October 2026 Newsletter

4 days ago

9 min read

Autumn by the the Sea 🌊

“Autumn by the Sea” was the theme of our October meeting—and while we were ready for crisp, cool weather, autumn apparently missed the memo! Keeping with our ocean theme, Sophia Carter Peters, Development and Donor Relations Coordinator for the Ocean Institute, gave us a wonderful peek into its Adopt-A-Class program. This special experience invites children to spend a day—and sometimes even a night—at the Ocean Institute, where they discover the wonders of the ocean and meet its fascinating residents. On behalf of the Women’s Club, Monique Wolff presented Sophia with a $500 donation for the Adopt-A-Class program. As you can imagine, Sophia was absolutely thrilled!

Our ocean décor made quite a splash—especially the hand-jeweled starfish sparkling on the tables! The ladies had the chance to win these seaside treasures in a raffle and take home a fun reminder of the day. Best of all, the proceeds will help support our wonderful programs for children in the community.

And, of course, lunch was served complete with quiche from our local Bonjour Cafe, fresh fruit, salad and home baked cookies. 🍪

🎨 Paint your Pet

Grab your favorite photo of your furry best friend and join the ladies at the Community House for a heartwarming evening of painting, wine, and wonderful company!

You’ll create a one-of-a-kind portrait of your beloved pet— a special treasure or the perfect one-of-a-kind holiday gift for someone you love.

Please RSVP here!

Once your spot is confirmed, you’ll receive an email with instructions for uploading your pet’s photo so the artist can prepare a stencil outline on your canvas before the event.

Bring your love for your four-legged friend, enjoy a glass of wine, and get ready for a fun evening of creativity, laughter, and friendship. We can’t wait to see everyone’s furry masterpieces and raise a glass to celebrate the pets who make our lives so much brighter!

Dana Point Chamber of Commerce Event

On October 15, we were delighted to host the Dana Point Chamber of Commerce’s Monthly Networking Event at our Community House!

We also held a sock drive for Project Foster, bringing our community together to support local foster and at-risk children. Hosting this event was a wonderful opportunity to showcase our beloved Community House, connect with local business leaders, and share the meaningful work the Dana Point Women’s Club does to make a difference in our community.

Want to see a little more of the fun? Watch the event highlights on Facebook HERE!

We’re grateful to be part of such a caring and generous community. When we come together, make connections, and lend a helping hand, wonderful things happen. Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make the event so special! 💙

🥂 Cozzena’s 2026 Circle of Fashion Bubbly Bar Boutique!

What a fabulous day of fashion, friendship, and giving back! Cozzena’s 2026 Circle of Fashion Bubbly Bar Boutique brought together wonderful shoppers for a delightful afternoon of bubbly, delicious charcuterie, and beautiful, affordable fashions for women of all ages.

❤️ And the best part? More than $1,000 was raised for Dana Point Women’s Club’s Project Foster! These generous contributions will help bring comfort, dignity, and hope to Orange County’s foster and at-risk children and teens.

A heartfelt thank-you to Cozzena and everyone who came out to sip, shop, and support this wonderful cause. Your generosity made this event a beautiful success!

Fashion with a purpose—and fun in philanthropy!

Another SOLD OUT event!!

Barron Harley’s 7th Annual “Do Tell” Storytelling Event was a sold-out success! Held at the Community House on September 20, 2026, the afternoon was filled with heartfelt stories, laughter, inspiration, and wonderful community spirit.

Modeled after The Moth, a national nonprofit dedicated to the art of storytelling, “Do Tell” featured talented storytellers who each shared a poignant or memorable life experience in just 10 minutes. The stories were engaging, moving, and entertaining, making for a truly fantastic afternoon!

Best of all, 100% of the event proceeds (approximately $2,800) benefited Project Foster, helping bring comfort, dignity, and hope to Orange County’s foster and at-risk children and teens.

A huge thank-you to Barron Harley who has generously dedicated the proceeds of Do Tell to our philanthropies for several years now, our storytellers, and everyone who attended and helped make this sold-out event such a memorable success! If you were unable to attend, you may click HERE to view the event.

A Warm Welcome to Venee Tysler!

We’re excited to share that President, Monique Wolff appointed Venee Tysler as our new Ways & Means (Fundraising) Director in October! Venee brings wonderful organizational skills, a knack for planning, and a can-do spirit that is such an asset to our Women’s Club.

We’re so happy to have Venee stepping into this role and look forward to seeing her talents shine as we begin planning our Spring Fundraiser. We know she’ll bring fresh ideas and enthusiasm to the team!

Congratulations, Venee! We’re lucky to have you!

Interested in Getting More Involved? 🌊

The Dana Point Women’s Club has openings for Public Relations Director and Community House Director, and we’d love to find the right ladies to join our Board!

If you’ve been thinking about getting more involved, sharing your talents, making new friends, and being part of all the wonderful things we do together, this might be the perfect opportunity for you!

Interested or just curious to learn more? Please reach out to Monique Wolff. She’d be happy to chat with you!

We’re always better when we work together, and there’s room for you at the table! 🌊

Philanthropy Update

Project Angel Tree

Members are invited to make the holidays brighter for a local "angel".

At our November 5th meeting, members will have an opportunity to participate in one of our most beloved annual traditions - Project Angel Tree. Each year, our members choose an "Angel" card and purchase gifts for a boy or girl from a local family from lists of children and their siblings provided by our local Title 1 schools - RH Dana and Palisades Elementary. In order to ensure that no one is left out, we provide gifts for all siblings in each family, aged 0 to 18. Parents provide a wish list for each child and our members bring unwrapped gifts to our December meeting, after which they are wrapped by DPWC elves and dropped off at the schools.

In recognition of the very real struggle that some local families are recently facing, the Board voted at its October meeting to increase our usual grocery certificate gifts from $100 to $150 per family. This is a wonderful way for our generous members to make the holidays a little brighter for vulnerable local families!

Project Foster

Some of our beloved Comfort Angels from Surfside Quilters Guild will be visiting our warehouse this month for a tour and a chance to see firsthand how their beautiful work is incorporated into our filled duffle bags.

Laguna Rotary Club Oktoberfest and Car Show:

From left, Maryellen Marsh, Jody Hughes and Elizabeth Estey manning our Oktoberfest booth.

Project Foster was one of the charity beneficiaries of the Laguna Rotary Club Oktoberfest and Car Show held Sunday October 4th.

Thank you to Venee Tysler, Shelly Toole, Tamara Reddy, Debra Schueler, Nancy Tall, Mary Ellen Marsh, Jody Hughes and Elizabeth Estey, who braved the heat to man our booth! It was a fun day, and we saw some beautiful cars and made some wonderful connections for Project Foster.

And huge thanks to Shelly Toole for designing our snazzy new aprons!

Cruisin for a Cause: Please join us on

Thursday, November 5th for a fun event at the Marconi Automotive Museum benefiting Project Foster. Thank you to our member and valued Mission Advocate, Shannon Wernemar who connected us with The Charitable Foundation, a nonprofit funded exclusively by generous agents and employees of Berkshire Hathaway Home Services California Properties.

We were thrilled to be selected as the sole beneficiary of their 2026 annual event, which includes a delicious dinner, music and dancing, live and silent auctions, and more, while perusing $300 million of beautiful automobiles.

REGISTER HERE to support Project Foster and join the fun at the Marconi Museum at 5:30 PM on November 5th.

Project Foster flyer for a sheets and PJ Drive

Upcoming Drives: Project Foster is featuring two upcoming drives, one for sheets and pajamas, and another for pants for both genders and all 24 sizes we provide because kids and teens come in all shapes and sizes!

If you know of churches, schools, or companies that would like to host a drive, contact Project Foster and we'll contact them to arrange flyers and promotional materials to assist them.

Project Foster has delivered almost 4,300 filled duffles to Orange County foster and at-risk kids and teens since its inception in early 2023, bringing dignity, comfort and HOPE to kids in crisis along with a clear message that YOU MATTER.

To accomplish this, we rely heavily on the community - churches, other non-profits, foundations, companies, book clubs, booster clubs and many individuals who generously provide cash or in-kind donations to make this wonderful program possible. So far, we have never had to say no to a foster or at-risk child who needs help. Thank you ALL for your ongoing support, volunteer hours and generosity!

Rising Stars and Guiding Lights-

Membership Chair, Rose Folli, caught up with a couple members this summer. Their conversations highlighted favorite club memories, inspiration for staying involved, and the friendships, service, and community that make our club special.

Let's see what they had to say! ✨

Rising Star, Jeanne Lindquist, tells a bit about herself and what drew to DPWC.

Tell us about yourself. What would you like to share with our members?

I have a passion for travel—I’m just three countries short of 100! I was widowed in 2017 and married again here in Dana Point in April 2026—it can happen! I tend to throw myself fully into everything I do. I’m also a huge sports fan, cheering for the Texas Longhorns, Chicago Cubs, Green Bay Packers, and Los Angeles Lakers.

What inspired you to join DPWC?

Like so many others, I want to give of myself to help people in my community. I have lived in Dana Point for only one year, and I wanted to feel more connected to the community and get to know other women in the area.

What interested you most when you first learned about our mission?

I appreciate that the organization does not spread itself too thin by taking on too many projects. This allows Project Foster—and the other projects focused on education and helping children and families—to have a significant impact.

What skills or experiences are you hoping to bring to the group?

I am a retired attorney with an MBA, and I also served as president of a 501(c)(3) organization. That experience taught me how to maximize results using an organization’s available income. I am also a planner for every kind of event, trip, or gathering. At the same time, I understand that sometimes an extra set of hands is needed for more routine tasks, and I’m happy to help with those as well.

What is something fun or surprising about you?

For my 50^th and 70^th birthdays, I hosted slumber parties for about 15 friends from all parts of my life—childhood, education, career, and family—including many who traveled from across the country. Everyone said they were the best birthday parties!

In 2023, I also took a solo trip around the world—in 80 days! I scheduled all my own flights, stops, and tours.

Guiding Light, Maryellen Marsh, tells us a bit about what drew her to the club.

How did you first become involved with DPWC?

I joined DPWC five years ago after learning about the club through my book club, along with a few other book club members.

What inspired you to join DPWC?

At my first meeting, I noticed that the clubhouse needed maintenance. Thanks to the hard work of our members, it is now a much-improved facility.

I remain involved because of the great friendships, the fun activities, and the meaningful philanthropic work DPWC continues to support.

What advice would you give to new members?

My advice to new members is to jump right in and volunteer—it is a wonderful way to get involved. If work or other commitments limit your time, a financial contribution is another meaningful way to support the club’s mission.

What is something fun or surprising about you?

On a side note, very few people know that I am an NRC-certified Expert Level Marksman (9 bars) in all four positions: prone, sitting, kneeling, and standing. I competed on a rifle team for many years and still enjoy target shooting.

Book Club News

Our October book is White Oleander, a 1999 novel by American author Janet Fitch. It is the unforgettable story of Astrid's journey through a series of foster homes and her efforts to find a place for herself an impossible circumstances. Each home is its own universe, with a new set of laws and lessons to be learned. With determination and humor, Astrid confronts the challenges of loneliness and poverty, and strives to learn who a motherless child in a an indifferent world can become.

If you'd like to read ahead, our November book is My Name is Tani. Tani Adewumi’s story begins amid Boko Haram’s reign of terror in Nigeria, but this doesn’t stop him from pursuing a most unlikely dream. At the age of eight, when Tani and his family’s lives are threatened, they are forced to flee for their lives and seek asylum. The odds were against Tani for ever finding a prosperous life in a foreign city, once enjoyed in his native Nigeria. But sometimes the unexpected is found in the most unlikely circumstances.

If you'd like to participate in the Book Club, please email Linda Mitrowski and she'll add you to the list.