What is the Christmas season without a trip to the Madonna Inn? A holiday must is checking out the elaborate decorations at the popular San Luis Obispo hotel and restaurant. Thanks to the Santa Maria Valley Friendship Club, which had its December luncheon meeting on the 17th at the inn, I got to meet some new faces, as well as see the always-captivating seasonal décor at this iconic landmark. The Friendship Club is an offshoot of the Newcomers Club, which at one time required members to leave after three years. When members left Newcomers, they were able to segue into the Friendship Club (which is open to all, not just former Newcomers). The club holds monthly luncheon meetings at various locations, like Rancho Miranda, the Santa Maria Inn, and Ambrosia. The congenial members, all ladies, also meet throughout the month for mahjong, bridge, golf, a book club, and cocktail parties (at which men are most welcome). At the beginning of December, they sponsored a well-attended dinner dance at the Santa Maria Inn. At the end of the year, any money left over from the general fund is presented to a nonprofit. This year, the club chose the Children’s Choir of the Central Coast. One section of this choral group, the Boys Choir, performed at the Christmas luncheon. Dr. Tom Davies, director of choral activities and vocal studies at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, directed 10 fresh-faced boys, all still sopranos, in a musical program. What a pleasure to listen to those young voices. Exactly 100 Friendship club members and guests turned up for turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, and beans and salad. Dessert was pink champagne cake. I enjoyed meeting Guadalupean Betty Robles, who had been in the bar watching her grandson Eric Weddle on ESPN�”he plays football for the San Diego Chargers. I was also pleased to chat with former club president Marian Marrinan, whom I had met at attorney Michael B. Clayton’s annual Veterans Day barbecue, where she wore her World War II Army uniform. Marian served as a nurse at a hospital in France. Publicity chairperson Gloria Hoeft told me that the club has something for everyone. “We have so many activities,” she expounded. She went on to tell me that 15 years ago, when she moved to Santa Maria from the Midwest, the only people in town she knew were her husband and her Realtor. She joined Newcomers to remedy that situation. “The friends I made in Newcomers are still my friends today,” she said. The first president ever of the Friendship Club, Barbara Lauterbach, is in charge of the club’s annual fundraiser, an auction, which will take place on Feb. 11 at the Santa Maria Inn. Members bring one or more items for which they no longer have any use, and the items are auctioned off to other members. The event raises enough money to pay basic administrative expenses and give a bit to a worthy cause. For more information about membership in the Friendship Club, call Jo Wright at 937-7606. Dues are $12 a year. m Want to hobnob with Helen? Contact her at helenthom232@yahoo.com.
This article appears in Jan 1-8, 2009.