’s website in 2009 (up from 13855 in 2008). A total of 449 artifacts and reference documents and 711 historic photographs and post cards are in the Society’s collection. Received 144 artifacts and reference documents and 57 historic photographs and post cards in 2009. Dr Walter Barbe hosted 14 Society members and conducted a tour of the Delaware and Hudson Canal Lock House in White Mills. Kurt Reed hosted six Society members and conducted a tour of the Glassworker’s House in White Mills.

Financial Statement: The Society filed Form 990 (Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax) for 2008 with the Internal Revenue Service. IRS Form 990 for the most recent tax year is available upon request or at www.guidestar.org.