[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 125 (Wednesday, July 24, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E971-E972]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  IN RECOGNITION OF THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF WAVERLY TOWSHIP AND THE 
                        WAVERLY COMMUNITY HOUSE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. MATT CARTWRIGHT

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 24, 2019

  Mr. CARTWRIGHT. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 100th 
anniversary of Waverly Township, Pennsylvania and the Waverly Community 
House. The first cornerstone for the Waverly Community House, the hub 
of community activity and affectionately known as `the Comm,' was laid 
in 1919.
  Waverly found its humble beginning as a few settlers homesteading in 
a small area of a forest, but as more businesses and settlements began 
to populate the area, local resident and philanthropist Margaretta 
Belin and her children saw the need for a space for their community to 
gather. The idea was a tribute to her beloved husband Henry Belin Jr. 
who passed away in 1917. As the director of the Scranton Lace Company, 
Henry was steadfastly dedicated to emphasizing the importance of 
recreation to his staff. The Belins incorporated the memory of their 
dear father into the mission statement and purpose of the Waverly 
Community House as a place for residents to gather, learn, and play 
together. In 1919, under the direction of architect George M.D. Lewis, 
the Comm was built, and in 1920 the building and the portion of the 
land were deeded to Abington Township.
  In the century that followed, the Comm faithfully embodied the spirit 
of the Belin family's mission to promote civic engagement and 
recreational activities for the Abingtons and beyond. The original 
building included a bowling alley, a gathering area, a post office, a 
library, and the first kindergarten in Lackawanna County. The Comm 
offered activities such as an annual fair, classes, tennis tournaments, 
and movie. During World War II, the Comm was pivotal in support the war 
effort on the home front by organizing volunteer efforts, sending 
regular newsletters to soldiers stationed abroad, holding defense 
meetings, and collecting book donations.
  As the Comm flourished, the Belin children dedicated two additional 
wings to the building in honor of their mother to accommodate its 
growing community events. The rooms are still in use today and house 
spaces for camps, education, arts programs, and a welcome center which 
features Destination Freedom, a Walking Tour of the Underground 
Railroad in

[[Page E972]]

Waverly. The Comm continues to be the center of community life in 
Waverly. Special events like the annual Antiques Show and Sale, the 
Artisans' Marketplace, the House and Garden Show, Summer Music 
Concerts, and seasonal children's parties.
  It is an honor to recognize Waverly Township and the Waverly 
Community House on their centennial. The Comm has been the heartbeat of 
community life in the Abingtons since 1919, and I wish them another 
hundred years of growth and prosperity in the tradition of service to 
others, recreation, and civic engagement.

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