August Chatterbox 2026
Welcome to the 2026-27 Woman’s Club year!
The Woman’s Club offers its members many great opportunities for participation. We hope you take full advantage of everything available. Our members especially enjoy the variety of games available: Bridge (3 teams), Duplicate Bridge, Hand and Foot, Mah Jongg, Mexican Train, and Pitch. We also have our General Meetings that include programs and lunch, a social team, and a book club. Special events are held throughout the Fall Coffee “Sweet to the Core” year. A most unique opportunity for members is the Gad About activities, which encourage groups of members and guests to attend community events and tours. Members also support two or three community service events throughout the year. Every member is asked to volunteer in some way for the Woman’s Club. Volunteers are the backbone of the organization, so please help in some way.
Fall Coffee “Sweet to the Core”
Our Fall Coffee “Sweet to the Core” on September 3rd is considered the kickoff event for the year. We’ll have a variety of fall goods, many highlighting apples, both savory and sweet, for your enjoyment. New members are especially encouraged to attend. The Fall Coffee provides an opportunity to share time with other members and guests. There will be musical entertainment. Please invite prospective members to join you. The cost of the Fall Coffee is $15 for members, and prospective members will
participate free of charge. Make your reservations for you and your guest(s) by Tuesday, August 25 by signing up at the Woman’s Club or contacting Mel at 785-273-6978 or [email protected]. We’ll see you on Thursday, September 3rd at 10:00!
General Meetings
Eight months a year, we have General Meetings on the first Thursday of the month. Our fall programs will be exceptional, so be sure to mark them on your calendar and attend.
- September 3rd is our Fall Coffee.
- October 1st, you won’t want to miss the Style Show by Dillard’s and the “Halloween Haunt Cuisine.”
- November 5th, Ruth Maus will speak about her first novel, “Lunacy and Acts of God, set in 1950s Topeka, and our luncheon is themed “Friendsgiving.”
- December 3rd will be our Holiday Brunch “Prancer’s Petit Dejeuner.” I had to look up petit dejeuner, and it is French for a light meal taken in the morning, a small lunch, a perfect, clever description for our brunch! The programs will be “Festive Seasons and Christmastide Songs” and Bev Larson, owner of Avenue Collective in NOTO, will present “Yuletide and Holiday Favorites.”
It’s Busy on Mondays at the Woman’s Club. Hand and Foot and Ever Young Bridge
Pitch, 2nd Sunday of each Month at 1:00
Do you play the card game Pitch? Join a congenial group of individuals on the second Sunday of each month at 1:00 at the Woman’s Club. Members and nonmembers are invited to play. No reservation is needed, but if you have questions, call Mary Ann Howerton at 785-633-9214. Come join the fun! We’ll play next on September 13th.
Margaret Hill McCarter
Margaret Hill McCarter’s first meeting of the year will be Wednesday, September 9th at 10:30. Margaret Hill McCarter is a social group with a short program that encourages socialization. Come join the conversation – everyone is welcome!
Gad Abouts’ happenings shared by Kathy Diehl
NOTE: For ladies who do not drive but would like to participate in our events, we have members willing to pick people up so they can attend. Please call Kathy Diehl at 785-969-7755 if there is an event that you want to attend, and she will try to find transportation for you.
Sunday, September 20, 3:00 –5:00
Harpists for Peace, Music for a Sunday Afternoon, Topeka Shawnee Library, Marvin Auditorium
Unwind with staff member Jim Mosher and his harping friends. Every year, harpists from Kansas and Missouri come here for music, community, and peace. Hear solos and ensembles and join in a sing-along.
Cost is free, and no notice is required. We will meet in the library lobby at 2:45. If you have any questions, contact Kathy Diehl at 785-969-7755.
Sunday, September 27, 2:00
Peter Pan Goes Wrong at Topeka Civic Theatre
I chose this play because I saw it on Broadway with my sons and daughters-in-law, and we all loved it. It is so funny that we laughed all the way through the play.
Brace yourselves for an awfully big adventure when the inept and accident-prone Cornley Drama Society sets out to present J. M. Barrie’s much-loved classic tale of Peter Pan, their most audacious production to date. Flying? Pyrotechnics? Sharp Hooks? What ensues is two acts of hysterical disaster, as the society battles technical hitches, flying mishaps and cast disputes. But will they make it to Neverland?
Containing the same potent blend of hilarity featured in their award-winning The Play that Goes Wrong, this take on Peter Pan is unforgettable
Deadline for tickets is August 23, 2026 and the cost is $35.00. Please contact Kathy Diehl at 785-969-7755 by the ticket deadline.
Queen of Diamonds Marathon Bridge Team
The Queen of Diamonds Marathon Bridge Team will start their new year on Monday, October 5th. Partner teams have been identified.
Blue Moose Eat Out, Dec. 10
On Thursday, December 10th, Blue Moose is sponsoring a fundraiser for the Woman’s Club. We will receive a percentage of the entire day’s dine-in and carryout receipts. Plan to have a good meal and support the Woman’s Club at the same time! Put this activity on your calendar now. We’ll see you at Blue Moose on December 10!
Building Fund
You still have time to donate to the Building Fund. Several things need to be done at the Woman’s Club to repair and to make our building more attractive. The more attractive our building is, the more renters we hope to have! (And we will enjoy the updates also.) If you have questions, talk with Mary Ann Howerton, Building and Grounds Chair, 785-633-9214.
Birthday Cards
Last year, if your computer security system allowed and you have email, you received a birthday ecard from the Woman’s Club. They really are from the Woman’s Club. Kathleen Wilson will be sending them again this year, so enjoy the birthday wishes. Thank you, Kathleen!
Yearbooks are a good resource for members!
The Woman’s Club Yearbook for 2026-2027 will be available at the Fall Coffee. You may also pick up your Yearbook any time after September 3rd. Please take a few minutes to look through it. You will find:
- Members of the Executive Board and standing committees, so you will know who to contact when you have questions, suggestions, or want to volunteer.
- Special dates of events you may want to add to your calendar.
- Programs for the year that will be presented during our General Meetings.
- A membership list, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses for all members who paid before publication of the Yearbook.
- A list of teams’ members and the day and times they meet.
- Our Constitution, Bylaws, and Policies that govern why we do what we do.
- Of special note are the rental policies for members and the public. Rent the Woman’s Club for your personal special events!
- Historical information including the annual report and financial statement for 2025-26 and other information.
Garage Sale
WOW! The 2026 garage sale profit was $4,800. That is a new financial record. Thank you, Carrie Riordan, for the years you coordinated the garage sale for the Woman’s Club – you did an exemplary job! We also want to thank everyone who donated items for the sale and worked at the sale. Many hours were spent making this a successful fundraiser. Thank you!!
The 2027 garage sale is set for June 11-12. April Glynn will be the coordinator. Thank you, April, for stepping up to volunteer for this position. We know you will do a great job, and many of us will be willing to help with the sale. Start saving your gently used items for the garage sale.
Woman’s Club players introduce a renter’s group to Mah Jongg. Members were given a cap for their help.
Officers, Chairs, and Nominating Committee
President Paula Harper
Vice President Mary Ann Howerton
Secretary Judy Marks
Treasurer Diana Komarek
Assistant Treasurer Karen Swogger
Auditor Jan Gilliland
Luncheon Chair Dr. Candace Ayars
Kitchen Chair Judy Donnelly
Fundraising Co-Chairs Phyllis Kelly/Carrie Riordan
Membership Chair Rosie Cooper
Program Chair Carolyn Burns
Communication Chair ZoAnn Torrey
Community Service Chair Carol Talley
Parliamentarian Phyllis Kelly
Nominating Committee Susan Turner, Chair, Joan Arterburn, Karen Swogger, Phyllis Kelly, Carrie Riordan, Betty Frantz, ZoAnn Torrey