Women's Club blog

The Hopkinton Women’s Club has started 2012 with a bang! Founded in 1920, this is our 92^nd year, and the club is still going strong.

Just this week, for the women at the Serenity House, we stuffed red and pink Valentine gift bags with cosmetics, toiletries, and custom made earrings. Also each bag contained a compact flashlight, for which our club won a safety award from Massachusetts’ General Federation of Women’s Clubs.

Besides community outreach efforts, we’ve had both learning and fun activities. In January we toured the Art in Bloom exhibit at the Worcester Museum. A chiropractor and an acupuncturist spoke to us about health through alternative medicine. In February, we had a delicious Valentine’s brunch. In fact there are always yummy treats that members make and bring to share at each of our monthly meetings.

The upcoming months will be busy and exciting for our club. In March a member is hosting a concert and a gourmet dinner in her specially fitted barn and her teaching kitchen. We will start working on the 2013 Hopkinton Community Register and Telephone Directory. Recently a 35 year veteran contractor says our directory is one of the two he advertises in, and that gives him plenty of businesses. For us, the directory means we can support many local charities. For example, in 2011 we helped the Senior Center to buy a van, supported the high school’s drama group to go to Scotland, sent gift certificates to the Project Just Because Food Pantry, and in the fall started a new project called Adopt a Soldier, in which we send a female soldier on active duty a care packet once a month.

Also coming up in March, we look forward to serving a Friday dinner at the Framingham Salvation Army and co-sponsoring the Abigail Adams presentation organized by the Hopkinton Public Library. During our March 12^th evening meeting, we will have the pleasure of listening to the Chinese exchange teacher talk about women, family, and education issues in China. In April we will sponsor and participate at the veterans’ breakfast in Hopkinton, host a Candidates’ Night for the local election, and have a luncheon at the Hopkinton Country Club to give out some special scholarships to junior and senior high school girls.

All of us at the Hopkinton Women’s Club feel lucky to have the opportunities to learn, to have fun, and to help others. We invite you to join us. Please stop in at our monthly meetings and discover us–a group of friendly ladies in a casual atmosphere, where every voice and every idea count. For more information, please check out our website: www.hopkintonwc.com, or contact Kathy at ryankee@comcast.net.

Submitted by Yvette Ho Madany, VP

The Hopkinton Women’s Club is coming to the close of another fun, successful year. Thanks to the advertising generosity of many local and regional businesses, our major Telephone Directory fundraiser was a huge success. This certainly gives members a warm, fuzzy feeling, as we are able to provide monetary contributions to many local charities. I as Treasurer am especially proud to be able to write all those checks…over $21,000 this year! We receive many heartfelt, handwritten thank yous showing the true need even in our community. Club members also show community spirit by volunteering at monthly Red Cross blood drives, hosting an annual Candidate’s Night and assisting at town flu clinics.

Besides all our hardwork, members are able to enjoy monthly social outings. I thoroughly enjoyed the guided tour of Boston Public Library and most recently a guided tour of the new Art of Americas wing at MFA. A group of members even travelled to NYC one weekend.

We have a great website chock full of info and pictures all designed by a talented member.   www.hopkintonwc.com

Club members will be celebrating its 90th Anniversary at our upcoming meeting on Monday April 11.  We can’t wait to see the results of all the planning….

Sincerely,

Dolores Ivester, Treasurer

What are those women up to? About the Hopkinton Women’s Club

By: Yvette Ho Madany

On January 10 at its first monthly gathering of 2011, the Hopkinton Women’s Club members greeted each other with smiles and hugs. One could hear phrases like “Happy New Year!” and “How was your Christmas?” as the ladies chatted while sipping coffee or tea and munching on an array of goodies such as quiche, coffee cakes, and fruit salad.

Then the meeting was called to order by the president, Jane Anderson. One item of business was to confirm the upcoming programs for members’ enjoyment and self-enhancement. Another item was the club’s continued support for the Serenity House, a residential program that offers anti-substance abuse services to women. Over the Christmas break, members of the Hopkinton Women’s Club bought coats and toys for the children of the women there and also bought an industrial sized coffee grinder because many people donate coffee beans.

On this day, members brought in toiletry items that were either store bought or accumulated from hotel stays. These would be packaged as part of the Valentine’s gifts to the women staying at the Serenity House. Members also made Valentine’s Day cards to go with the toiletry bags.

This was what a typical meeting of the Hopkinton Women’s Club was like—sampling delicious snacks, sharing and supporting each other, setting fun activities for members, and working to help the community.

Program Note: Friday Feb. 11–guided tour of the new Art of the Americas Wing at the Museum of Fine Arts; Monday Feb. 14–nutritionist from the Metro West Medical Center (9:30 a.m., First Congregational Church of Hopkinton, 146 E. Main). Please come and join us!

For more information, please visit us at www.hopkintonwc.com or contact Kathy Yankee at 508-435-6471 or Jane at hopkintonwc@verizon.net.