About

About Quincy Service League

Board Members

 Executive Board

Standing Committee
Non-Board Leaders
  • Scholarship Chair: Linda Douglas
  • Social Chair: Kristin Neimann
  • Care Chair: Pasha Yates

Letter From The President

Welcome! 

Quincy Service League is a non-profit volunteer women's organization with strong local roots. We were founded in 1938 by Mrs. John Boyd Stone. The women in Quincy Service League aim to provide hands-on support and purposeful giving to improve the lives of those around us. We know that efforts to build strong relationships with each other and other community organizations result in better volunteerism all around. 

We strive to carry on the history of Quincy Service League while remaining relevant in today’s ever-changing world. Our goal is to make Quincy and the surrounding communities a better place for all.

We give back to our community through Projects, Service and Fundraising.

Projects - We have six designated projects that we organize, operate, and financially support. Projects this year include:
  • Acts of Kindness
  • Chaddock
  • Meals on Wheels
  • The Monotones
  • QSL Shoppe
  • Reading is Fun
Community Service - This past year we have enjoyed supporting Quincy’s Neighborhood Pantries, KidzPacks, Horizons Soup Kitchen, Toys for Tots, Quincy Children’s Museum and many more.

We are grateful for what these organizations do and we value our time spent with them. Let us know if your organization could use some extra hands!

Fundraising - Over the past 80+ years, Quincy Service League has taken on a variety of fundraising efforts. In the early years, QSL had bake sales, car washes, roller skating parties, and card parties. Some long standing traditions have been the rummage sale (26 years), Follies (3 years), and Holiday Gift Show (50+ years). Our largest and longest running fundraiser is the annual Holiday Gift Show, held the weekend before Thanksgiving at the Oakley Lindsay Center. We distribute fundraising dollars to the community in the form of projects, grants, and academic scholarships. You can find applications for our scholarships and appropriations grants on this website starting in January. 

I am honored to be a part of this exceptional group of women committed to serving our community. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have questions or would like to get involved.  

Ashley Cory
Quincy Service League President

Quincy Service League History

Quincy Service League began in January 1938 when Mrs. John Boyd Stone came to Quincy from Peoria. She joined with 25 other young women to start the Quincy Service League, which has grown to over 300 active and sustaining members today.

The first project was Children’s Theatre and the original budget was $58.55. The first members formed committees and decided it would be best for the community to establish on-going projects. This is how the QSL serves the community still today.

In the beginning, members did a variety of fundraising, everything from bake sales to car washes. In 1940, the first Rummage Sale was held and became an annual event for many years. In 1944, League produced a show, “Dream of a Clown,” an all-male extravaganza featuring 80 businessmen who performed acts, jokes and even a ballet scene. In 1946, Al Burke of Jerome & Cargill Company of New York City directed League Members and their agreeable spouses in the first Follies. The projects included Children’s Little Theater, Motor Corps, Toy Hospital, Hospital Library, Pre-Natal Clinic, Canteen and Adult Recreation.
 
During the 1950’s, projects focused on children. It was known as “the place” to purchase school clothes and formal attire. The projects included Toy Hospital, Irving School, Girl Scout Troop, The Loan Closet and Children’s Theater.
 
QSL celebrated its 25th Anniversary in 1963. The emphasis during the 1960’s was on teenagers and the elderly. Ways & Means continued to hold its annual Rummage Sale. In 1962, the Fall Follies was introduced. The show raised $5,000. A 30-volume sight-saving set was purchased for Webster School as a result. League also donated $1,000 to the YMCA’s new building fund. In 1968 League produced another show that raised $6,000. The Rummage Sale continued until 1966 when competition with garage sales affected its profits. The Holiday Gift Show and Sale took up where the Rummage Sale left off. Started in 1969, the show has consolidated all League fundraising into this one event. Introduced in October, the show’s main purpose was for local merchants to display and sell large and small gift items. Special features included a luncheon and door prize drawing. Projects included Junior Shoppe, Meals on Wheels, Rehabilitation Workshop, Children’s Theater, Adult Recreation, Children’s Recreation and Exceptional Children.
 
A scholarship for Vocational and Technical Education was introduced in 1970. It was awarded to a girl in need of financial assistance to prepare herself for a trade career such as beauty school, nurses training, culinary arts, etc. In the 1970’s the Holiday Gift Show and Sale provided the only funding for League projects. Chicken salad and the dessert table were introduced in 1973. In 1973 League became associated with the Red Cross Blood Bank. By 1976 members provided homemade cookies four times a year for blood drives and even spent time scrubbing arms for blood draws. In 1974, League coordinated activities for the Big Brother/Big Sister program. League members accompanied four to six year olds on outings around town. Other projects included Pink Pushy Kats, Tel-A-Folks, Tutorial Reading, Psychomotor Tutoring, Meals on Wheels, Junior Shoppe and Woodland Home.
 
The 1980’s brought significant change and recognition to Quincy Service League. This decade was marked by WGEM-TV’s presentation of its 1981 Community Service Award to League. It was the first time an organization won the five-year-old honor. WGEM cited League’s contributions of time and money to the community as reasons for the nomination. In 1982 the “Best in the League” cookbook was featured on NBC’s Today show. It was also included in a national Junior League cookbook catalog in 1984. It took three Service League meetings for members to test and approve all of the recipes include in the book. In 1988 Service League once again received national attention. On October 25, Barbara Bush, wife of then Vice-President George Bush, visited the Story Lady project at Madison School’s Head Start program. She was on a Presidential campaign trip to Quincy. Costumed League members performed a 12-minute musical. The spot had national coverage on NBC. The Gift Show continued to grow and expand. In its first 14 years, the show raised more than $130,000 for Service League projects, scholarships and grants. In 1981 Sunrise Madness let 300 early morning shoppers in for breakfast and first chance at the booths. That year the show offered babysitting and expanded into the gymnasium. In 1982 a theme was added to the show and Sunrise Madness tickets increased to 500. Claus Corner was introduced in 1987. In 1989 the Gift Show set a new record of over 8,000 in attendance and over $20,000 in profits. In 1988 League celebrated its 50th Anniversary. Projects of the 80’s included Parenting Pals, Chaddock and Monotones.
 
The 1990’s reflected the good works of the Quincy Service League and showed the commitment to serving the community. During this decade, League donated a ‘star’ for the Quincy Community Theatre’s lobby floor. It also donated $5,000 to the Quincy Society of Fine Art’s Corridor of the Arts project. The Gift Show and Sale continues to fund projects. In 1990, Santa’s Secret Shop was introduced where children could purchase gifts for less than seven dollars. A raffle was introduced that same year with prizes in excess of $1,000. Projects included Toys to Go, Immunization Clinic, Senior Meals, Education, Junior Shoppe, Sunshine Squad, Monotones and Chaddock.
 
In 2006, QSL was honored by receiving Chaddock’s “Harry and Carlene Geisler Friend of the Children Award.”  QSL continues to make a significant impact on the community today. With the addition of new projects, such as the Acts of Kindness and Reading is Fundamental program, Service League reaches out to the current needs in the community. 

Past Presidents of Quincy Service League

1938 - 1940 Mrs. Richard McCarl
1940 - 1942 Mrs. Mary Sinnock Carrott
1942 - 1944 Mrs. Roderick P. Miller
1944 - 1945 Mrs. William S. Black
1945 - 1947 Mrs. G. Arthur Keller
1947 - 1948 Mrs. Judson Green
1948 - 1951 Miss Nelda Moorman
1951 - 1952 Mrs. Robert Hunter
1952 - 1953 Mrs. Paul Lambertus
1953 - 1955 Mrs. Arthur Robinson (Mrs. John Davis)
1955 - 1956 Mrs. Alfred Castle
1956 - 1958 Mrs. Loren Schnack
1958 - 1960 Mrs. Laurence Kent
1960 - 1961 Mrs. Robert Wilson
1961 - 1962 Mrs. H. C. Eaton
1962 - 1964 Mrs. Richard Green
1964 - 1966 Mrs. T. A. Oakley
1966 - 1967 Mrs. Kenneth Chatten
1967 - 1969 Mrs. Wm. F. Gerdes III
1969 - 1971 Mrs. John F. Adams
1971 - 1973 Mrs. Robert Elliott
1973 - 1975 Mrs. Ned Broemmel
1975 - 1977 Mrs. Lester Kewney
1977 - 1979 Mrs. Matt Hutmacher
1979 - 1981 Mrs. Harvey Dohm
1981 - 1983 Mrs. Donald Schuering
1983 - 1985 Mrs. Gary Kirlin
1985 - 1987 Mrs. Ross Centanni (Mrs. Jon Barnard)
1987 - 1989 Mrs. C. W. Dennison
1989 - 1991 Mrs. John Moore
1991 - 1993 Mrs. Terry Arnold
1993 - 1995 Mrs. Dave Hummel
1995 - 1997 Mrs. Devin Cashman
1997 - 1999 Mrs. Joe Ary 
1999 - 2001 Ms. Kitten Blickhan
2001 - 2003 Ms. Cindy Peters
2003 - 2005 Mrs. Nora Schnack
2005 - 2007 Mrs. Wendy Koontz
2007 - 2009 Mrs. Debbie Gorman
2009 - 2011 Ms. Amy Lannerd
2011 - 2013 Mrs. Rachel Hansen
2013 - 2015 Mrs. Kelly Mays
2015 - 2017 Mrs. Elizabeth Brown
2017 - 2019 Mrs. Laura Mays
2019 - 2021 Mrs. Anne Vahle
2021 - 2023 Mrs. Becky Livesay
2023 - Present Mrs. Ashley Cory

Awards

  • 1970 Illinois Department of Public Health Certificate of Appreciation: service to Illinois Immunization Program
  • 1981 WGEM Community Service Award: 1st organization to receive
  • 1987 Blessing Hospital and Quincy Area Committee for Prevention of Child Abuse: contributions to the Toys To Go library
  • 1987 and 1989 Chaddock Appreciation Award
  • 1993 International Reading Association and Mississippi Valley Reading Council Celebrate Literacy Award
  • 1996 Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) Supporting our Success Award
  • 1999 Mayor declared Quincy Service League Day: 60 anniversary
  • 2008 Alliance for Building Community, Community Builder Award
  • 2009 United Methodist Association of Health and Welfare Ministries Group Volunteer of the Year: contribution and support to residents and staff of Chaddock
  • Recognition from: Adams County Cooperative Extension Service University of Illinois, Arts/Quincy, Boy Scouts of America, Salvation Army, and United Way Big Brother/Big Sister
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