Celebrating another year of friendship, fun, service
By Mary Rea
Publicity chair
As we celebrate another wonderful year of friendship, fun and service to the Scripps Ranch community, we extend a huge round of applause to the leadership team who guided our club throughout the past year. Their dedication and enthusiasm made this a truly special year. Our sincere appreciation goes to the executive board: Carol Merten (president), Chris Kniahynycky (vice president), Cindy McGowan (secretary), Liz Robert (treasurer), and Renie Martin (parliamentarian). We also gratefully recognize our Standing Committee chairs for their commitment and support: M’Lu Colbourn (Hospitality), Lynn Parke (Membership), Beth Surrell (Newsletter), Mary Rea (Publicity), Annette Stewart and Carolyn Locke (Scholarships) and Pam Madigan (Web). Their efforts helped make this an exceptional year for the Women’s Club.
A standing ovation to our outstanding Social Committee – Connie Gallagher, Margaret Hardy and Barbara Hanson – whose creativity and hard work filled our calendars with unforgettable adventures. Favorite outings included the annual La Jolla Shores Beach Walk and lunch at Piatti’s, a delightful day trip to Julian for lunch and its renowned apple pie, a docent-led tour of the historic Marston House, an exclusive behind-the-scenes visit to the Olympic Training Center, and a wildlife adventure to the Lions, Tigers & Bears Animal Sanctuary.
The fun continued all year with festive luncheons, lively happy hours and favorite celebrations, including our annual Holiday Party, Mother’s Day Luncheon, and Summer Happy Hour Event. Thank you to our Social Committee for creating so many memorable moments!
Whether enjoying the magic of live performance, the beauty of fine art or discovering San Diego’s cultural treasures, our Arts and Culture Committee created a year of inspiring experiences. Heartfelt thanks to Barbara Measelle, Deidre Spruce and Penney Homel for curating an outstanding season of music, dance, theater and art. Highlights included performances of Puccini’s “La Bohème,” Handel’s “Messiah,” and the Malashock Dance Company, along with a visit to Art Alive at the San Diego Museum of Art.
Fresh air, scenic walks, great conversation and delicious lunches – our Walking and Adventure Group delivered it all! Thanks to the thoughtful planning of Joni Low and Cathy Denis, members explored the downtown waterfront, Poway Park, Kit Carson Park, Solana Beach, Del Mar, Liberty Station and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Each adventure ended with a leisurely lunch, making these outings a perfect blend of exercise, exploration and friendship.
A huge thank you to Lyn Cobb, whose leadership of our Scripps Ranch Theatre Group brought members together for wonderful performances. Our popular pre-theatre gatherings added a special touch, making each theater outing even more enjoyable.
Our interest groups continue to be the heartbeat of the Women’s Club, and we are grateful to the coordinators who keep everything running so smoothly. Thank you to Victoria Parks for overseeing our Bridge groups; Pam Madigan for teaching and coordinating Mahjong; Lin Schoeneberg and Renie Martin for leading our engaging Book Discussion Groups; and to Lin Schoeneberg once again for coordinating the Scrabble group.
Special appreciation also goes to Carol Murphy for organizing Fun and Games, and to our outstanding Bunco coordinators – Rita Hubbard, Wendy Higgins, Paula Marrone and Sandy Hagen-Ansert – who keep the dice rolling and the laughter flowing.
Thank you to Barbara Hanson for coordinating Friday Pickleball, keeping members active while enjoying friendly competition. We are also delighted to welcome two new interest groups this year: Canasta, led by Elizabeth Young; and our Knitting/Crochet Craft Group, organized by Barbara Wesser and Kim Williams. These new additions have already brought even more opportunities for members to connect and share their interests.
As one successful year comes to a close, we also look forward to welcoming our 2026-2027 leadership team, with many familiar faces continuing to serve alongside new officers and coordinators.
Our interest groups are meeting throughout the summer, and new participants are always welcome! To join a group or learn more, contact Membership Chair Lynn Parke at lparke@san.rr.com or visit our website at srwomensclub.org.
