Rosie the Riveter group donates book to library

ELKINS – A group of former Rosie the Riveter Committee members recently donated a book to the Elkins-Randolph County Public Library that details information about Rosie the Riveters from the local area.   

The book, titled “Rosie the Riveter, Randolph County Honor Roll 2021-2025,” contains biographical information and photos of 45 Randolph County women who worked in factories and shipyards during World War II.    

Any woman who received pay for any essential work during war is considered a Rosie the Riveter. Some of the jobs women filled during WWII included: shipyard worker, aircraft factory, armory, ammunition plant worker, and work within the War Department. Some other examples include: service station operator, police officer, taxi or bus driver, farming, and construction worker. Work usually done by a woman, not related to the war, does not count.      

The group that presented the book to the library consisted of Vickie Keller, Brenda Cantley, Mary Murphy, Betsy Smith and Bobbi Trimboli. Hilda McWilliams, Paula Marco, Julie Civiello and Connie Dever were not present when the group delivered the book to library employees Julie Brown and Emma Eliason, but were part of the team that spent five years researching and making contact with families in Randolph County who had female members serve as Rosies.   

“We spent some time putting this book together and it was a learning experience for us,” group member Bobbie Trimboli told The Inter-Mountain. “We just wanted to do something with all the material we had. We wanted to give it a permanent place in our community and we had some much material on so many lovely ladies and their families. We just did not want to let it banish. We wanted people to be able to learn a little bit more about these women with the book and for it to be a resource at the library.” 

The volunteer group continues to support area Rosies by participating in parades and presenting programs, upon request, as an independent group under the name Randolph County Rosie the Riveter Volunteers. For further information, call 304-636-0415.