The Junior League of Parkersburg, founded in 1904, dedicated itself to advancing women's leadership and making a lasting impact on the community through volunteerism, collaboration, and training. After 100 years of service, they chose to disband but left a lasting legacy by establishing the Junior League Charitable Fund with the Parkersburg Area Community Foundation. This fund supports women and children in Wood County, WV, with a preference for programs promoting volunteerism and community engagement.

Over the years, their impactful projects included a milk fund for needy mothers, the creation of a Fine Arts Center, and the establishment of a children’s behavioral health clinic and the Hope Recovery Manor, both now operated by Westbrook Health Services. They also contributed to the formation of a Children’s Theater, a thrift shop now managed by the Arc, and a Girl Scout troop. Additionally, they founded a Sheltered Workshop, now SW Resources, organized the Harvest Moon Festival, transferred the Cook House to the Museums of the Mid-Ohio Valley, produced a widely distributed cookbook for education and nutrition programs, founded a women’s halfway house now operated by the MOV Fellowship Home, and launched a silent witness program to raise awareness about victims of domestic violence, later entrusted to the Family Crisis Intervention Center.

One of their most visible achievements is the Boundless Playground at Parkersburg City Park, a project that continues to thrive today. The Junior League consistently identified community needs, developed projects, and eventually transitioned them to stand on their own, ensuring long-term benefits for the community.