Oregon City Woman's Club

06/20/2026

Camp Ukandu has been bringing hope, friendship, and adventure to Oregon children affected by cancer for decades. As the state's largest and longest-running medically supervised camp of its kind, it provides life-changing experiences for children and their families at no cost.

Every summer, 132 children who have faced a cancer diagnosis—and their siblings—come together at YMCA Camp Collins for a week filled with fun, discovery, and connection. Supported by more than 110 dedicated volunteers, campers climb rock walls, ride horses, play games, and share experiences with peers who truly understand their journey. At Camp Ukandu, children find confidence, belonging, and the freedom to laugh, dream, and simply be kids while creating memories that last a lifetime.

The camp concluded with a special themed dance on the final evening, giving campers a chance to dress up and celebrate with friends. On Thursday, June 18th, seven Oregon City Woman’s Club members volunteered to decorate for this year’s Western-themed event, helping create a memorable evening for the children.

OCWC members who participated were Gail Aldridge, Marsha Gross, Annette James, LaRee Johnson, Marilyn Rudd, Karmin Tomlinson and Susie Werner.

06/19/2026

On Wednesday, June 17th, Oregon City Woman’s Club President Susie Werner and Past-President Gail Aldridge spoke at the Rotary Club of Oregon City’s weekly meeting at the Providence Willamette Falls Community Center. Gail shared photos and stories about our club’s history and Susie talked about the many ways we raise funds to give back to our community. She also shared photos of our club members at work.

06/15/2026

The Oregon City Woman’s Club held its June 11 meeting in the community room at Prince of Life Lutheran Church in Oregon City. President Susie Werner conducted her first business meeting, and 37 club members were in attendance. Membership Chair Joanne Haeffele welcomed Annette James as the club’s newest member. Her sponsor, Bev Spilseth, shared why Annette will be a wonderful addition to our organization, and we look forward to getting to know her better. We were also pleased to welcome guests Jeanne Armstead, Jill Buchanan, Debbie Hiatt, Pam Meyer, and Diane Wright.

Budget Committee Chair Judy Storey presented the 2026–27 budget to the membership, and it passed unanimously.

Past President Gail Aldridge shared highlights from the 2026 OFWC Annual Convention, held at the Grand Hotel in Tigard on May 15–16.

Connie Kitzmiller introduced our own Alice Hayden as the OFWC Clubwoman of the Year. Alice was recognized for this honor at the state convention. Over the years, she has served as Treasurer, Financial Secretary, Recording Secretary, and President of our club. She has also contributed to numerous committees, including Scholarship, Budget, Bylaws, Social Services, Civic Improvement, Auction, and Bingo, to name just a few. What sets Alice apart is her willingness to step in wherever she is needed. Whether the event is a service project, fundraiser, or social gathering, Alice is almost always there, ready to contribute.

President Susie Werner presented the club’s Gold Key Award for meritorious service to Chris Wadsworth. Since joining the club in 2005, Chris has served in numerous leadership roles, including Secretary, Vice President, and President. Over the years, she has compiled the club directory, published the newsletter, and served as liaison to the Oregon City Police Department. She also coordinates the club’s participation in Shop with a Cop each December and organizes the annual Shred Event each fall. Chris’s dedication to the club continues as she assumes her new role as Civic Improvement Committee Chair.

Bev Spilseth shared information about the September 2026 GFWC International Day of Service. This year’s focus will be on ending domestic and sexual violence. We will be purchasing items for pre-teens and teenagers and assembling care bags at our September meeting for the Oregon City Children’s Center.

Nancy McCrary and Alice Hayden displayed a beautiful DAR quilt that will be raffled off once 100 tickets have been sold. Proceeds will benefit Backpack Buddies during the coming school year.

Guest Debbie Hiatt won the 50-50 raffle.

Our monthly project brought in more than $75 worth of products for Love INC. Donations included hygiene products, laundry soap, paper towels, toilet paper, toilet bowl cleaner, and dish soap. Several club members also contributed monetary donations.

Our guest speaker was Debra Mason, Executive Director of the Clackamas Community College Foundation. Debra explained the Foundation’s work on behalf of students and the challenges many face in staying enrolled. One of her most important messages was that when students have reliable access to tuition assistance and essential resources such as food, housing, and transportation, they can focus on learning and achieving their educational goals. In 2025, the Foundation distributed more than $177,000 in basic-needs support, helping students access these critical resources. This stability not only benefits individual students but also strengthens our community as a whole.

Our next General Meeting will be held on September 10. Even though we won’t be meeting formally during the summer months, you can still find us actively serving our community and enjoying time together:

• June 17 – Glass fusion class
• June 18 – Decorating for a special dance for Ukandu at Camp Collins
• June 18, July 16, and August 20 – Cleaning books at Clackamas Bookshelf
• July 9, 10, and 11 – Annual Garage Sale at 21841 S. Foothills Avenue in Oregon City
• August 10–12 – Packing school supplies for needy children through Project Start Right

Have a wonderful summer!

06/15/2026

06/04/2026

Picking up wilted flowers after Memorial Day is an annual Oregon City Woman's Club tradition. On June 1, club members volunteered at St. John the Apostle Catholic Cemetery in Oregon City to help with this important cleanup effort.

As part of the club's environmental projects, the team completed in about 30 minutes what would have taken Gary, the cemetery manager, an entire day to accomplish on his own. The beautiful sunny weather made the experience even more enjoyable as members worked together to support and beautify their community.

A special thank you to the seven volunteers who participated this year: Marsha Gross, Lori Misley, Marilyn Rudd, Karmin Tomlinson, Chris Wadsworth, Roxanne Wheeler, and Sheila Wilson.

06/04/2026

This May, the Oregon City Woman’s Club has awarded scholarships to Chloe Hamel and Kesley Yaklich, two outstanding 2026 graduates from Oregon City High School.

Chloe Hamel plans to attend Clackamas Community College to pursue a career in nursing, with the ultimate goal of earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Adult Health Nursing. She has excelled academically, earning an outstanding 3.99 GPA at Oregon City High School, while actively participating in athletics, the National Honor Society, Student Government, and numerous school and church activities.

In addition to her academic and extracurricular achievements, Chloe has demonstrated a strong commitment to serving others. She completed an internship with The Father's Heart Street Ministry, volunteered monthly at Oregon City Brax Laundry community events, and served as a Unified Basketball and Soccer Partner, supporting students with physical and intellectual disabilities through sports and inclusion. Her dedication to leadership, service, and compassion reflects the qualities that will make her an exceptional healthcare professional.

Kesley Yaklich also plans to attend Clackamas Community College to pursue a career in nursing, with the goal of earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research, or Clinical Nursing. An exceptional student, Kesley has earned a perfect 4.0 GPA at Oregon City High School while also completing 26 college credits through Clackamas Community College and 12 credits through Oregon Institute of Technology, providing her with a strong academic foundation for her future studies.

Throughout high school, Kesley has been actively involved in Student Council, the National Honor Society, and athletics. She has also demonstrated a commitment to serving her community through volunteer work at Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center and The Father's Heart Street Ministry, as well as participation in environmental stewardship projects, including Friends of Trees and road and beach cleanup efforts. Her academic achievement, leadership, and commitment to community service reflect the compassion and dedication essential to the nursing profession.

We will be able to meet and congratulate these outstanding scholarship recipients at our June General Meeting.

05/29/2026

On Thursday, May 28th, seven members and one prospective member of the Oregon City Woman's Club packed 66 bags of food for Gaffney Lane Elementary School students. Participants included Denise Goding, Annette James, LaRee Johnson, Penny Santos, Bev Spilseth, Sue Standish, Karmin Tomlinson and Chris Wadsworth.

Oregon City’s Backpack Buddies program is a non-profit organization in cooperation with the Oregon Food Bank. Backpack Buddies, part of a network of churches, provides food-insecure school kids with nourishing food over the weekend, holidays, and other times of need.

We will be packing food bags again after school begins in late September.

05/27/2026

On Memorial Day 2026, four members of the Oregon City Woman’s Club attended the commemorative ceremony at Mountain View Cemetery. During the program, organizations were honored and representatives placed bouquets at the base of the flagpole. OCWC member Kathleen Wood represented the club in tribute to those who served. Club attendees were Susie Werner, Chris Wadsworth, Sheila Wilson and Kathleen Wood.

05/22/2026

May 21st was another book cleaning at Clackamas Bookshelf... unfortunately the date conflicted with an OCWC budget meeting so our one representative showed up and Katy Reed Preston had her sort donated books! Karmin Tomlinson was happy to spend a relaxed morning with the regular volunteers deciding which donated books should go to the sale and which ones should be cleaned to give to children.