Chairman

Sue Hardenbrook

Vsranch1@comcast.net

Send HOBY Donations:

EASTERN HOBY: 12811 McCarthy Circle, Philadelphia, PA 19154

Northeastern District

  • Bangor
  • Bethlehem
  • Saucon Valley
  • Nazareth
  • Pen Argyl

Southeastern District

  • Boyertown
  • New Century of Berks
  • Spring Township
  • Perkasie
  • Quakertown
  • Warrington
  • West Chester
  • Media
  • Springfield
  • Overlook Hills
  • Ambler
  • Whitpain
  • Collegeville
  • Schwenksville
  • Indian Valley
  • Indian Valley Junior

 

 

Send HOBY Donations:

CENTRAL HOBY: PO Box 8743, Lancaster, PA 17604

Northeastern District

  • Abington Heights
  • West Side
  • Mountaintop
  • Plymouth
  • Pocono Mountain

Southeastern District

  • East Petersburg
  • Lebanon Junior

North Central District

  • State College
    Hollidaysburg
  • Milton
  • Warrior Run

South Central District

  • Littlestown
    Camp Hill
  • Mechanicsburg
  • Upper Allen
    Hershey
    Dillsburg
  • Spring Grove

Send HOBY Donations:

WESTERN HOBY: PO Box 834, Mount Pleasant, PA 15666

North Central District

  • Curwensville

Northwestern District

  • Meadville
  • Presque Isle
  • Erie

Southwestern District

  • Duquesne
  • Pittsburgh
  • Wilkins Township
  • Baden
  • New Brighton
  • Intermediate League of Butler
  • Junior Butler
  • Saxonburg
  • Carmichaels
  • Rostraver
  • Town & Country

HUGH O’BRIAN YOUTH LEADERSHIP (HOBY)

Since 1958, more than 425,000 students have begun their leadership journey with HOBY. Annually, more than 10,000 high school students from across the country and around the world participate in HOBY programs.  Visit their website at www.hoby.org.  Support HOBY by:

  • Volunteering at the events

  • Providing gifts-in-kind

  • Sponsoring students to attend a HOBY program

HOBY is something very near and dear to my heart, as I am a 1998 HOBY alumnus.  HOBY changed and impacted my life in many ways; It was through HOBY that I learned about GFWC and what lead me to join federation.  I love sharing my HOBY experience, so if you or your club would be interested in learning more please let me know!

General Federation of Women’s Clubs offers many leadership activities for club women to sponsor.  HOBY is among the offerings and has always held very successful seminars.  Hopefully, our clubs will continue to support HOBY along with any other offerings they find interesting.  The HOBY seminars are held at no cost to the student or their families except for travel expense.  All funds are raised by the volunteer committee through fundraising, contributions from civic organizations, and corporate monetary and gift-in-kind donations.  The entire development and implementation of the HOBY seminar is done by volunteers.  No speakers or presenters are paid for their services.

2022 Jared Box Project 

Focus on the Children

At the 2022 Summer Leadership Conference, our GFWC Pennsylvania clubwomen worked together to prepare and assemble 133 boxes filled with children’s small toys, games, puzzles and more.  The boxes will be distributed to children who are patients at hospitals in the Harrisburg area through The Jared Box Project.  Discover more about this amazing outreach initiative and the impact Jared and his love for others has had on children throughout the United States.   https://thejaredbox.org   

How Do You Get Started?

Right Away:  Secure the approval of your club’s leadership for participation in the HOBY seminar.  It costs the local seminar about $225 per student to attend the seminar. The clubs are asked to donate $200 which goes to the local seminar.  Of course, any amount of money to help pay for the seminar expenses is greatly appreciated.  Each club decides the amount they want to donate. Give consideration to sponsoring a home school student or one from a private school.  Consider an inner-city school or a school that does not have a civic group to sponsor them, or make a contribution toward postage/mailings, a meal, snacks, office supplies, etc.  

September:  Alert high school principals and guidance counselors to watch for the arrival of the HOBY nomination materials and encourage them to take immediate action.  There is $225 school registration fee that goes directly to HOBY National.  Contact your regional chairmen (listed above) if you have any questions.

October:  Confirm with your principal or guidance counselor that they received their materials, US mail or online, and have initiated their school’s selection process.  Emphasize that November 15th is the deadline for nomination guarantee for the seminar in the spring.

November:  Confirm with your principal or guidance counselor that a student has been selected.  Secure the funds for each student your club will sponsor, as well as any other contributions you may have decided to make.

Send your check directly to:  GFWC Pennsylvania Headquarters, 4076 Market Street, Suite 211, Camp Hill, PA  17011.  Make check payable to GFWC PA.  Each club president has a form that is to be attached to the check.

February:  Arrange for publicity, crediting each nominating principal, guidance counselor, school, your club, the HOBY Foundation, and the local HOBY seminar committee.

After HOBY seminar:  Arrange for your HOBY representative to meet and speak to your club.  Have them tell about their HOBY experience and invite a member of the HOBY committee to attend also.  Arrange for publicity in the local paper.

Contribution Clarification

HOBY REGISTRATION FEE:  HOBY national has a $225 registration fee for each student, and it is sent to HOBY national in California.  This fee is to be paid by the school, and most schools now include it in their budgets. Some of our clubs pay this registration fee for the school district.  If the club pays this $225 school registration fee to HOBY National, please check that line on the form that goes to our state headquarters.  This will give us a record of those donations as we don’t receive notice from HOBY National.

LOCAL SEMINAR CONTRIBUTION:  The clubs in GFWC Pennsylvania have been asked to donate $200 (or any amount they wish) to the local seminar. These funds are used for the operating expenses of the local seminar and are greatly needed.  These donations are sent to GFWC Pennsylvania headquarters and are then distributed to the appropriate local seminar.

The first place for club donations to HOBY is to the local seminar as per this handout.  Beyond that, if a club wants to help pay the school’s $225 registration fee to HOBY national, they may do so.  However, this donation should be in addition to the local seminar, not in place of it.  The local seminars rely on contributions from cooperating organizations, and they are greatly appreciated.  

In summary, the $225 registration fee is paid by the schools and goes to HOBY national.  The donation paid by the clubs goes to the local seminar via GFWC Pennsylvania headquarters.

There are times that special arrangements are made for club donations.  The most important thing to remember is that we strive to have every high school select a student to attend one of the leadership seminars.  We will make whatever arrangements are necessary in order to accomplish this.

“Our country has some big and exciting challenges ahead, with some tough choices. Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY) offers a program for our youth to prepare for these challenges and presents them with the opportunity to put their stamp on history.”

– Elizabeth Dole, United States Senator, North Carolina

Join a Club Near You

Reach out to our membership chairman for help finding a club near you.

For general inquiries, contact Headquarters below or the Chairman of a specific program or advancement area.

GFWC Pennsylvania Headquarters

4076 Market Street, Ste 211
Camp Hill, PA 17011-4200

T: 717-901-5095
gfwcpaclubs@comcast.net

Membership Chairman

Diane Lake

 dianemlake@live.com

GFWC Headquarters

1734 N Street, NW
Washington, DC  20036

T:  202-347-3168
F:  202-835-0246
www.gfwc.org