April 2025 Newsletter
- Dana Point Women's Club
- 6 days ago
- 6 min read
Happy Easter and Passover! Our April newsletter features the latest updates on Club activities:
April Meeting Celebrates Miracles for Kids
DPWC's First Book Club Launched
Shop- A- Rita Day - Shop for a Cause!
Cocktails for a Cause - How Can YOU Help?
Help us thank our Amazing Sponsors
Time for Membership Renewals
Upcoming Events
Thursday 5/1 5PM - 7 PM CELEBRATING SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
Wednesday 5/7 5PM- 8 PM 4TH ANNUAL COCKTAILS FOR A CAUSE
Save the Dates
April Meeting Celebrates Miracles for Kids
DPWC's April meeting featured Miracles for Kids, a non profit focused on helping the families of critically ill children as they navigate the financial and emotional devastation of serious childhood illnesses. Speaker Laura Collins, Development Officer for Community Engagement, made a presentation explaining how the charity helps famiies through some of their worst moments. DPWC President, Kathy Belanger and 1st Vice President, Judy Amiano, presented a $1,000 check in support of this worthy cause.
Nominations Committee Chair, Monique Wolff, DPWC's Community House Facilities Director, presented a slate of nominations and opened the meeting to nominations from the floor. Seeing none, she confirmed that the slate will be presented at the May meeting for ratification by members. The Slate for FY 2025/26 nominations includes:
President - Kathy Belanger
Treasurer - Donna Childress
Recording Secretary - Carol Kelly
Ways & Means Director - Marla Freeman
Community House Rentals Director - Venee Tysler
Each officer will serve for a two year term. The four remaining offices, 1st Vice President (Judy Amiano) , 2nd Vice President/Membership (Pearl Zimmerman), Public Relations Director (Toni Nelson). and Community House Facilities Director (Monique Wolff) will be open for two year terms in the fiscal year commencing June 1, 2026.
DPWC's First Book Club Launched!
On March 27th, new member Karen Lamie held an organizational meeting to launch DPWC's first book club. So far, the 20 members who indicated interest have received Punchbowl inviations to the first meeting, to be held on Wednesday April 23rd from 1 to 3 PM at Community House. The book selection for April is Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner, and Karen Lamie will lead the discussion.
At the organizational meeting, it was decided that Book Club will be held the FOURTH WED of every month at 1PM. The first 15-30 minutes will be reserved fro socializing, the next hour discussing the book, and the final 15-30 minutes will be dedicated to deciding upcoming book selections. Books will be selected by member recommendation and majority vote. Whoever recommends the book will lead the discussion. All members are welcome to bring ideas for book selections and are encouraged to lead. All members must have read the book in order to participate in the discussion.
The book selection for May will be The Frozen River by Ariel Lawton. We will meet on Wednesday, May 28th at 1pm at the Community House. Toni Nelson will lead the discussion. If you would like to join in the fun, email Karen and she will add you to the Booklovers List.
Shop - A - Rita Day - Shop for a Cause
Don't forget to register for Cozzena's Shop-A -Rita Day any time between 12 and 5PM on Friday April 25th. Enjoy a complimentary margarita and snack while perusing Cozzena's beautiful new spring collection of clothing, jewelry and accessories. And best of all, 20% of sales proceeds will be donated to DPWC philanthropies! Contact Marla Freeman if you can help out for a couple of hours that day. Please register HERE so we can gauge our headcount. We wouldn't want Cozzena to run out of refreshements!
Cocktails for a Cause - How can YOU help?
Our 4th annual Cocktails for a Cause is right around the corner! This is DPWC's major annual fundraiser. We need all members to contribute in any way they can to help make it a success. The fundraiser features passed hors d'oeuvres, a delicious buffet, decadent desserts (hand made by DPWC members), silent and live auctions, raffles, a wine pull, and a free Photo Booth where you can try on different accessories and take fun photos! Ways and Means Chair Marla Freeman is working hard on this. We are hoping to raise $25 - $30,000 to benefit some of the most vulnerable families and individuals in South Orange County through OC United Way's SparkPoint Program.
Here's how YOU can help:
ATTEND the fundraiser with your spouse, friend. Singles are welcome!
Invite your friends and neighbors to participate
Volunteer to help set up, take down, or make a dessert
Donate a bottle of good wine ($25+) for our wine pull
We're well supplied with raffle, silent and live auction items which include a VIP Summer Concert Package for 8 donated by the City of Dana Point, two inflatable paddle boards, a night at the Ritz Carlton including breakfast for 2 at Raya, a pasta making class and dinner for 4, a full day rental at the Club’s Community House venue, Chargers Tickets, Big Bear vacation home rentals, a Christmas Boat Parade Party aboard a main channel yacht, and much more. Don't miss this wonderful evening! REGISTER HERE.
Help us thank our Amazing Sponsors
Please join us in thanking our wonderful Cocktails for a Cause Sponsors. If you have the opportunity, please tell these individuals and representatives of the following enitities that we sincerely appreciate their sponsorship. Support from sponsors like these, along with our generous cash and in kind donors (many of whom are DPWC members) will help DPWC make a real difference in the lives of struggling SparkPoint families.
Our heartfelt gratitude is extended to:
Gold Sponsors
The City of Dana Point
Anonymous
Bronze Sponsors
Life by Design Investment Advisors
Rosskopf Design Studio
TritonAir & Plumbing
Richard Wolpow
Picture Perfect Sponsor
Gaetano Lo Grande Team
Time for Membership Renewals
As you know, Dana Point Women's Club operates on a fiscal year that ends May 31st each year. Our 75th anniversary year is starting soon!
Renewal fees remain at just $60 ($5 per month) and are due May1st. Membership dues, plus a little profit from our monthly lunches, help defray most of our overhead expenses so that 100% of donations and net proceeds from fundraisers can go directly to our charities.
Please enjoy filling out your Membership Renewal on Google Forms HERE. The form allows us to update our records and takes only a couple of minutes to fill out. At the bottom of the form, please choose one of 3 methods to pay your $60 annual renewal fee by credit card, zelle or check.. (New members, please note that the fees you paid recently were for a one-time $40 initiation fee plus prorated dues through May 31, 2025. The $60 renewal charge due now is for the upcoming fiscal year June 1, 2025 through May 31, 2026.)
In FY 25/26, we will be providing a new membership roster format with member headshots! Please help by emailing Pearl Zimmerman, 2nd VP/Membership Chair, a head shot of any size (jpg format) so that she can add your lovely faces to the roster.
If you do not wish to renew, we will be very sad to see you go. Please email Pearl to inform her of your resignation and she will remove you from the roster effective June 1, 2025.
Upcoming Events
Register for upcoming events on our website HERE.
Thursday May 1st, 5 PM to 7 PM - MAY MEETING - Celebrating DPWC Scholarship Recipients
Hear from SIX amazing young lady graduates chosen by the Scholarship Committee
Voting on Slate for Board Nominations
Bring a $60 check or credit card for membership renewal if you haven't already done so
Bring wine pull donations for Cocktails for a Cause
Register HERE.
Wednesday May 7, 5-8 PM 4th ANNUAL COCKTAILS FOR A CAUSE
Register now for our major annual fundraiser supporting Orange County United Way's SparkPoint program in South Orange County along with its brand new SparkPoint program for Survivors of Exploitation. Bring your significant other, friends and family to enjoy a nonstop event including passed hors d'oeuvres, a cash bar and delicious dinner. Peruse our silent auction, raffle prizes and try your luck at our energetic live auction and fun wine pull. Hope to see you there! Register HERE.
Save the Dates
Thursday June 5th 10:30 AM to 1 PM Annual Meeting
Thursday June 12th, 2 PM to 4PM Member Bunco Playdate
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