October 2025 Newsletter
- Dana Point Women's Club
- Oct 29
- 9 min read
Our October newsletter features the latest updates on Club activities:
Oct 2 Meeting - Scary Good Safety Tips
Girls Night Out - Polished with a Purpose
DPWC Goes to City Hall
Do Tell Event Hits it Out of the Park!
Dana Point Turkey Trot to Benefit Project Foster
Philanthropy Update
Rising Stars and Guiding Lights
Book Club News
Help Wanted
Save the Dates
Thursday 11/6 10:30 AM to 1 PM PROJECT MILITARY LUNCHEON
Friday 11/7 12 PM to 5 PM COZZENA HOLIDAY FASHION BOUTIQUE
Wednesday 11/26 12 PM to 6 PM TURKEY TROT - PROJECT FOSTER BOOTH
Thursday 11/27 6 AM to 11 AM TURKEY TROT - PROJECT FOSTER BOOTH
Thursday 12/4 10:30 AM to 1 PM MINGLE & JINGLE /PROJECT ANGEL TREE
DPWC Gets "Scary Good Safety Tips"
Ways & Means Director Marla Freeman hosted a wonderful Halloween luncheon, filling Community House with pumpkins, skeletons and a giant lizard lurking on the chandelier. Following some great background information on Dana Point Police Services, Police Chief Captain Frank Gonzalez and Crime Specialist Emma Peters offered some great safety tips and answered members questions about scams, swindles and other crimes in our very safe community.
Following a delicious seasonal lunch topped by spooky and delicious cupcakes, Karin Marsh shared her creative bow-making tips as members decorated their own pumpkins for the season.
Visit our Facebook Page to see some fun videos and photos from the event.
Girls Night Out - Polished with a Purpose
Ways & Means Chair Marla Freeman delighted members with a hands on skin care and makeup session with 40-year Mary Kay veteran and winner of 8 pink cars, Gwen Regan.
Ladies sipped wine and snacks and enjoyed a light dinner while getting their "polish" on. Participants went home with some wonderful samples, special gifts and a great little make up tray. And best of all - 20% of sales benefited DPWC philanantropies.
DPWC Goes to City Hall
About 30 DPWC members donned light blue and turquoise (sort of) to show support for our request for an almost $10,000 fee waiver for a variance request required due to our renovation plans for our 1953 Community House. Architectural plans include a new 415 square foot addition that will accomodate ADA restrooms that will be accessible both from a new backyard patio and from a hallway adjacent to the great room. Although the new addition is adding less than 9.5 square feet of space in terms of community event use, it is unfortunately triggering a parking requirement under current building codes for which we will need to request a variance at a future Planning Commission hearing.
We are pleased to report that the City Council unanimously granted our fee waiver request and the Mayor and Councilmen each made some very supportive comments about DPWC, Community House, and our positive impact on the community. Click HERE and go to 1:35:26 in the tape to view the presentation and hear Council comments.
Next up: we'll be looking for member support at a soon to be scheduled Planning Commission Hearing. The future of Community House hinges on obtaining Planning Commision approval for this variance. Stay tuned for information and please attend if you can to show your support for our beloved Clubhouse.
Do Tell Event Hits it Out of the Park!
Barron Harley's 6th annual "Do Tell" storytelling event sold out weeks before the event. Five gifted storytellers regaled the packed Community House on Sunday October 26th with outstanding performances. The captivating stories included:
A gritty tale of paddleboarding alongside a friend during a grueling 20-mile channel crossing swim, by outdoorsman and writer, Steve Hops.
A harrowing tale of waking up to an FBI drone at the foot of his bed, by Nolan Crosby, an aspiring young screenwriter.
An hilarious tale of being upstaged by the success of his own toddler daughter by Steve Skrovan, stand-up comedian, actor and prolific comedy writer for Seinfeld, Everybody Loves Raymond, and more.
An uproarious and engaging tale of an incredible first kiss, by dynamic, award-winning writer, performer and storyteller, Debra Ehrhardt., and
An entertaining, poignant and grace-filled talk by legendary Oscar, Grammy and Golden Globe-winning musician/composer/actor Paul Williams, who aptly described the event as "an elegance of kindness".
What a night! Proceeds of the event topped $3000 and benefited Project Foster. If you missed it, we suggest you buy your ticket early for the 7th annual Do Tell event coming to Community House on September 20, 2026.
Our sincere thanks to Barron Harley, who has brought this entertaining event to Community House for the last 5 years. We appreciate the wonderful entertainment and the annual contributions to one of our philanthropies.
Dana Point Turkey Trot to benefit Project Foster
DPWC is honored to have been selected as one of 3 beneficiaries of the Chamber of Commerce 48th annual Dana Point Turkey Trot! Please use Sign up Genius to volunteer for one of three 2-hour time slots on each of Wednesday, November 26th (12 PM to 6 PM) and Thursday November 27th (6 AM to 11 AM), manning our booth at the Turkey Trot. Proceeds of this annual Thanksgiving race traditionally yield significant donations to local philanthropies.
Booth volunteers will have a chance to talk with members of the public about Project Foster, and will be accepting donations of pajamas of all sizes in response to our Pajama Drive. 11,000 people attend the Dana Point Turkey Trot each year.
You'll have plenty of time to plan your Thanksgiving dinner and still give a couple of hours to this wonderful cause. Join Us! Please Note: DPWC members who would like to participate in the (walk/run) race, can purchase tickets at Turkeytrot.com, using promo code Project Foster25 to save 10%.
Philanthropy Update
Project Foster:
Project Foster moved into its new warehouse, located at 27130A Paseo Espada, Suite 1402, San Juan Capistrano, 92675
Project Foster’s New Home! Founder and Program Chair Debby Thrailkill is hard at work with her team, training new leads and welcoming the first few volunteers in to the space to pack duffles, sort our many in-kind donations, and help organize.
Venee Tysler was able to find used furniture all over the County (Venee is a FB Marketplace expert); Toni Nelson created inexpensive Canva poster art work to decorate the walls, and new member and Project Foster lead, Whitney Adams, used her decorating expertise to help make the space Project Foster's "home".
Close to 100 packed duffles will go out the door in October, despite all the chaos of moving, assembling shelves and organizing, reorganizing and labeling our many bins of clothing for both genders and every size for kids and teens.
A large donation from local t-shirt designer Tiny Turnip brought a huge pile of 1200 new t-shirts into the space, and Tennis Serves Others and the National Charity League donated many bags of hygiene items and clothing.
New member and enthusiastic Project Foster lead Lindsay Wagonner. has launched a pajama drive with a Halloween theme. Drop by her house with kids pjs between 10/27 and 10/31. Look for Mr. Skelebones - you can't miss him! Check out the flyer on our Facebook page for details.
Debby Thrailkill and Toni Nelson will soon be meeting with representatives of several agencies which may be interested in receiving Project Foster duffles.
Project Angel Tree:
Our beloved annual Project Angel Tree will launch at our meeting on November 6th, when members can choose to be assigned an "angel" from our list of children who attend Palisades or RH Dana Elementary Schools in Dana Point. As always, we will be purchasing gifts for all children 18 or under in each family, (a total of 66 kids and 31 families) so that all siblings receive a gift.
If you are not attending the luncheon, but would like to purchase gifts (minimum $50 ) for one of our angels, please email us and ask for an angel assignment. Unwrapped gifts are to be dropped off at our December 4th luncheon with your identifying angel card firmly attached. If you are not attending the luncheon, email Project Angel Tree coordinator, Marla Freeman to arrange a drop off. Presents will be wrapped and delivered to the schools on December 5th.
Rising Stars and Guiding Lights
This monthly section highlights some of our new members, "Rising Stars," and our seasoned members, "Guiding Lights". Please read the brief bios below and get to know some of the amazing women in our midst. Thank you to our Membership Chair and 2nd VP Pearl Zimmerman who is the editor of this section.
With a heart for helping others, Guiding Light Tammy Layton has spent her career inspiring and uplifting people through her work in counseling, social work, and teaching. Her experience spans all ages—from elementary school to Business and Psychology students at the university level. Tammy’s compassion runs deep. Her daughter, Kristyn, lives with cystic fibrosis, which has inspired Tammy to devote countless hours volunteering at events that support the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
Since joining DPWC in June 2024, Tammy's favorite event—Cocktails for a Cause— allows her to shine, as she loves connecting with local businesses, securing donations, and helping create those beautiful raffle baskets we all look forward to!
Always ready to lend a hand, Tammy has also helped with set up and decorating before meetings; volunteered at the car show; and shared her wisdom through our Mentor Program. Her kindness, energy, and generosity embody the true spirit of DPWC.
Three years ago, Rising Star Cindi Holley embraced the coastal charm of Dana Point, where she now enjoys life by the sea. A proud mom of two, her daughter, 23 and son 21, Cindi recently retired after a fulfilling career in education. She’s one of the four awesome Bathgate Elementary teachers from Mission Viejo who joined our club last month, bringing her warmth, creativity, and lifelong passion for helping others.
Cindi’s heart shines brightest when she’s supporting Project Foster and championing children’s literacy programs. And when the music starts, don’t be surprised if she leads the way—Cindi loves line dancing and may share her moves with us in future club classes!
We’re thrilled to welcome Heather Jacques, one of the four amazing Bathgate Elementary teachers from Mission Viejo who recently joined our club! Heather brings with her a lifelong passion for education, a creative spirit, and a deep commitment to community service. A proud Orange County native, Heather spread her wings at the University of Southern California earning her degree in Education and then began her career to inspire young minds as a beloved 4th-grade teacher. She and her husband have been happily married for 32 years and are proud parents of two sons in their late twenties.
Heather is eager to put her creativity to work by helping design brochures and flyers for DPWC—combining her artistic eye with her love for meaningful causes. When asked what inspired her to join our club, Heather shared that she was drawn to the fellowship, friendship, and the chance to make a difference alongside other women who care deeply about the community.
Book Club News
DPWC's book club meets every 4th Wednesday of the month at 1 PM at Community House.
Next up is: Wednesday November 19th (we're meeting early next month due to Thanksgiving.) We'll be discussing The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman. If you'd like to participate, please email Karen Lamie.
We'll be skipping December due to the holidays. The book for Wednesday, January 28th will be a beloved classic, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. The discussion will be led by Cynthia Kartman. oth of these are excellent reads. Join us!
Help Wanted
Our board is looking for two talented members to chair the following positions:
Social Media Coordinator:
Skills-Familiar with Instagram, Facebook & Next Door
Knowledge of Canva is a plus
Coordinate with member photographers to gather photos from all events
Post once or twice a week, manage communication and respond to comments
Help promote Community House, Project Foster and Club events
Coordinate with PR Director and Project Foster social media coordinator
Guest List Coordinator:
Skills - Excel or Google sheets, willing to learn Avery label making
Monitor attendance for monthly meetings and events
Draft and coordinate reminder emails with PR Director
Coordinate with the Treasurer to ensure all registered members have paid
Track regrets and eliminate those who can’t attend from reminder emails
Prepare guest list and coordinate with Membership chair to identify new members
Coordinate with Meeting hostess to identify speakers or other VIP guests
Prepare Avery name tags for non-members and new members who have not yet received their badges.
Both above positions work under our Board PR Director. If you are interested in chairing either of these positions, please reach out to Toni Nelson. As our organization grows, our Board needs additional help. These are great ways to serve our Club.
Save the Dates (click event name to RSVP)
Thursday 11/6 10:30 AM to 1 PM PROJECT MILITARY LUNCHEON
Friday 11/7 12 PM to 5 PM COZZENA HOLIDAY BOUTIQUE
Wednesday 11/26 12 PM to 6 PM TURKEY TROT - PF Booth
Thursday 11/27 6 AM to 11 AM TURKEY TROT - PF Booth
Thursday 12/4 10:30 AM to 1 PM MINGLE & JINGLE
Hope to see you at our Military themed luncheon November 6th!
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