May 2026 Newsletter
- Dana Point Women's Club
- May 18
- 7 min read
Our Fundraiser was an absolute smash hit—and what a night it was! From the moment guests arrived, the energy was high, the laughter was nonstop, and the fun just kept coming. Our incredible volunteers went above and beyond to create a truly unforgettable evening, and wow… did they deliver!
Best of all, Project Foster will benefit from the incredible generosity shown that evening, helping bring dignity, comfort, and hope to foster and at-risk children throughout our community. That’s something truly worth celebrating. Every ticket purchased, donation made, and volunteer hour shared helped make the night a huge success.
And for those lucky enough to experience the Exclusive Diamond Club—let’s just say it was the place to be! Signature drinks, delicious sweet treats, and plenty of sparkle made our Diamond Club guests feel extra special all night long.
Our sincere gratitude to our many sponsors and donors who made the evening a huge success. Your generosity gets Project Foster off to a great start in funding FY 26/27's program budget. From the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU !
May Meeting-Project Scholarship!
Our Project Scholarship meeting was both heartfelt and celebratory as we awarded each of five outstanding young graduating seniors $2,000 scholarships—up from last year’s $1,500 award. . Surrounded by their friends and families, the recipients enjoyed a festive afternoon featuring a taco food truck, the DPWC’s traditional graduation cake, and a sweet spread of delicious cupcakes.
The recipients were poised, articulate, and genuinely inspiring—each a pleasure to speak with.
Congratulations to these remarkable young women—we’re excited to see all they accomplish in the years ahead! Read More Here!
Membership Renewal Time!!
Ladies, it’s renewal season—time to keep the good times rolling! Please send in your renewal forms and fee so your membership stays active.
Don’t let it sneak up on you and leave you in the dust—we’d love to keep you with us for all the fun ahead! Questions: Contact Rose Folli membership.dpwc.oc@gmail.com.
Gardening Club!
Ladies, are you ready to dig in, get your hands dirty, and have a blast outdoors? Become one of our fabulous Dirt Divas and join Shelley Currie in making our exterior landscaping bloom! Whether you’ve got a green thumb or just love soaking up the sunshine, Shelley would love your help each month. Plus, you’ll earn volunteer hours while having fun and making new friends. Reach out to Shelley if you’re excited to join the crew—let’s make our space beautiful together! Thanks, everyone!
Philanthropy Update
Project Scholarship
Our scholarship committee will be attending graduation ceremonies at Dana Hills High and Union High School to formally present DPWC awards to our 2026 scholarship recipients. Thank you to this year's Co-Chairs, Betty Hill and Carol Kelly and their team.
If you are interested in serving on this committee for FY 26/27, contact 1st VP and Philanthropic Programs Chair Toni Nelson. The Committee carefully vets all our applications and considers the academic records, community service, athletic, artistic, cultural and extra-curricular activities and personal essays of local young women who are pursuing higher education.
Project Foster
Since inception in late 2022, Project Foster has now delivered over 3,500 duffle cases to foster and at-risk kids and teens, including over 1,000 since it was formally "adopted" by DPWC on June 1, 2025. In addition to our main client, OCSS Child Protective Services, we are now partnering with CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), Laura's House, Orangewood Foundation, CUSD and other agencies, social workers and counselors serving youth impacted by domestic violence, extreme poverty, homelessness or other issues which make their young lives extremely challenging.
We are budgeting to provide 1,500 cases in FY 27, and expect a busy summer ahead. We can't do this wonderful work without the help of our cash and in kind donors and YOU, our many hands on volunteers who show up in our warehouse every week and make this heartwarming work possible. THANK YOU for all you do!
If you, your friends or neighbors want to help, here is our current needs list:
Year End Philanthropic Donations
Thanks to a fiscal year that performed better than expected in every area, our amazing and hard-working Treasurer, Donna Childress, announced that the Board would be able to authorize another $7,000 in year end donations to our philanthropies. Join us at our annual meeting on June 4th to hear about the worthy causes that will benefit from DPWC's donations.
Rising Stars and Guiding Lights
We’re thrilled to welcome Rose Folli, as our new Membership Chair! Get ready to learn a little more and connect a little more—because each month, Rose will feature fabulous members in a fun Q&A spotlight so we can get to know the amazing women of our club a little better!
Rising star Madeline Smith, our new Public Relations Director, has jumped in and is excited to help promote the Dana Point Women's Club.
What inspired you to join DPWC?
My connection to the Dana Point Women’s Club began unexpectedly when I attended a meeting on behalf of my boss and became a member. I quickly saw how involved the club is in the community and the meaningful impact it has through fundraising and support of nonprofit organizations. The women in this group have been incredibly inspiring, and from the very beginning I felt welcomed and supported. I am grateful for how this experience has influenced my own nonprofit work, and I am honored to be joining the board this month. This club inspired me to start my own nonprofit, OC Sober Gals, where we host fun, alcohol-free events and donate proceeds to local organizations like Lynn House.
What skills and experience are you hoping to bring to the group? Starting in June, I will officially join the board as the Public Relations Chair. I’m excited to support Toni and collaborate with the rest of the board. Public relations is my passion and profession, and I’m thrilled to use my experience to help elevate and promote our club.
What would you like the members of our club to know about you? I’m a business owner and run a digital media and design company focused on helping entrepreneurs who may not feel confident promoting their businesses online. I love empowering others to share their vision and grow through effective branding and marketing.
What is something fun or surprising about you that our members may not know? Every one of my businesses and nonprofit ventures has been inspired by my experience with this club. I’m incredibly grateful for the supportive, service-driven women here who are so dedicated to giving back to the community.
Also… I’m single and open to meeting someone—so if you happen to have any eligible sons, feel free to send them my way… 😊
Marla Freeman, this month's Guiding Light, provides us with insight as to how she became a member of the Club.
Do you remember your first meeting or event?
I was recruited by Toni Nelson—the ultimate recruiter! My first meeting was an installation event in June 2022, just as the club was reopening after a two-year closure due to COVID. It was held at Brio, where Betty Hill and Karin Marsh were installed as Co-Presidents. At the time, the club had just over 30 members.
What has kept you involved over the years?
Over time, I’ve come to know the incredible women who make up our club and have seen firsthand what a determined group can accomplish together—true girl power. My first fundraiser was a chili cook-off that raised $3,000. My second event, Spring Fling: Cocktails for a Cause, brought in $5,000. Fast forward just four years, and our 75th Anniversary Celebration netted an incredible $77,000. Watching that kind of growth has been inspiring. It really feels like there’s no limit to what we can achieve together.
What advice would you give new members?
Find something you enjoy and get involved. We truly value members who share their ideas and perspectives—it’s what makes the club stronger and more successful. For example, Venee Tysler reimagined our silent auction for the 75th Anniversary event, introducing two gift card trees that were raffled off. Both were a big hit. Also, come to events. We, the members, are the club—it’s only as strong and vibrant as we make it. Each of you brings something valuable to this group of incredible women.
Is there anything about you that members might not know?
I’m a car girl from Detroit. I grew up in Motown, and I love both the music and the cars. I even married a fellow car enthusiast! My husband and I enjoy taking road trips in our 1969 VW bus with our dog. The trips can be a bit adventurous—like driving to the desert in 105-degree heat with no air conditioning and a top speed of 60 mph—but that’s all part of the fun!
We are working hard finding and writing grant requests to support both Project Foster and our proposed renovation of Community House. We could use more womanpower on finding and writing the grants, each of which has a different format. If you have writing or research talent and love our philanthropies, please contact Toni Nelson who will show you the ropes. Don't be scared! It's really fun, fulfulling and a great way to make an impact on our Club and our community!
Book Club News
May's selection is The Brain that Changes Itself, by Norman Doidge, M.D. This nonfiction book is also a NY Times bestseller. It is written in layman's language, and is all about neuroplasticity - the idea that the human brain can reorganize and change itself throughout life - even after injury and in ways scientists once thought impossible!
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.
For those who are reading ahead, here is July'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.
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 5/28 1PM - 3PM BOOK CLUB
Thursday 6/4 4:30PM - 7PM JUNE GENERAL MEETING
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
DPWC ENJOYS A SUMMER HIATUS WHILE THE BOARD PLANS OUR EVENTS FOR THE COMING FISCAL YEAR. DON'T MISS OUR BOARD INSTALLATION AND ANNUAL MEETING ON JUNE 4TH!
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
