University Park Women's Club turns 10

UNIVERSITY PARK — As Pat Marshall and Sandy Rossin sit at a table at the University Park Country Club, the women chat easily — even throwing in some good-natured banter into the conversation — as a pair of any old friends do.

Their interests — especially 10 years ago — seemed vastly different, with Marshall playing tennis and Rossin playing golf. But the two, they learned, shared a love for singing that has bound them together for the last eight years through a singing group with the University Park Women’s Club.

“I never would have met Sandy (without the club),” Marshall said. “My life would have been empty.”

The women chuckled.

Since the formation of the club a decade ago, nearly 700 women at University Park have grown their friendships, interests and opportunities for service through the organization, which will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a special luncheon April 13 at the Bird Key Yacht Club.

All of the club’s past presidents are planning to attend, current President Susie Melum said.

INCEPTION
The club hosted its first unofficial meeting in May 2001 at the home of its first president Cheryl Tefft. Tefft and several ladies in her neighborhood had discussed the idea of a women’s club over a game of cards.

The women felt like individuals may need ways, besides playing golf or tennis, to connect to each other.

The women circulated flyers to see if there was interest and received 160 calls. About 90 women showed up for the first informational meeting, Melum said.

Marshall was one of them.

“I thought I knew everybody,” Marshall said, noting she was shocked to see nearly 100 women attend the informational meeting. “We were almost like sardines on (Tefft’s) back lanai.

“(After learning more) it was very clear that this organization — if it came about — held tremendous potential,” she said. “I thought this would be a wonderful idea to pursue new interests.”

The club’s third president, Barbara Mulvihill, thought the idea of a club was perfect.

“We were the first house on our street, so we knew absolutely nobody,” she said.

With momentum to move forward, the club burst to life. Members greeted new residents, promoted cultural offerings, and planned activities and outings. From that, special interest groups, such as gardening, needlework, cards and photography, among others, developed.

“You have such an assortment of very bright and talented women who have come from all over the country and some have lived all over the world,” Melum said. “The opportunity to get to know those women and do things with (them) and do projects with them is very special.”

Although the organization has changed in personality over time, its goal of fostering friendships and shared interests, welcoming residents, promoting awareness of social and cultural offerings in the area and providing opportunities to help the community, has remained constant.

Club liaisons for each neighborhood within the country club are responsible for greeting new residents, inviting them to the club, and making sure women who aren’t comfortable navigating the Internet get a hard copy of the club’s online newsletter. Organizers even keep a record of recommended vendors for services for members to use as well as a list of members’ medical needs and other items.

OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND
The organization, which this year donated out $10,000 each to the Food Bank of Manatee and the Children’s Guardian Fund, will use the general luncheon April 13 as a benefit for the Food Bank of Manatee. Women will come to the party with their trunks packed with food.

“It’s like having a really good friend,” Mulvihill said of the club. There are so many opportunities for women who live in (University Park), whether they do needlework or they want to have lunch out once a month. There’re so many opportunities, especially for folks moving in.”

For information about the University Park Women’s Club, visit its website, www.universityparkwomensclub.com.
 

BY THE NUMBERS
160 — The number of women who said they were interested in attending the first informational meeting for the Women’s Club.
344 — The number of women currently enrolled as members
686 — The number of women who have been members
3,000 — The amount in dollars donated to charity in the club’s third year
20,000 — The amount in dollars donated to charity over the last year.
71,500 — The amount in dollars donated to charity by the club over the last decade

PAST PRESIDENTS
2001 — Cheryl Tefft
2002 — Linda Gidel
2003 — Barbara Mulvihill
2004 — Laurie Carpenter
2005 — Joyce Giberti
2006 — Pam Yulke
2007 — Jan Hoffman
2008 — Gail Schaeffer
2009 — Jan Wallace
2010 — Susie Melum

Contact Pam Eubanks at [email protected].