A deep-rooted Palmerton organization that promoted community welfare and goodwill has folded.

The Palmerton Area Service Club, which was incorporated in March of 2012, had disbanded as of this past January.Formerly the Palmerton Exchange Club, the Palmerton Area Service Club formed a little over a year ago and had about 20 members.The group's purpose had been "to take an active interest in the health, welfare, and general well-being of our community by supporting other nonprofit community organizations, and by providing educational scholarships and recognition to worthy students."Barry Scherer, who was a member of the club, said the primary reason the group folded was due to "lack of available help for our primary fundraiser, which was a food stand at the West End Fair."Scherer, who also serves as a school director on the Palmerton Area School Board, made the announcement at a board committee workshop earlier this week.At that time, Scherer said that the remaining funds in the club's account will be given to the district for a $1,000 scholarship award for this coming school year."We have to establish the criteria for the award, and that has to be approved by the board," Scherer said. "I'm hoping that at the [board's] meeting of April 23, the criteria will be awarded, and by the end of April, we expect to have the funds turned over to the district."Anna Strohl, who served as the group's president, said she was saddened that the club had to close up shop."It's sad, but it's just everybody gets older; the younger ones want to be with their kids, and that's where they should be," Strohl said. "But, I hated to see it just go down the drain."The club previously met the third Tuesday of each month at Bert's Steakhouse & Restaurant, Palmerton, and featured presentations from guest speakers.In the month of March, the organization had honored its Youth of the Month, and each May, it had recognized the Top Ten Percent of the Palmerton Area High School Senior Class.It has also sponsored or contributed to the Easter Egg Hunt in the Palmerton Borough Park, the Halloween Parade, Concerts in the Park, and presented five needy families with gift certificates around Christmas time.Strohl noted the group still managed to contribute $500 to last month's Easter Egg hunt in the Palmerton Borough Park; give $100 gift certificates to 10 needy students throughout the three elementary schools this past Christmas; give $500 to the Palmerton Concourse Club for this coming summer's Concerts in the Park; and give $500 to the Palmerton Area Historical Society.The Palmerton Exchange Club was chartered by the National Exchange Club in 1946 as one of 700 organizations that share a common mission to work to make our communities better places in which to live.