The Ocean Beach Woman’s Club has just celebrated its 100th anniversary — and here are some excerpts from Regina Elling’s touching account of their celebration in a recent Pt Loma – OB Monthly:
For 100 years, the Ocean Beach Woman’s Club has stood for friendship, philanthropy and sisterhood. The club is well-known across OB for its community advocacy, and it was honored recently with an official proclamation from San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria. OBWC celebrated the centennial proclamation with a gathering of members and others who appreciate the group’s involvement around town.
A club founded in 1924 might sound a bit stodgy, but members insist the OB Woman’s Club is anything but. Despite its long history, members say, the club’s goals are firmly rooted in the present.
Elling quotes Arlene Fink at length, the current second vice president:
“The thing about this club is that it is a true sense of sisterhood — a camaraderie like no other. I’ve lived in OB for 40 years, but I’ve made my dearest friends since I’ve joined the club.”
“The OBWC takes care of our own. There is no place like OB and no women like the women of OB.”
“Our demographic is across the board — ages 20 to 80 and young professionals to older retirees. We are just there for each other. We just are. There’s always someone in the club you can count on.”
Alison Lyons is also quoted; she has lived in OB since 2006 and joined the club in 2015:
“I think there isn’t enough togetherness in real life vs. on social media. It’s very important to have someone you can actually meet with to have a cup of coffee or take a walk on the beach.”
“This isn’t just a service club. We try really hard to make sure people feel welcome. I’ve really enjoyed watching people walk in the door and feel a part of the group from the first meeting. It’s a wonderful feeling.”
Susan Winkie, who joined in 2017, is also quoted.
“The club is why I have so many friends in OB”
She told Elling that “by her second meeting, she was put in charge of a project to raise $8,000 for new floors for the club’s building. Not only did Winkie manage to raise the money, she became deeply involved in the club and the community. For another project, Winkie delved into OBWC’s history for some articles she wrote.
“We’re really standing on the shoulders of some incredible women. They planned out their whole year and took on some really heavy intellectual endeavors in their study group. And this was a time when there weren’t many places to even get together and have deep dives into their subjects.”
As Elling reports:
The club also holds craft nights, game nights, nights on the town and an open workspace. Members can join committees ranging from events and activities to hospitality, house and grounds, meeting programs, philanthropy and social justice, membership, fundraising, promotions and grants. …
The Woman’s Club also hosts a book club with no requirement to be an OBWC member to join. The book club is different than most. “We don’t all read the same book,” Fink said. “You read your own book and share your thoughts. But you don’t even have to read a book to be a part of the discussion. We include TV shows and Netflix series.”
“A lot of people come just for the book club,” Lyons said. “It’s a wonderful way to meet other women in the area.”
Katherine Benson, the Woman’s Club’s first vice president, said she moved to OB in September 2019, “right before the world turned upside down” because of the COVID-19 pandemic. She said she learned about the book club in 2020 and found it to be “very welcoming, inviting and intelligent and a perfect way for me to meet some new friends. Then I went to a general meeting and again was excited that there were incredibly welcoming women that, like me, wanted to improve themselves and improve the community.”
General meetings are held at 5:30 p.m. the second Tuesday of each month. Book club meetings begin at 6:15 p.m. the third Tuesday of every month. All meetings are in the clubhouse at 2160 Bacon St. Visitors are welcome.
Go here for more of Elling’s article.
