By Robin GOLDSWORTHY

The historic La Crescenta Woman’s Club held a fundraising night of bingo on Saturday at the clubhouse on La Crescenta Avenue. Nearly 200 people gathered among the tables set up for the evening, ready to holler “bingo!” and bring home some prize money.

Among the dignitaries that called numbers for the games was City of Glendale mayor Ardy Kassakhian, State Senator Anthony Portantino and Crescenta Valley Water District director Kerry Erickson.

Club president Danette Erickson welcomed the night’s guests and spotlighted the various dignitaries that attended including Assemblymember Laura Friedman and CV Town Council members Harry Leon and Donna Libra.

The organizer of the fundraiser, which benefitted the American Legion Post 288 and VFW Post 1614, was Silvana Casalegno, who recruited family members to help with the evening’s festivities.

The La Crescenta Woman’s Club boasts a rich history. In 1908 a few women formed the Little Literature Circle, meeting in homes to discuss books and the problems of the day. On May 18, 1911 a group of these women gathered together to form an organization for the development and improvement of the community, the beginning of the oldest woman’s organization in the area. Mrs. Seymour Thomas was president in 1918 when the club had amassed a whopping $436!

On Feb 12, 1924 the club became part of the General and California Federated Clubs. The General Federation of Women Clubs is the oldest service organization in the world.

Escrow on the property on which the clubhouse was built closed in December 1924 and the clubhouse was erected in 1925. On May 1, 1925 the cornerstone of the clubhouse was placed. The first meeting in the new clubhouse was held on Oct. 14, 1925.

The organization was incorporated in 1931 and changed its name to The La Crescenta Woman’s Club.

The La Crescenta Woman’s Club has been a dynamic organization since its inception. A scholarship fund was started in 1949 by President Roberta Kurtz to provide financial assistance to local graduating seniors intending to attend college.

The club’s 50^th anniversary was celebrated in 1961 with a vote to enlarge the clubhouse, adding a tearoom, dressing room and a half bath, which was completed in 1962. Unfortunately, disaster struck the club in November 1965 when an arsonist set a fire that extensively damaged the clubhouse, especially the beloved tearoom. While the clubhouse was being rebuilt the American Legion offered its facilities for the LCWC Christmas Tea and Boutique.

More than 100 years later, remembered are the dedicated women who gave so generously of their time to assist in the advancement and general welfare of the community. Friendship, fellowship and philanthropy are still the aims of the La Crescenta Woman’s Club.

The philanthropies of the LCWC are supported by renting the clubhouse and through fundraisers, like Saturday night’s bingo and the upcoming Fritz Coleman Comedy Night planned for April 29.

Danette Erickson supplied much of the historical information in this article.