Past Activities

September Club Meeting 

Members and guests participated in “Chair Yoga” by Indigo Yoga instructor  Cindy Romano. Cindy is a Teacher Training Educator, a 500 Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher, and is YACEP certified with Yoga Alliance. Cindy led the group through several relaxing and muscle-strengthening yoga moves. Members enjoyed the calming experience. New hospitality co-chairpersons Betty S. and Betty H. organized the refreshments and set up the room for the meeting with candles to provide a peaceful atmosphere. 

 

Montclair Art Museum VIP Reception

Members enjoyed an evening at the Montclair Art Museum VIP Reception for the Exhibition Taking Space: Contemporary Women Artists and the Politics of Scale. The Women’s Club of Caldwell is a major sponsor of the exhibition which contribution was gratefully acknowledged by Ira Wagner, Executive Director of the museum, to Barbara Tretter, Club Historian, prior to the Reception, and then again the contribution was mentioned along with the names of other sponsors during Mr. Wagner’s welcoming remarks to all VIP attendees.  Members Amy Kovach and Arts Performing Chair, Maria Lopez Cole also attended the reception.

 

Wine Tasting

Members of the club met at Total Wines in West Orange, for the “California Uncorked” presentation on Monday, August 28.  They offered a choice of 4 red and 4 white wines for sampling.  Each person selected 4 wines to sample.  They were also served cheese and crackers and members were feel free to bring additional snacks. 

 

International Lunch

Our monthly restaurant outing took us to The Windlass by the water in Lake Hopatcong on a very windy day.

National Night Out

On Tuesday, August 1, from 4 to 9 pm, our club provided a craft for children at the Caldwell Police Department’s National Night Out at Caldwell University.  Children decorated rocks with pictures and words of kindness.  Over a hundred children participated in the activity.

 

Grover Cleveland Memorial Birthplace Association Ice Cream Social

Members of our club ran several games for children.  Due to rain, the activities were held in the St. Aloysius gym.

 

 

 

Triangle Update

In June, the triangle garden at Brookside Avenue and Westville Avenue in Caldwell was weeded and new plants were added. In July, we had many invasive plants spring up and multitudes of weeds. After weeding, a total of 32 liriope (lily turf) were planted. We also transplanted some of the older ones under the spirea. We cut back the milkweed and removed the dogbane and other big invasive plants. We also cut back the baptisia which was more than 4’ tall and the Russian sage which was even taller. You can now see the coneflowers and spirea. It took our volunteers 21 hours over two days to complete the work.  It now looks great, be sure to drive by and see it!        

International Lunch

Members of our club met for lunch at the Double Ai Asian Bistro in Wayne. After enjoying a wonderfully tasty summer lunch at this Asian restaurant, the group posed on the flower-laden deck overlooking the shore of Pompton Lake.

 

Triangle Planting

In June, we planted some new plants in the triangle garden at Brookside Avenue and Westville Avenue in Caldwell.  Come see the plants in bloom: orange butterfly weed, purple allium, cat mint, dark purple speedwell, yellow tickseed, Russian sage, and pink bee balm.

 

New Member Orientation

Six new club members attend the New Member Orientation on June 12. The meeting was held at the Grover Cleveland Memorial Birthplace Visitor Center. Membership Chair Phyllis K. reviewed the history and organizational levels of the General Federation of Women’s Club (GFWC) and the New Jersey State Federation of Women’s Clubs (NJSFWC.) Long-time member Carol C. discussed the Women’s Club of Caldwell’s history and the club’s By-Laws. Women’s History Chair Barbara T. shared several of the club’s yearbooks. Club President Alicia D. thanked the attendees for joining and volunteering to work on club committees.  Each new member received an informational packet about the club.

International Lunch

In June, we visited ”The Barnyard and Carriage House” in Totowa. We enjoyed some traditional American dishes.

Arts Performing Outing

Six club members attended the final performance of “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” at the Barn Theater in Monville.  Arts Performing Chair Maria Lopez arrange to get the tickets and carpooling for the members attending.   For more information about the Arts Performing Committee and to be notified of future outings, email brontecole@yahoo.com.

Jefferson School Garden

This week, under the direction of Conservation Chair Phyllis Kent and with help from club members, Jefferson school children visited the school garden, learning about plants and seeds, helping with the compost, and planting flowers.

Memorial Day Parade

Twelve members represented our club in the West Essex Memorial Day Parade on Bloomfield Ave. Club members wore “Women’s Club of Caldwell” shirts. JoAnn Pinto and Diane Nestor-McMahon organized our participation in this year’s parade.

 

May Pizza Luncheon

In May, our lunch group went to Frank’s Trattoria in West Caldwell.

Installation Dinner

Thirty-two club members attended the annual Installation Dinner Meeting on May 19.  Club President Alicia DiMonte presided over the meeting and recognized the work of past presidents, current board members, and club volunteers. Membership Co-Chair Phyllis Kent inducted eleven new members into the club. Past President Carol Crump held a candle-lighting ceremony to install six new chairpeople: Recording Secretary –  Dori Gleitsmann as Recording Secretary, Nancy Kumar as Corresponding Secretary, Rita Lavy as Arts & Culture Co-Chair, Michele Collins as Health & Wellness Co-Chair, Betty Heck and Betty Sullivan as Hospitality Chairs, and Trina Ricci as Yearbook Co-Chair.  Special guest Joan Murdock, New Jersey State Federation of Women’s Club – Liberty District Vice President,  presented the club with two state awards for report writing, including First Place for Arts & Culture, Second Place for Membership, a certificated for Most Creative Project for Club Historian Barbara Tretter’s American Women’s Quarters Project, and a Special Citation for the Best Club Website Design. During the dinner, members could view the many projects (crafts, artwork, and plants) and awards won in the Achievement Day and State Convention Contests.

 

International Lunch

For May, we visited ”Sabor de mi Tierra”, a Colombian restaurant in Verona. We enjoyed some of the traditional dishes and beverages.

 

Mosaic Exhibit

Members of the club visited the JCC MetroWest Gaelen Art Galarie to view the “From Darkness to Light: Mosaics Inspired by Tragedy” exhibit. The 38 mosaics on display commemorate the 11 victims of the 2018 Tree of Life Synagogue shooting, the largest and most devastating antisemitic event in U.S. history. Many of the mosaics had themes of hope, resilience, and peace.

 

Liberty District Spring Conference

The NJSFWC holds an annual Arts & Culture Contest and a Conservation Contest in each district. The Arts & Culture Contest covers various craft and art skills, including sewing, knitting, crocheting, painting, drawing, etc., and the Conservations Contest includes plants and floral arrangements. Our club entered over 40 items in the Liberty District’s Arts & Culture Contest and two in the Conservation Contest.   This year two of our club members, Phyllis K. and Carol C., were the district chairs for the Arts & Culture Achievement Day Contest. Professionals in the category’s field performed the judging. Judges included West Essex Art Association members Robert Szpila (photography)and Evan Marshall (painting/drawing.) Kristen Zachares, the owner of The Eclectic Chic Boutique in Montclair, judged the jewelry pieces. The talented Linda Schulz and Barbara Mercado judged the crafts and needlework pieces. Finally, the baked goods were evaluated by Eva Deroui of Mattarello Bakery in Upper Montclair and Dana Bachan of CrEATive Cakes and Cookies of Verona. The Liberty District Spring Conference was held the next day, where our club members were awarded Gold, First, Second, and Third Place ribbons and certificates for their entries in the contests.  Congratulations to all of the winners!

April Club Meeting

At our April 21 meeting,  Physical Therapist Dr. Paige Dwight Dickman of Fyzical Therapy & Balance Center in West Caldwell discussed osteoporosis and balance, with an emphasis on fall prevention. Dr. Dickman also gave a quick balance screening for members to try.

 

Women’s Federation Monument Hike

On a beautiful day, after many attempts, we finally made it to the Women’s Federation Monument at the Palisades Interstate Park in New Jersey by the Hudson River. The Women’s Federation Monument is a trailside monument on the cliff top in Alpine, New Jersey, dedicated in 1929 to honor the role that the New Jersey State Federation of Women’s Clubs took in preserving the Palisades cliffs.

March Club Meeting

At the March club meeting, we celebrated cultures worldwide. Arts and Culture Co-Chair Carol C. gave a  presentation on the Ukrainian tradition of Pysanky eggs and the meaning of the different designs. She demonstrated how to use permanent markers to create traditional designs on wooden eggs. Each attendee was given a handout of Pysanky designs and two white wooden eggs to decorate. One club member of Ukrainian descent, Nancy K., shared her family’s tradition of making Pysanky eggs and brought some of the eggs they had created.  Club members provided refreshments of international snacks and desserts.  In celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, many members wore something green for good luck!

March International Luncheon

In March, our International Lunch group went to GrasshopperToo Irish Pub and Restaurant in Wayne. Eight members and one guest enjoyed the traditional Irish fare, including Shepherd’s Pie, Bangers and Mashed, Chicken Murphy, Fish and Chips, and the Irish American dish Corned Beef and Cabbage. Everyone enjoyed their meal, the lovely atmosphere, and the lively conversation.

 

Liberty District Performing Arts Day

Several club members attended and performed at the Liberty District Performing Arts Day. Club member Rosalie Cozzi beautifully played “Prelude #2” by Gershwin and got everyone singing “I’ve got Rhythm”. Maryann Rashap sang “No Business Like Show Business” and “Second Hand Rose”. New club member Laura Reinhardt was terrific doing the flamingo dances and wore a beautiful outfit. Laura had all of the women in attendance up and dancing. Hopefully, she can teach flamingo dancing at one of our club’s monthly meetings.

Youth Art Month

In cooperation with The West Caldwell Public Library, the Women’s Club of Caldwell celebrated Youth Art Month on Saturday, March 4, in the library’s children’s room. Pre-School and Elementary school children were invited to listen to storybooks with their parents and then create artwork based on the stories. Club members read I Can’t Draw by S. Martin, Sea Shapes by S. MacDonald, and The Rainbow Fish by M. Pfister. The children then learned how to draw a fish by tracing around their parent’s hand. The fish were cut out and glued to a background and embellished with silver paper scales. The finished artwork will be displayed in the library’s children’s section for the month of March.  For more information about this event or other art-related events, email Carol at artsculture@womensclubofcaldwell.org.

A Baby Shower for Eva’s Village

Our club organized a Baby Shower get-together for club members to bring additional items for Eva’s Village and to view the hundreds of baby items collected from the public. Club member Maria L. organized the baby shower, complete with games and punch!  Members enjoyed playing Family Feud with questions about baby care and Wheel of Fortune based on Nursery Rhymes. The members organized the items collected and packed them for delivery to Eva’s Village, an organization that aids women and children in need. For more information about Eva’s Village, visit https://www.evasvillage.org/.

National Make a Blanket Day –

We had a fantastic turnout of volunteers (club members and friends) to help make blankets for Project Linus at the West Caldwell Library on the afternoon of Saturday, February 18.   Arts & Culture Co-Chair Carol C. prepared the fleece for the volunteers to cut and create fringe on the edges. The finished 18 blankets will be donated to the North Jersey Chapter of Project Linus, which will deliver them to children in need. To learn more about this service project, email Carol at artsculture@womensclubofcaldwell.org.

February Club Meeting –

At the club’s February meeting, Captain Jeffrey Sutherlin and members of the West Essex First Aid Squad gave a presentation on how to handle Emergency Situations, including Basic First Aid, CPR, AED demonstration, etc.   Our club made a donation of $1,000.00 to the West Essex First Aid Squad. Program Coordinator Diane Russo and Health & Wellness Chairperson, Nancy Howley, presented the donation to Squad Captain Jeff Sutherlin, West Essex First Aid volunteer Jessica Anello, and Squad President Peter Nancoz.

February International Luncheon

For our February Internation Luncheon, we chose Asian Delite restaurant in West Caldwell, which prepares Chinese and Japanese specialties. Club members and friends joined together for a fun-filled and delicious afternoon of friendly banter and camaraderie.

Members Go to Broadway

Maria L. and Alicia D. were two of several members who entered the lottery for tickets to see Six on Broadway. They were surprised to find they had won box seats! If you want more information about upcoming club theater trips, contact Maria at mtlopez973@yahoo.com.

Valentine’s Cards for Nursing Home Residents

Club members and friends gathered at the West Caldwell Library to make Valentine’s Cards for residents at a local nursing home.  We held three workshops at the library to make over 130 unique cards for the West Caldwell Care Center residents.  We hope these cards send a little love this Valentine’s Day.

January Club Meeting

We started the year with a little fun – a Skit Night! Arts Performing Chair, Maria Lopez, researched and typed several well know skits for club members to perform. There was the famous Lucy & Ethel working at the chocolate factory, a scene from the Golden Girls, and several Saturday Night Live skits.  Lots of fun was had by all in attendance.

 

Member Holiday Gathering

Club members “Jingled & Mingled” at our December holiday gathering. Diane R., Mary Pat P., Nancy K., and Kate S. decorated the room with a Winterland theme and organized a variety of activities  (Ugly Christmas Sweater Contest, Surprise Gift Exchange, Cookie Exchange, and Holiday Craft) for club members to enjoy.  A wonderful time was had by all!

December  International Luncheon

Our December International Lunch took us to Shan Shan Noodles in Parsippany, a Chinese restaurant whose specialty is hand-pulled noodles. We meet once a month, and new potential members are welcome. To join us, check our calendar and contact us at womensclubofcaldwellnj@gmail.com.

 

NJ State Botanical Gardens Skylands Manor Trip

Five club members visited the N.J. State Botanical Gardens Skylands Manor in early December to see the Christmas displays in the manor house.  Each room of the manor was decorated with botanicals and ornaments to represent a holiday theme, including Santa, candy canes, elves, gnomes, and the movies Elf and The Grinch.   After the tour, members enjoyed a light lunch and visited the holiday boutique, which had nature/garden-themed items for sale.

November Club Meeting

Richard Gibbs, who has been collecting postcards with scenes of western Essex County for about 30 years, was our guest speaker for our November meeting. His presentation of postcards allowed viewers to take a trip back in time down Bloomfield Avenue from the Caldwell-Verona border to Roseland Avenue.  Photographs included many pictures of the trolly and train route, plus many homes and businesses that still exist in town. Most of the postcards in his collection date from about 1905 to 1930. Mr. Gibbs narrated the trip and answer questions.  The presentation was enjoyed by all.

 

November International Luncheon

 

We met at Fairfield Falafel House for our monthly international lunch.

Fairfield Falafel House offers traditional Middle Eastern food.

 

Bring Your Own Craft – WC Library

NJSFWC Fall Conference

Four club members attended the New Jersey State Federation of Women’s Club’s Fall Conference at the Battleground Country Club in Manalapan Township, NJ on Monday, October 23.  The morning speakers included representatives from the Special State Project – Emmanuel Cancer Foundation, and a short review of projects from the Community Service Program Chairmen. Our club’s Special State Project chair, Barbara Buechner delivered a trunk load of food, donated by our club members, to the Emmanuel Cancer Foundation. In the afternoon, the keynote speaker was Julia Orlando director of the Bergen County Housing, Health, & Human Services Center. She spoke about the work she does in Bergen County which has culminated in the first community to end homelessness. Pictured from left to right are Phyllis Kent, Barbara Buechner, NJSFWC President Shirley Holly, W.C. of Caldwell President Alicia DiMonte, and Carol Crump.

October Club Meeting

At our October meeting, we were moving our bodies to music while practicing for a future flash mob event. The song “Can’t Stop the Feeling“ by Justin Timberlake was upbeat and fun! We danced to a video made to teach listeners the dance: How To Dance – Can’t Stop The Feeling. Halloween decorations, including club-made spooky trees, were the night’s decor. We also enjoyed wonderful member-provided refreshments. Everyone in attendance had plenty of laughs and got some exercise, too!

Visit to the Van Vleck Garden

Several members visited the scarecrow exhibit at Van Vleck Garden in Montclair.

International Luncheon – October

 Members met for a Portuguese lunch at Eurogrill on Bloomfield Avenue, Caldwell.

Volunteers in Action – Opioid Awareness and Recovery Walk Club members volunteered to serve the walkers at the 5th Annual Opioid Awareness and Recovery Walk on October 15 in Caldwell. Pictured from left are Joann P, Marge O’, and Dori G. 

 

Halloween Craft

Members of the Women’s Club of Caldwell met at the West Caldwell Library to create a Halloween craft.  Each attendee made a spooky mini tree with pumpkins, spiders, and bones!  For more information about upcoming art/craft activities with the club, please email Carol at artsculture@womensclubofcaldwell.org.

September Collection

Thank you to everyone who donated to the Women’s Club of Caldwell’s collection of birthday party supplies for the Emmanuel Cancer Foundation. Your donation of gift bags, decorations, tableclothes, ect. will bring smiles to children dealing with cancer. The Emmanuel Cancer Foundation provides New Jersey families facing the crisis of pediatric cancer a place to turn for comfort and support. For more information about this project or the Emmanuel Cancer Foundation, please email Barbara at  BzBuechner@gmail.com

 

September 2022 Club Meeting

At our September monthly meeting, Master Gardener Jane Kinkle was assisted by Frances Larkey in giving a presentation on the difference between herbs and spices, plus the history of spices.  Attendees also made a delicious herb cream cheese spread and planted herbs (basil, chives, and parsley) to take home.

Tag Sale for Alzheimer’s Research

An all-club tag sale was held to raise money for Alzheimer’s Research.

The Seeing Eye………. Worth the Wait!

What a wonderful experience for all who attended  and what perfect weather! On Friday the 14th, of May 2021, The Seeing Eye visited us (WCC) at Grover Cleveland Park. Although the Star attractions were Mac, a Lab-Golden Retriever Cross  (who looks like a Black Lab) and his owner Kathy Murray, 2 other Seeing Eye dogs in training and their volunteer trainers delighted us with their presence.  Don MacGowen, Program coordinator for the Seeing Eye Pennies for Puppies Program, taught us a lot about the Seeing Eye including about the lives of the dogs, how people and dogs are matched and how the program is funded. A  demonstration occurred , with the help of Doris , one of our members, to show us one of the exercises that potential candidates go through in order to be matched with their dogs.  And we were regaled with Seeing Eye and puppy antics by both Kathy and Don, as well as by the volunteers in training. We learned a lot about the lives of these amazing dogs and their owners. Recently we received a Thank You letter for the donation WCC made to the Seeing Eye with the certificate : A note of Thanks also goes to the Grover Cleveland Park Conservancy for allowing us to utilize the Pond House and the benches and bathrooms there.

Special Event: Women of the Supreme Court

February 2021 Blizzard Bags for the Caldwell Food Pantry were collected

A Meditation and Healthy Habits  presentation was held at the  January 15, 2021 Monthly Meeting The Women’s Club of Caldwell Monthly meeting was held on January 15th 2021. The theme for the meeting was “Meditation and Healthy Habits for the New Year.” After a short club meeting, guest speaker Penny Prosperi presented meditation/stress reduction techniques. This meditation practice was followed by  a slide presentation pointing out what  healthy habits look like and dis cussed strategies to incorporate good habits into your life.   The slide show can be found in the Community Outreach page of this website.

Special Event The Statue of Liberty

September 18th 2020 on ZOOM

 

 The West Caldwell library,

sponsored by The Women’s Club of Caldwell

was pleased to offer a special zoom event “The Statue of Liberty” Presented by  Kevin Woyce author, photographer and lecturer specializing in regional American history..

The  event started with a brief informational commentary on The  Club  followed by a very interesting presentation and slide show on the history of The Statue of Liberty.  The event was well attended and the audience was impressed by the wealth of information Mr Woyce has to share.  Congratulations to all on a very successful event.

 

ART Contest Update:

International Luncheon – June, 2020

The  International Luncheon was held  this past week for  both fellowship and to support the local restaurants in town. This was the first time we met as a club, for this activity  since the lockdown due to the Corona virus.  This month we ordered from Eurogrill on the Avenue, and ate our Portuguese curbside pickup at the West Caldwell Gazebo. With COVID restrictions being lifted soon for outside dining, we are  planning  to support another  local restaurant on Tuesday, July 7th (1st Tuesday of the month). Although many members of our group have been deliberately ordering out to support the restaurants in town throughout this pandemic, we are hoping to continue this activity, as a group, in order to keep in touch with our membership as we support our local businesses. Please join us, This activity is open to all. Bring your masks until further notice!

Members prepare lunch at Oasis In Paterson 3/13/2020

Samples of children’s art work displayed at the West Caldwell Public Library

New Member Orientation. March 6, 2020

We held a new member introduction into our club. It was an informative session designed to welcome and embrace new members as well as encourage active participation in all activities.

Women’s Club Meeting. February 21, 2020

Our February 21 meeting focused on women’s health and exercise. We listened to a talk by our one of own registered nutritionists, emphasizing mindful healthy eating.  Club members enjoyed good food, nutritional advice and dancing for exercise.

Women’s Club Meeting. January 17, 2020

Photo of the Women’s club members who prepared soup for our soup tasting meeting.

WCC members participate in the First Annual “joint” Seniors Club Holiday Celebration luncheon@ the Greenbrook Country Club, N. Caldwell, 12/13/19

WCC members enjoying the 49th annual Christmas sing -along at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Newark NJ 12/12/19

Holiday Party 2019

On December 6th, we held our holiday party. After some food and fun we wrote cards to people in assisted living for our community service project. Local vendors were on hand with holiday gift giving items. We had a good showing of members and friends.

Meet and Greet

On Friday November 15th, we held a meet and greet at Rock’ n Joe’s Cafe.  Potential new members had the opportunity to meet and spend  time with some of the club’s women, have any questions answered, and enjoy some pastries and beverages.

For our November monthly meeting, we had Geeta Lahiri and Carol Fahy from Young Living, talk to us about essential oils. They guided us in making some take home products. Everyone left with a face serum, hand moisturizer, and a sleeping spray. On December 6th, we’ll be having our holiday party. If you wish to join us, reach out to us on our contact us page.

Book Club

We hold a monthly Book Club meeting at a member’s house, where we socialize, enjoy sharing food, and engage in discussion. If you are interested in joining us, please send us an email through our contact us In November, we discussed “The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World” by Melinda Gates. In  October,  we discussed the book Educated: a memoir by Tara Westover. For November, we will be reading The Moment of Lift by Melinda Gates.

Oct 22,2019 Cloverleaf Scholarship Fundraiser a Success

Rain did not deter the many Club members  with their families and friends who came out to support our Fundraiser held last night at The Cloverleaf Restaurant in Caldwell.  Fun was had by all as we enjoyed the variety of “vittles and libations” and community spirit  offered there.

OCTOBER MEETING

For our October meeting, we enjoyed a wonderful variety of dishes in a potluck dinner. This was followed by a presentation by Linda Kenyon as Julia Child. Our November meeting will be held on the 8th. We’ll have a presentation on the benefits of essential oils and we’ll be making some take home, women’s care products. Check the flyer on the upcoming activities page

Bullying Prevention

On October 5th, as part of bullying prevention month, author Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta presented a program at the Caldwell Public Library. Maryanne’s memoir is about being bullied in the 1970s and how she learned to fight back. The Women’s Club of Caldwell co-sponsored the program with the Caldwell library and donated 10 books to GCMS and local libraries

World Environmental Health Day

WCC helped create conscience and educate the community about this year’s theme: “Climate change challenges, time for global Environmental Health to act in unison.”

September meeting

In addition to our regular business meeting, we painted wine glasses and filled stockings for soldiers.

Stockings for Our Troops

Operation Yellow Ribbon, was selected for this year’s stocking drive. They are a New Jersey based organization whose major focus is organizing and collecting donated supplies and goodies to send to our brave U.S troops deployed  in the Middle East. Our club filled holiday stockings with items and love at the September 20^th meeting.

Gazebo Concert In July

Members of the WCC attending the West Caldwell gazebo concert. Check our Facebook page to see our latest activities. (see link below)