08/13/2024

August 2024 Chatterbox

August 2024 Chatterbox

The Chatterbox is back!

Welcome! The Chatterbox newsletter is back! We plan to provide four editions throughout the year in August, November, February, and May. Please share your news! The newsletter serves a purpose only when members, officers, and team captains, share information to include. Send information to ZoAnn Torrey, [email protected]. Thank you!

Thank you for the Yearbooks

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the updated 2024-25 Woman’s Club Yearbook. We especially acknowledge Pam Parker and Phyllis Kelly for pulling together the information and finalizing the yearbook. What a task! Also, a special thank you to Pam Parker for paying another year the printing costs for the Yearbook. You may pick up your Yearbook at the Woman’s Club after they are delivered and labeled. Check with Mel.

Upcoming Activities and Events

We are looking forward to a great year. There are several events already on the calendar and they begin later this month! We hope everyone plans to be involved in several of the activities mentioned in this Chatterbox.
5th Friday Game Day (It’s a Fundraiser and a Fun Day) Make your reservations!
August 30 is Fifth Friday Game Day! Get your friends together and come join us at the Woman’s Club for lunch and a fun afternoon playing your favorite game. Please arrive by 11:30 am so we have plenty of time for lunch before the games begin. Remember that game day is a fundraiser for the Woman’s Club, so come and have fun and help the Woman’s Club at the same time. The cost to play & eat is $10.00. The meal will be pork sliders, coleslaw, chips, and volunteers will bring –desserts. Be sure to let Mel know by August 27 that you are coming. If you have questions, call Mel at 785-273-6978. Thank you. Karen Swogger
Fall Brunch Thursday, September 5, 10:00 The Fall Brunch is the official kick-off event for the 2024-25 Woman’s Club year. There is no charge for the Fall Brunch. Our newest members will be introduced to the group and information about the Woman’s Club will be shared. The program will be provided by an entertaining speaker, Connie Michaelis, who you may remember has spoken with us before. She’ll be talking about a topic we can all relate to, “Go Go, Slow Go, or No Go: Which are You?” Come to hear an interesting presentation, meet new friends, associate with many other members, and enjoy the food.
General Meetings The Program Committee has planned interesting, informational, and fun General Meetings. Thank you! Put the dates on your calendar and plan to attend. Stay for lunch ($13) and enjoy conversation with other women. General meetings begin at 10:00. General Meetings are the 1st Thursday of the month, 10:00, October-June (Holiday Brunch in December and no January meeting). Reservations are needed for lunch, call Mel at 785-273-6978
October 3: The program is The History of the Topeka Cemetery presented by Lisa Sandmeyer. The Topeka Cemetery is an interesting place! You’ll hear of influential people who created and sustained our Topeka community and Kansas. Come hear the stories!
November 7: The program is Tips on Living Alone and Awareness When Out-and-About, presented by Sgt. Burns, Topeka Police Department. Sgt Burns will give us hints on staying safe when we are out-and-about and at home. This should be of interest to all of us.

December 5: Holiday Brunch. At 10:00 AM, The Topeka West Choir will perform. Put the date on your calendar! 

Mah Jongg Tournaments: fundraisers for the scholarship fund The Woman’s Club is hosting Mah Jongg tournaments on September 28th. You will have the choice of entering the regular Mah Jongg or the Siamese Mah Jongg tournament. First- second- and third-place awards will be given in both tournaments. Door prizes too. The tournaments are open to Woman’s Club members and the general public (men and women). Check-in begins at 11:00, lunch at noon, and play at 1:00. Registration forms and additional details will be available soon. Registration is $20. If questions, call Janet Williams at 785-272-1730. Have a good lunch and conversation, play in one of the tournaments, and enjoy being with other Mah Jongg players. It will be a fun day so be sure to participate. Invite friends who are not WC members to play also. Play to help raise funds for the Woman’s Club scholarship fund. We’ll see you there!
Gad About Events Are you ready to gad about with other WC members? As outings are announced, contact Kathy Diehl at 785-969-7755, for those events you are interested in participating. The first trip, with a deadline to sign up fast approaching, is a theater trip to Topeka Civic Theatre on Sept. 15 at 2:00 to see “Jersey Boys.” If you want to go, please contact Kathy Diehl at 785-969-7755 no later than August 22 so that we will be able to get tickets. Tickets are $35.00.
Other events being considered are the Kansas Chocolate Festival at West Ridge Mall on Nov. 1, the Festival Singers at White Concert Hall in December, and a play called “The Book Club” at Helen Hocker in January. We have members involved in the performing arts! Mary Adkins performs with the WTCT Radio Players at Topeka Civic Theatre and will have shows on September 14 and October 26. Kathy Diehl is involved with TCT’s Senior Class improv group (although she no longer performs) which has shows on September 20 and November 1. Both groups will have shows in January, February, and March which we can announce in future newsletters. Both of these groups are also fun excursions and we will see if there is interest in attending one or more of these shows. Gad about with us and enjoy fun times and camaraderie.
Bridge Tournament TBD Watch for details

Afternoon Tea Saturday, April 12

Remember the fun of going to the Woman’s Club teas? Well, mark your calendars now because one is being planned for April 12, 2025. Karen Swogger and ZoAnn Torrey are the coordinators for the tea. Please consider being part of our committee and helping plan the tea. You can be part of the committee and not bake food items—we promise. Contact Karen at 785-338-2833, or ZoAnn at 785-806-2308/[email protected].
Mark your calendar to make a reservation for the tea and we’ll save a seat for you!

Treasure Sale/Garage Sale

Our next garage sale is in June 2025. As you are sorting through home decorations and items in storage or the garage, remember to save items for our sale! If you are moving, we have some room at the Woman’s Club where items can be stored. Carrie Riordan is the coordinator for the sale, so give her a call at 785-840-7083 if you have questions.
Thank you, Judy Donnelly for the years you coordinated the garage sale! You did an excellent job. We know you spent many hours on this fundraiser. We appreciate what you have done for the Woman’s Club. The Woman’s Club made $2,036 ($1,786 in sales and $250 in cash donations) on the 2024 Garage Sale! Well done, Everyone!

TEAMS ARE HERE FOR YOUR ENJOYMENT

Woman’s Club members may join teams just by calling team contacts.

The book club and the Margaret Hill McCarter teams are social teams.

Hand-and-Foot and Mexican Train require no previous experience.

Members need to have taken lessons or have previous experience playing Mah Jongg and bridge (Ace of Hearts, Ever Young, Heritage, Queen of Diamonds) See contacts below for lessons.

Invite women who are not members of the Woman’s Club to play games marked
with an * asterisk.

Encourage friends to come enjoy the fun!

TEAM TIMES

Ace of Hearts Duplicate Bridge*: every Tuesday & Thursday 12:30, contact Jan Tillery, 785-478-4670

Book Club: 2nd Thursday, 1:00, contact Betty Frantz, 785-273-9278

Ever Young Bridge*: 2nd & 4th Mondays, 1:00, contact Karen Swogger, 785-338-2833

Hand and Foot*: every Monday at 1:00, contact Janet Williams, 785-272-1730

Heritage Bridge: 4th Thursday, 12:00 Lunch then Bridge, contact Joan Arterburn, 785-408-5174

Margaret Hill McCarter Team: 2nd Wednesday of the month, 10:00, contact Jan Gilliland at 785-633-4098

Mexican Train*: 1st & 3rd Friday at 1:00, contact Mary Adkin, 785-845-8566, every Wednesday 1:00, contact Deborah Hardin, 785-806-5502

Queen of Diamonds Marathon Bridge*: 1st Monday at 1:00 October through June. Contact Susan Turner, 554-5686 or Karen Swogger, 785-338-2833

Winds & Dragons Mah Jongg*: every Friday at 1:00, contact Janet Williams, 785-272-1730

MORE ABOUT THE TEAMS

Ace of Hearts Duplicate Bridge Ace of Hearts is a duplicate bridge club affiliated with the American Contract Bridge League. Contact Club Manager, Jan Tillery, at 785-478-4670, for additional information. Participation is open to the general public (women and men), as well as Woman’s Club members. Woman’s Club members receive a discounted entry fee. Ace of Hearts meets every Tuesday and Thursday at 12:30.

WC Book Club

Greeting Readers, At our last meeting we discussed the book Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. On September 12, our meeting will be about the children’s book “My Back Yard” written by Ken Tillery, husband of Jan. I have copies for anyone who wants to read it. Also, we will plan a list of books that we would like to read and discuss in the future. Thanks to everyone who participates in our discussions. Why don’t you join us by calling Betty Frantz at 785-273-9278, and coming to book club on the 2nd Thursday of every month at 1:00

Margaret Hill McCarter Team

We meet on the 2nd Wednesday of the months September – June, at 10:00 at the Women’s Club. Our first meeting is September 11. We take turns being in charge of the program for the meetings, we sign up for the meetings in September. The September meeting is our organizational meeting. We’ll introduce everyone, sign up for programs, and collect dues for the year, which are used for our group events, memorial contributions to the Woman’s Club, and special projects. New Woman’s Club members are considered members of the Margaret Hill McCarter Team and do NOT pay MHMc dues their first year. The team is a place for new members to learn more about the Woman’s Club. Please join us. Everyone is welcome to join this team! At the meetings we have a short program and discuss what is happening at the club, special events coming up, when our group is in charge of table decorations, etc. We are a social group! Thank You, Jan Gilliland

Mexican Train

Women’s Club Friday Mexican Train Group meets the 1st and 3rd Fridays of the month at 1:00. Mexican Train is an easy and fun domino game. Please check us out. If there is enough demand, we can add playing on 2nd and 4th Fridays too. Questions , contact Mary Adkins at 785-845-8566. Thanks Every Wednesday afternoon we play Mexican Train at 1:00. Contact Deborah Hardin with questions, 785-806-5502. Mexican Train can be learned the first time you play it, so come enjoy the fun!

Queen of Diamonds Marathon Bridge

You and a partner can play in this marathon bridge group that meets the first Monday of the month at 1:00. Each month you and your partner will play a different set of two players. Play begins October 7 and ends June 2. Cash prizes are awarded. Participation is open to the general public (women and men), as well as Woman’s Club members.

LESSONS – Mah Jongg & Bridge

Lessons for Mah Jongg and bridge will be announced as dates are set. Watch for information via Facebook, email, and the Chatterbox newsletter. You may also call Joan Arterburn at 785-408-5174 about beginner bridge lessons. Contact Phyllis Kelly at 785-221-0285 about Mah Jongg lessons.

ACTIVITY OF INTEREST

International Folk Dance At The Woman’s Club August 25, 2024, 3-6 pm All are welcome! Wear comfortable shoes 🙂 No partner needed Beginner dances/lessons 3-4 pm. Donations welcome to cover rental costs

Meet the Officers for the year, June 2024 through May 2025:

President: Paula Harper

Vice President: Mary Ann Howerton

Secretary: Betty Frantz

Treasurer: Diana Komarek

Treasurer Assistant: Jo Miller

Auditor: Jan Gilliland

Communication Committee Chair: ZoAnn Torrey

Community Service Committee Chair: Vera Wright

Fundraising Chairs: Phyllis Kelly/Joan Arterburn

Hospitality/Activities Committee Chair: Karen Swogger

Membership Committee Chair: Janet Williams

Program Committee Chair: Carol Talley

Parliamentarian: Kathy Diehl

Appointments – Thank you for your willingness to guide this work!

Cares & Concerns: ZoAnn Torrey

Clubhouse Beautification: Sue Roche

Yearbook: Pam Parker

Garage Sale: Carrie Riordan

Afternoon Tea: Karen Swogger/ZoAnn Torrey

Siamese Mah Jongg Tournament: Janet Williams

Rubber Bridge Tournament: Paula Harper/Susan Turner

Clubhouse Secretary staff: Melanie Stewart

Clubhouse Custodian staff: Steven Schoenfeld

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