EVENT HIGHLIGHTS — Diane Pastoric, second from right, received the Valiant Woman award when the Weirton Unit of Church Women United held its World Community Day worship service Nov. 3. With Pastoric are, from left, Rebecca “Tish” Turner, coordinator; Isobel Bell, Valiant Woman committee member; and Helen Tate, committee chair. -- Contributed

WEIRTON — The World Community Day worship service, sponsored by Church Women United organizations around the world, is celebrated on the first Friday in November. The theme of this year’s worship program was “Kindling New Fires for Peace.”

The Weirton unit met Nov. 3 at First Baptist Church with St. Paul Catholic Church assisting. Host Pastor Don Dague extended the welcome and led in prayer.

President Cathy Cooper also offered welcoming remarks to the 40 women on hand who represented 14 congregations.

Coordinator Rebecca “Tish” Turner, who gave the opening prayer, and third-year delegates were program participants, including Norma Copenhaver, Joyce Summers, Barbara Snyder, Nancy Hall, Maggie Clark and JoAnn Morrison.

The group song was “Send the Light.”

Diane Pastoric, citizen action chair, presented snacks to the Dunbar Recreation Center after-school program, which were accepted by board of directors representative James Banketas.

Guest speaker Rhonda Stubbs shed insight on what CASA is. The executive director explained it is an acronym for Court-Appointed Special Advocates who are appointed by the court to cases of child abuse and neglect.

The highlight of the event was the presentation of the Valiant Woman award, presented to Diane Pastoric. Helen Tate, Valiant Woman chair, presented Pastoric with a pin and certificate. The committee also included Isobel Bell and Turner.

The recognition honors a woman for her service to Church Women United, her local church and her community over a significant period of time.

A Madonna High School graduate, Pastoric is a member of St. Paul’s Catholic Church, its Christian Mothers organization, is past president, Eucharistic minister, greeter and office volunteer. She is an active volunteer at Sera Manor; serves on Church Women United’s citizen action committee with outreach to Dunbar Center, Christian Center and the Lighthouse; and is a past president of the Weirton Woman’s Club; serves on the Armed Service Committee placing wreaths at graves; is involved in Red Hats, Sassie Lassies and Birthday Club; and works at Greco-Hertnick Funeral Home.

Past Valiant Women recipients include Ruby Vandercoy, 1993; Isobel Bell, 2008; June Holloway, 2009; Elizabeth Young, 2010; Betty Shaw, 2011; Helen Tate, 2012; Joann Morrison, 2014; Marge DiClemente, 2015; and Karen Tate, 2016. Young Valiant Women honors have gone to Kayla Cline Violet, 2008, and Latisha Turner, 2015.

Mary Ellen Groves directed the singing of “This Little Light of Mine” by the choir that included Isobel Bell, Norma Copenhaver, Carolyn Shockley, Nancy Hall, Donna Gareis, Ronda Krebs, Karen Tate and Joann Morrison.

Other participants in the event were: Litany of Light leaders Copenhaver, Summers, Snyder, Hall and Clark; ushers, Olivia Carter and Dee Campbell; registration, Betty Virtue and Darlene Johnson; and closing, Tate and Morrison.

A soup and sandwich luncheon followed. The tables were decorated with a display of Indian and Pilgrims, representing the first Thanksgiving.

A report on the U.N.I.C.E.F. collection was given by Morrison, treasurer. Tag day workers were Eloise Evans, Betty Virtue and Darlene Johnson, Cove Presbyterian; Hattie Mosley, St. Peter’s A.M.E. Church; and Gerri Harbaugh and Isobel Bell, Oakland Presbyterian. Tate and Shockley displayed a throw made out of plastic bags, made by the women of Paris Presbyterian Church.

The Christmas luncheon will be held at 11 a.m. Dec. 1 at Shiloh Apostolic Faith Assembly Church on Weir Avenue. For information, contact Turner.