A Busy Three Months Ahead for Women of West Islip

The Women of West Islip is a busy group to put it mildly, and the next three months are exceptionally busy given annual volunteer efforts as well as new events to raise funds to help support the West Islip community and residents in need.

The group’s 80-plus membership is busy getting reading for its third annual Oktoberfest, which will be held at Farrells in West Islip on Thursday, October 24. Admission to the event, which kicks off at 6 p.m.,  is $10 and includes one free drink, hot buffet and DJ entertainment. There are also Chinese auction baskets and a 50/50 raffle.

Just about a month after the group will host a brand-new fundraiser, a Ladies Night of Shopping, at the West Islip fire house on November 14. According to co-founder Patty Vorilas, there are already 25 vendors signed up.

Then on December 13 the group will have its first-ever Holiday Home Tour which will highlight beautifully decorated homes in West Islip.

The one thing all three events have in common is that a hundred percent of funds raise goes to various ways of supporting the community and helping residents in need.

Women in West Islip (WOWI) was formed by Vorilas and Regina Jacoby after the two joined a similar group in Babylon Village, where they both were business owners.

“When we attended one of their events, we said ‘why don't we have a group like this in West Islip.’ Right then and there we said, well lets do it,” Vorilas told Patch in an email Within just a few weeks the two women reached out to several other women in town and quickly got organized.

The current board is Norma Mattera, president; Kelly-Ann McGloughlin-Fisher, vice president; Tracey Madonia, treasurer;  Kelly Pape, assistant treasurer, Tessie Crisci, recording secretary and Delia Keane, corresponding secretary.

The group holds food drives and blood drives through the year, and also honors two female high school graduates each June with its Women of West Islip Philanthropic Award. Every Thanksgiving members prepare several Thanksgiving baskets for needy families and also adopts families for the holidays.

One of the group’s significant accomplishments was the ability to help local residents hit hard by super storm Sandy last year.

“Within 24 hours we were able to fill a room at the West Islip Fire house full  of donations of emergency supplies, clothing, toiletries, blankets, water, cleaning supplies and non perishable food items from other West Islip residents and we distributed  them  by driving down each and every street in West Islip that was affected by the storm,” said Vorials.

“We even brought a well appreciated hot cup of coffee to many residents.”