MORGANTOWN — The Service League of Morgantown has kicked off the shopping season with it’s annual Holiday Open House at its historic landmark, the Old Stone House at 313 Chestnut St. in downtown Morgantown.
Saturday and Sunday, enter the house that dates to 1795, and step back in time and be treated to a wide array of homemade holiday cookies and the gift shop’s signature drink and most popular gift item, hot orange spiced tea, according to a press release from the service league.
Known as “the gift shop that gives back,” customers may shop knowing their dollars will directly benefit the community. Profits from the yearly event are used exclusively to benefit needy citizens of Monongalia County. The gift shop is maintained through the Service League members. There are no paid employees or managers. Service League was one of the recipients of the 2015 Governor’s Service Award.
Coordinating the efforts of 56 active Service League members in the transformation of the historic 223-year-old house into a festive yuletide showcase was events committee chair Sue Carpenter and buyers for the gift shop, Marlene Pope and Frances Brown. Susan Dotson guides this committee comprised of talented league members who contribute a wide assortment of handmade items. Knitted hats and scarves in Mountaineer colors are among the favorites, the release states.Included among the bestselling items are Blenko glass, Naked Bee body products, Morgantown prints done by Jo and Bill Aull, and children’s books by West Virginia authors. Some of the other enticing food items available are from Stonewall Kitchen, Cooke Tavern soups, Wind and Willow, Uncle Bunk’s, West Virginia Honey, West Virginia Fruit and Berry, Up the Creek, Leavitt Farm Jelly and Appalachian Mountain Specialty Foods.
Gift shop profits are used to fund assistance to local social services and nonprofit agencies in Monongalia County. In the 2017-’18 fiscal year, donations totaling $7,633 were shared with various food pantries and other organizations such as Energy Express, West Virginia Women Work, Boy Scouts of America, Salvation Army, sponsorship at Mountaineer Boys State and Rhododendron Girls State and a scholarship to WVU’s Engineering Challenge Camp. Additionally, $400 each was given to the libraries at Mountaineer Middle, South Middle, Trinity Christian, Suncrest Elementary and Westood Middle.
An additional $3,515 was shared with 16 local nonprofits through a Charity Partner Program.
League members also volunteer with the SteppingStones’ Arts Festival, Morgantown Public library programs, Shelley Marshall Foundation nursing home tea parties and host monthly Bingo parties for Sundale Nursing Home residents. The league also participates in Sundale’s Presents for Patients program and furnishes Thanksgiving and Christmas food baskets and gifts to four Head Start families. This year the league is partnering with Morgantown Rotary for the Coats and Boots project to purchase coats, boots and warm clothing for over 250 Early Head Start Children.
Founded in 1935, the league’s mission is to give back to the local community, to improve the lives of citizens through charitable, educational and cultural activities. In its 83-year history, the league has contributed more than $382,784 to the Morgantown community.
Hours for the open house are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. today and noon-4 p.m. Sunday. Extended shopping hours for the gift shop will begin after the Open House when the hours will be 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday–Saturday and noon-4 p.m. Sundays.
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