June 2026
- Dana Point Women's Club
- 4 days ago
- 11 min read
Aloha and Welcome to Our New Fiscal Year! 🌺
In keeping with tradition, our new Board was installed using fun coastal-themed references for each position. From the Mermaid of Public Relations to the other coastal characters that help keep our club sailing smoothly, each role was celebrated with a special tribute. As our installation script reminded us:
"Together, each role has a unique purpose. Like the ocean itself, our strength comes not from any single wave, but from the collective power of all who serve."
Please join us in welcoming our newest Board Members: Leticia Celaya, Madeline Smith, Molly Brown and Rose Folli. We are excited to see the talents, ideas, and enthusiasm they will bring to the coming year. To read more click HERE.
We also took a moment to recognize several outgoing Board Members whose terms have come to an end: Carol Kelly, Marla Freeman, and Pearl Zimmerman. Their dedication, leadership, and countless contributions have helped shape our club, and their impact will be felt for years to come. Thank you, ladies, for your service and commitment.
The meeting's Aloha-themed celebration was absolutely beautiful. Once again, the Community House was transformed into a tropical paradise thanks to Toni Nelson's creative vision and the hard work of our amazing volunteers. Complete with a tiki bar, tropical décor, and festive drinks topped with colorful umbrellas, it felt like a little island getaway right here at home!
To add to the fun, members created handmade bookmarks to accompany their summer reading adventures—a perfect way to kick off the season.
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who helped make the day so special. Here's to a fantastic year ahead filled with friendship, service, and plenty of fun along the way!
Do you know our club's Mission?
Our mission brings women together to strengthen and support the community through philanthropic service.
We are dedicated to helping women, children, and families thrive by supporting local needs, addressing poverty, neglect and abuse and promoting literacy and education fostering connection, and creating opportunities for a brighter future.
Through our Community House Rentals, we provide a gathering place where nonprofits, local organizations, and neighbors can come together to connect, celebrate, and build community.
We are dedicated to preserving a legacy of women working together to create meaningful impact, lasting friendships, and a stronger future for generations to come.
The Donation Divas are on a roll! 🎉
At our June meeting, we gave a big shout-out to our fabulous Donation Divas—Jody Hughes, Elizabeth Estey, Teri Maihen, Tammy Layton, Maryellen Marsh and Darlene Hart! These ladies took on the challenge of helping raise funds for our Annual Fundraising Event and absolutely knocked it out of the park. When it came to bringing in donations, they didn't just meet expectations—they exceeded them!
But they weren't finished yet. In true Diva fashion, they used our meeting to recruit two new members to their all-star team: Maggie Arquilla and Barbara Collins!
With this growing squad of fundraising superstars, the future is looking bright—and a whole lot more fun!
What Book Club??
At our June meeting, a few members inquired about adding a Book Club -- we have one! We meet monthly to have some fun, share great reads, and connect with one another. Be sure to check the bottom of the newsletter each month for all the latest details. Our member Linda Mitrowski is leading the club, and she’d love to hear from you—please email Linda if you’d like to join the fun!
The Pickle!
What a fabulous treat! The City of Dana Point generously donated this amazing opportunity to enjoy the July 12th Concert in the Park in style, and it created quite a buzz. The experience was auctioned off and sold for an incredible $1,000, with every dollar going toward our philanthropic programs. A big, joyful thank-you to our lucky winner, Flavia Parrino! It’s sure to be a spectacular evening filled with music, fun, and wonderful memories for Flavia and her seven guests.
Great Ideas Need Great Volunteers!
One thing is certain—our members are full of wonderful ideas!
We distributed suggestion cards asking for ideas for speakers, activities, and Girls' Night Out events for the upcoming fiscal year, and the response was incredible. From exciting outings and educational programs to social gatherings and unique experiences, your suggestions have given us plenty of inspiration for a fun and engaging year ahead.
Now comes the next step: bringing those ideas to life.
Many of the suggestions, such as a day at the Del Mar Racetrack, wine tastings, theater outings, and other special events, require planning and coordination. While our board is excited to help make these events happen, we can't do it alone.
We're looking for members who would be willing to take the lead on an event or join a planning team. You don't need experience—just enthusiasm and a willingness to help. Whether you'd like to organize an outing, assist with reservations, coordinate logistics, or simply lend a hand, your support can make a big difference.
If there is an event you'd be interested in leading or helping with, please contact our Ways & Means Director, Leticia Celaya. Together, we can turn these great suggestions into memorable experiences for all our members.
Bunco @ the Community House!
We’re excited to announce that Bunco will be added to the social calendar in the fall.
Roxanne DiMaggio has generously volunteered to organize and lead this fun new event. More details will be shared soon.
Thank you, Roxanne! If you’re interested in joining, please contact Roxanne for more information.
Do You Like Cars? 🚗✨
We need volunteers for the upcoming Dana Point Car Show!
We're looking for members to help fill 2-hour volunteer shifts, and trust us—we have the best spot at the entire show!
It's a fun way to support the event, spend time with fellow members, promote our Club and enjoy some amazing classic and specialty cars.
Whether you're a car enthusiast or just enjoy being part of the excitement, we'd love to have you join us.
Sign up for a shift and come be part of the fun! 🚘
Our Ways & Means Director, Leticia has all the tools to sign you up, contact her HERE.
Social Media Buzz
Madeline Smith, our new PR Director has a quick message for our members on one of the simplest ways to support the Dana Point Women's Club and Community House:
Follow, like, comment on, and share our posts to help us reach more people organically. Every interaction helps more community members discover our events, programs, and mission. When you follow our pages, you stay informed about upcoming events, community programs, and special announcements.
One of the most powerful things you can do is engage in the comments. If you see a friend has commented on a post, reply to them! Your response will often notify or tag that person, encouraging additional interaction and helping the post gain even more visibility. The social media algorithms love when a comment is more than 3 words, so if possible, please try to engage that way. The more engagement a post receives, the more likely it is to be shown to others outside our community.
Together, these small actions help us increase awareness, attract new members, promote our events, and continue strengthening our community for years to come. Thank you for helping us spread the word!
Philanthropy Update
Year End Philanthropic Donations
Thanks to a very successful fiscal year, the Club was able to make an additional $7,000 in year end donations to some very worthy causes:
$3500 to UCI Breast Cancer Research (directly funding potentially life saving research)
$1500 to Royal Family Kids Camp (funding beach towels, pillows and mattress covers for a local summer camp for 50 foster kids). Each child will also receive a Project Foster duffle.)
$1000 to the South Coast Literacy Council (helping local adults learn to read)
$1000 to Friends of the Dana Point Library (funding the summer reading program for kids. Interestingly, this group now regularly donates gently used books to Project Foster)
DPWC's FY 26 donations totaled almost $287,000, including cash donations to outside philanthropies of $27,276, and $259,633 in-kind donations to primarily foster and at-risk kids through Project Foster, plus Project Angel Tree, Handbags for Hearts, Project Literacy, and Project Nourish (food drives). A total of $81,050 was generated through our major fundraiser and the Do Tell and Under the Mango Tree events and transferred to Project Foster to help fund program expenses. Watch for our Treasurer's comprehensive financial report to be published in July.
Project Foster
Thank you to all our DPWC members who participated in this heart warming philanthropy during FY 25/26. We appreciate you! Project Foster will be operating throughout our summer hiatus so please be sure to check Sign Up Genius to volunteer for a short shift and have some fun in philanthropy!
Stay tuned for details of a wonderful upcoming event benefiting Project Foster. We have been selected as the sole beneficiary of the Berkshire Hathaway Charitable Foundation's annual fundraiser, to take place November 5th at the Marconi Automotive Museum. Huge thanks to DPWC member and Berkshire Hathaway agent Shannon Wernemar who suggested Project Foster as a potential beneficiary and actively participated in the presentation to the Foundation.
Rising Stars and Guiding Lights-
Rose Folli, our new Membership Chair, spent some time chatting with a couple of our members this month! From favorite club memories to what inspires them to stay involved, these conversations highlight the friendships, service, and sense of community that make our club so special.
Let's see what they had to say! ✨
Rising Star, Leticia Celaya, our new Ways and Means Chair shares a bit about what brought her to DPWC.
Tell us about yourself. What would you like to share with our members?
I am honored to serve on the Board of Directors for the Dana Point Women’s Club. I value community, service, and meaningful connections, and I enjoy bringing people together. I strive to be dependable, approachable, and committed to helping strengthen our community through kindness, respect, and integrity.
What inspired you to join the Dana Point Women’s Club?
I saw it as a wonderful opportunity to connect with caring, service-minded women while giving back to causes that strengthen our community. It combines my passion for service with my desire to stay involved locally.
What interested you most when you first learned about our mission?
I was drawn to being part of a group of women committed to making a positive difference through service, philanthropy, and community involvement. The club’s dedication to helping others truly resonated with me.
What skills or experience are you hoping to bring to the group?
I bring a positive attitude, a strong commitment to service, and a collaborative spirit. Throughout my life and career, I have enjoyed helping others, building connections, and working with teams to achieve meaningful goals.
What is something fun or surprising about you?
I’m a runner, and running helps me recharge and find balance. People are often surprised to learn that I’m also a big NASCAR fan! I enjoy the excitement of race day just as much as I enjoy a peaceful walk around Dana Point Harbor.
What is your favorite color, and how does it make you feel?
Blue and pink are my favorite colors because they bring me a sense of happiness, positivity, and calm.
First job / Retirement
My first job was as a secretary for a vice president. Over the years, I worked in Human Resources and as an Executive Assistant. Today, I consider myself semi-retired and work part-time as an administrator supporting the CFO and CEO of a landscape architecture and design firm in Irvine. It’s my “fun job” and allows me to stay engaged while enjoying a flexible lifestyle.
If you had to pick one song or book to enjoy over and over again, what would it be and why?
One song I never tire of is Forever Young by Rod Stewart. I love its message about living life with enthusiasm, staying curious, and keeping a youthful spirit no matter your age.
Guiding Light Julie Aros, our resident floral designer tells us a bit about what drew her to the club.
What first drew you to the Dana Point Women’s Club?
When people ask how I found the Dana Point Women’s Club, the answer is simple: Toni. She lives just two doors down from me and has a remarkable gift for bringing people together. She introduced me to the Dana Point Yacht Club, encouraged me to join our neighborhood book club, and ultimately invited me to become a member of the Women’s Club.
What stood out to you at your first meeting?
What immediately stood out to me was the welcoming atmosphere and the incredible potential of the club. My father was a landscape architect and my mother was a florist, so I naturally appreciate beautiful, inviting spaces. The clubhouse feels warm and approachable, and I’m excited about the future improvements we will continue to make together.
I was also impressed by the women I met. Many are accomplished business and professional women who share a common goal of helping others. There is truly no limit to what we can accomplish when we work together.
One thing I especially love is our work with Project Foster. Knowing that everything goes directly to the children makes our efforts even more meaningful.
What has kept you involved over the years?
At first, I wasn’t sure how I could contribute. Then Toni asked me to create floral arrangements and I discovered how much joy I find in using creativity to make something beautiful that benefits others. The club has given me a meaningful way to share those talents.
What advice would you give to new members?
My advice is simple: get involved and start conversations. The club creates opportunities to connect with people both within our membership and throughout the community. You never know where those connections may lead.
What is something fun or surprising about you?
At 47, after 20 years as a single mother raising two sons, I decided it was finally time to find the right man to share my life with. I joined one of the very first online dating sites and met my husband, Richard. He likes to say he had been online dating for three years, but when I walked into the restaurant in Fashion Island wearing a slim-fitting St. John knit, he was captured. Twenty-two years later, we're still happily married and living an adventurous life together.
If you could pick one movie to enjoy again and again, what would it be?
Without hesitation, it would be Out of Africa. I love the sweeping soundtrack, the romance, the African landscapes, and the spirit of adventure. I’ve always loved flying in small planes over beautiful places, ever since my grandfather took me flying over Lake Shasta as a child. And yes—Robert Redford washing Meryl Streep’s hair remains one of my favorite movie scenes of all time!
Book Club News
June's selection, The Remains of the Day is a 1989 novel by Kazuo Ishiguro about Stevens, an aging English butler reflecting on his life of service at Darlington Hall. It delves into his loyalty to his former employer, Lord Darlington, and his repressed love for the housekeeper, Miss Kenton, using the backdrop of a motoring trip in 1956. The novel explores themes of duty, class, memory, and regret, as Stevens grapples with his past and the changing world. This excellent novel won the Booker Prize.
The Frozen River, our July pick by Ariel Lawhon is a historical mystery novel inspired by the
true story of Martha Ballard, an 18th-century midwife in Maine who investigates a murder connected to a rape accusation, using her diary to uncover the truth amidst a patriarchal society and a developing justice system. The book blends historical fiction with suspense, exploring themes of justice, gender roles, and community secrets as Martha navigates a brutal winter and a scandal that implicates those she loves.
For those who are reading ahead, here is August's selection, Still Alice, a New York Times bestselling novel by Lisa Genova about a 50-year-old Harvard professor, Alice Howland, who is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease, forcing her to confront her identity as her memory and cognitive abilities decline.
Our September book, The Big Sleep, published in 1939, is Raymond Chandler's first novel and the debut of his iconic private detective, Philip Marlowe, who is hired by a dying millionaire to handle a blackmail case involving his wild daughter, Carmen. The case quickly spirals into a complex web of kidnapping, pornography, murder, and corruption in 1930s Los Angeles, establishing the "hardboiled" detective genre with its cynical tone, atmospheric setting, and morally ambiguous characters.
Book club meetings are held on the fourth Thursday of the month from 1-3 PM at the clubhouse.
If you'd like to participate in the Book Club, please email Linda Mitrowski and she'll add you to the list.
Save the Dates
Thursday 6/25 1PM - 3PM BOOK CLUB
Thursday 7/23 1PM - 3PM BOOK CLUB
Thursday 8/27 1PM - 3PM BOOK CLUB
Thursday 9/3 11AM - 1PM SEPTEMBER GENERAL MEETING
Thursday 9/17 1PM - 3PM BOOK CLUB-'DATE CHANGE'
DPWC ENJOYS A SUMMER HIATUS WHILE THE BOARD PLANS OUR EVENTS FOR THE COMING FISCAL YEAR.
STAY TUNED FOR NEWS OF A FUN SUMMER GIRLS' NIGHT OUT.
ENJOY YOUR SUMMER!!
Be sure to LIKE and FOLLOW our DPWC and Project Foster Facebook Pages and check out
our Instagram Pages @communityhousedp
and @projectfosteroc
