The Woman’s Club of Concord has a lot of members – about 130 – and we wanted to introduce you to a few of them.
Elizabeth (Liz) Cooper, Concord
Day job: Currently stay-at-home mom to 7 and 5-year-old daughters and part-time paralegal for my husband’s law practice
Favorite thing to eat for dinner: Anything someone else cooks! Actually, the Woman’s Club of Concord has had some wonderful potluck dinners and socials (such as the First Friday socials), and we have some really talented and creative appetizers, desserts and everything in between cooked by members.
How did you get involved in the club? A friend invited me to check it out with her. At the last minute, her babysitter couldn’t come and she missed it. I ended up going on my own and joining. I now serve on the board.
What’s the best part about being in the club? Meeting so many great people! Some have longtime experience in Concord and some are newcomers with great ideas of their own.
It’s also nice for me to get out some to talk with adults which helps with the isolation that some stay-at-home parents can feel, and it’s great to go to the beautiful Chamberlin house, which doesn’t have floors strewn with toys!
Could you tell us one of your favorite club memories? When we had a program on the women’s prison and one of the presenters was an inmate who was transitioning to life outside the prison.
Do you have any advice for the ladies of Concord who are looking to get more involved in the community? Definitely check out the Woman’s Club! Come to a program or to a First Friday social, which any woman can attend to learn more about the club.
Barbara Ruedig, Concord
Day job: Real estate broker
How did you get involved in the club? Years ago several women thought it would be nice to have a club for Concord area women for philanthropic and social purposes. This was spearheaded by Alice Davis, who since moved. When I saw the Monitor article about the demise of the Woman’s Club, I thought, well, there’s a club all ready to go – no need to start a new one. I put the paper down, sent an e-mail to friends who sent one to their friends, and within two months the club had over 100 new members.
What’s the best part about being in the club? Every month (except summer) there is an educational program, and each month there is a First Friday Social. Every time I have attended an event at the club, I walk out glad that I connected or met someone, or walked out knowing something I did not know before.
Could you tell us one of your favorite club memories? It’s an honor to be part of an organization that can raise funds for a scholarship to a girl, that can provide support for the inmates of the women’s prison, that contributed to the refurbishment of the Rape and Domestic Crisis Center, that provides health kits for the homeless, and books for the city’s children in the Human Services system. That’s just a start.
Do you have any advice for the ladies of Concord who are looking to get more involved in the community? Stop in at one of the educational meetings or a First Friday and meet some of the welcoming ladies and chat about the possibilities.
Cindy Flanagan, Concord
Day job: Owner/ director Concord Dance Academy
Favorite thing to eat for dinner: Grilled salmon.
How did you get involved in the club? When the Concord Monitor article about the club was published, I knew I needed to get involved.
What’s the best part about being in the club? Meeting so many wonderful and perse women.
Could you tell us one of your favorite club memories? Last year we had a wonderful St. Patrick’s Day party to help raise funds for the scholarship program, and we raised our pot of gold!
Do you have any advice for the ladies of Concord who are looking to get more involved in the community? You should join the club so that you become more aware of the multitude of city-wide activities that occur, as well as the many wonderful people!
Sally Helms, Concord
Day job: Private guide to France
How did you get involved in the club? I joined in 2007, soon after an article about the club’s potential demise appeared in the Monitor. I received an e-mail from Barbara Ruedig imagining the possibilities of a revived organization, and was so inspired by her idea that I sent out my own e-mail to many more friends.
What’s the best part about being in the club? Meeting women I would not have crossed paths with otherwise.
Could you tell us one of your favorite club memories? The warden of the state prison for women was the speaker at our monthly program in January 2009. She brought with her an inmate from the Shea Farm facility who was nearing the end of her sentence. The inmate spoke movingly about how she had turned her life around during her time in prison – it was a powerful and emotional talk I’ll never forget.
Do you have any advice for the ladies of Concord who are looking to get more involved in the community? Join the Woman’s Club – one of our missions is to connect our members with volunteer opportunities in the community. Also, our monthly programs often focus on various community and statewide efforts, so that members can become better informed about what’s going on and decide how they want to get involved.
Roioli Schweiker, Concord
Day job: retired outdoor writer
Favorite thing to eat for dinner: Chinese food.
How did you get involved in the club? I went to a fund-raising bridge party, won the table prize, a door prize, had two pieces of meringue pie and found out they had pie or cake every second Friday afternoon.
What’s the best part about being in the club? Meeting new people.
Could you tell us one of your favorite club memories? I was house director years ago when it was time to repaint the house. We had technical assistance choosing half a dozen different paint combinations which historically might have been used. It was like getting 100 mothers-in-law to agree on one, but finally everyone was happy with the choice. It was not far different from the current colors, but will be changed the next time around.
Do you have any advice for the ladies of Concord who are looking to get more involved in the community? Join the Woman’s Club.
Jeanne Windsor, Concord
Day job: French teacher at St. Paul’s School
How did you get involved in the club? I was invited to attend a gathering there and found it very interesting to meet women from different walks of life. This first positive impression, coupled with my memories of my British aunt whom I admired intensely, who worked at the UN from its inception and who was a keystone member of many a woman’s organization throughout her life, convinced me that this would be a worthwhile endeavor.
What’s the best part about being in the club? It is a wonderful way to meet vibrant people in and around the Concord area and to learn about different aspects of our community. The club undertakes some very worthwhile projects and offers wonderful programs almost every month. The club provides a professional and a personal network that is invaluable. Since I live and work at St. Paul’s School, slightly isolated from the Concord community at times, the Woman’s Club connects me to part of the pulse of Concord.
Could you tell us one of your favorite club memories? My best memories are connected to the programs that I have attended. It is fascinating and inspiring to learn how other people have built enterprising companies and to see how approachable and friendly these women are.
Do you have any advice for the women of Concord who are looking to get more involved in the community? Come to one of our “First Friday” gatherings to meet people of all ages and walks of life and learn more about our schedule of programs.
Hansi Glahn, Concord
Day job: Travel agent
How did you get involved in the club? I got involved when I read the story in the paper about how the club was going to fold and the house be sold. I then received a few emails that Barbara Ruedig sent, and decided to join with others to save the house and club
What’s the best part about being in the club? meeting new people and being involved in the care of the house and many volunteer opportunities that the membership offers
Could you tell us one of your favorite club memories? I think my favorite is a program we had involving the Womans Prison. One of the past inmates spoke about her experiences, where she had been, where she was then, and where she hoped to go. This led to several club members becoming involved with volunteer efforts at the prison, and all in all was a very moving program.
Do you have any advice for the ladies of Concord who are looking to get more involved in the community? Join –this is a fabulous way to meet new people and to find out about the many different ways that you can become involved in our community. One of the purposes of the club is to make members aware of the many ways that they can volunteer in the community.
