Chester Women's Club opens season September 25
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA['The Chester Women's Club's annual Officers' Tea will be held Friday, September 25, beginning at 1 p.m., in the fellowship hall of the First United Methodist Church in Chester. This meeting will mark the beginning of the club's 73rd consecutive year, having organized in Chester in 1937.
The Club will be under the leadership of Cynthia Lawder as President. Her slate of officers, who will serve as hostesses for the meeting, includes: Sharon McMath, First Vice President; Wilma Whittenburg, Second Vice President; Tonya Robbins, Recording Secretary; Marion Lutz, Corresponding Secretary; and Louise Liefer, Treasurer.
During the meeting, new members will be introduced and yearbooks will be distributed to members.
The afternoon's program on Disaster Readiness will be presented by Charlie Bargman and David Holder. All members are encouraged to attend. Meetings are always held at the First United Methodist Church unless otherwise noted.
Second Vice President and Program Chairman Wilma Whittenburg has announced the schedule of programs for the 2009-2010 club year. Members will be invited to participate on Friday, October 23, when the program will be "Memories of Our Mothers". Members are asked to bring mementoes of their mothers, and they will be invited to share a memory with the membership.
On Friday, November 20, members will enjoy "The Strongest Link" a trivia game that is designed to enhance one's personal knowledge of women's issues. Members will be asked to bring food items on that day to benefit the Chester Area Christian Food Pantry.
The club's annual Christmas luncheon will be held on Friday, December 11, beginning at 12:30 p.m. at the Chester Country Club. Steve Colonel and the Chester High School Swing Choir will perform.
"A History of the Chester Waterfront" will be presented by Chester River Rats at the club's January 22, 2010 meeting.
Caroline Gilster Wylie of Chester will speak to the club on Friday, February 26, on the subject of "My Mother's Whistles".
On Friday, March 26, club member Joan Jany will speak to the club about "Gone With the Wind, the movie, the book, and memorabilia".
The Club's annual Maundy Thursday Prayer Breakfast will be held on April 1, 2010, beginning at 9 a.m. at the Chester Country Club.
The Chester Women's Club will host a Tea on Friday, April 23, in honor of the senior girls at Chester High School. Featured speaker will be Marie Rouensay, member of the SWIC speakers' bureau. Her subject will be "A Portrait of a Kaskaskia Indian".
The season will end at the club's annual May Luncheon on Friday, May 14. New officers will be installed, the club history will be presented and, if necessary, a memorial service will be given.
"We look forward to this 73rd season of the Chester Women's Club," said President Cynthia Lawder. "This is a wonderful organization of women, who come together to share friendship and cultural stimulation and to foster service within our community. I encourage all members to attend these club activities throughout the coming year," she concluded.