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Arts & Entertainment

Elsinore Woman's Club Helping Unite The Community

Club members have been reaching out to Lake Elsinore since 1906.

Racks of clothes line up on the wooden floor of the historical 1925 building in . Large windows shine light on the Christmas decorations adorning the walls. Seasonal murals hang at each side of a large stage that holds a Christmas tree and holiday figures.

The sound of hangers swishing along the racks mix with the compliments being called out on various ensembles as the women choose their outfits. There is laughter and joking. The women are obviously close -- their camaraderie evident and their enthusiasm contagious.

These are the ladies of the , and they are preparing for their Jan. 22 event, the .

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Holly Baldwin, house chair of the club explained, "This is an annual event. We have 20 models (members) and a different theme every year. Last year was New York Style; this year is Viva Las Vegas. They (the members) also perform a little skit, and even the table decorations are sold afterward to raise money."

A portion of the proceeds from the event will go to local scholarships: Raising money for education has been a tradition at Elsinore Woman's Club since 1919, when the first scholarship of $25 ($1,000 in today's dollars) was awarded to a local young woman.

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The Elsinore Woman's Club has actually been sponsoring fundraising events since 1906, when 12 local prominent women gathered to improve their lives and their community. Under the motto "Strength United Is Stronger," the original members made certain to pursue education, high culture and open-ended service to help build their community.

Since 1906, the original 12 members have grown to 130, and the founders would be proud to see the fruition of their intentions.

Current club president and local artist Robin Golden described the philosophy.

"We reach out to the community. If people are looking for an avenue to help, we have a wide focus," she said. "We have food drives. There's educational, literary, conservation, art, the flower show -- there's not just one venue."

Golden said she is looking forward to an event planned for St. Patrick's Day.

"We wanted to plan something for the whole family, so we'll have activities and fun things for the kids to do -- musical entertainment, a silent auction, Irish dancers and a sanctioned home brew contest. We'll have vendors set up in booths, also a corned beef and cabbage dinner provided by the Woman's Club. Our food is always a big draw," she said.

Decorating Chair Karen Roelke, a member since 2007, is proud of the work the club does and the level of involvement from members.

"We have a variety of women of all ages, and this gives us a chance to stay involved with our community," she said. "The biggest thing for me personally is that I know exactly where my efforts help, whether it's the high schools, or the veterans, or (Helping Our People of Elsinore)."

When asked about the club's successes, Roelke laughed.

"We have a lot of very energetic women that give a lot of time, passion and enthusiasm; they're very organized! When we have an event, without even calling, we have women showing up to help," she said.

Education Chair Chelsey Cutter said the club has created lifelong friendships.

"I'm so excited about finding this Woman's Club. There are women here who have been friends for 40 years," she explained. "I lived here eight years and I only knew my neighbor. I attended a chamber event and learned about the club."

Cutter said the club looks out for its community.

"I lost my mother when I was 17. I never had sisters or a daughter. This just fills the whole gamut for me," she said. "When a co-worker suffered a tragedy, I called these women and they provided so much help. There are so many other instances like this. Should support be needed, these women -- and even their husbands -- don't hesitate to help.

"(Former Mayor and current Councilwoman) Melissa Melendez is a member," Cutter continued. "She did a video for her city address. She chose a few of us to present what we see in our community and my focus was the Woman's Club. It's very nurturing and we have a lot of fun. You can't sit next to me and not hear about the Woman's Club!"

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