Mission
The Agua Dulce Women’s Club is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization, founded by women of the community in 1948, whose mission is to put caring and commitment into action through community based philanthropic and scholarship programs. The Agua Dulce Women’s Club maintains and preserves a historic clubhouse for use by local community organizations.
The Early Years and Creation of the Agua Dulce Women’s Club
The story of the Agua Dulce Women’s Club reads like one from a quaint film: from humble beginnings (a literal dirt lot, nearly no budget to build a clubhouse, and a little community that could), and decades of growth, bonding, and community contributions. The story of our little club began over 70 years ago, and involves many of the unforgettable characters who have called our town home.
The group that would officially become the Agua Dulce Women’s Club began as the Agua Dulce Mother’s Club, a small organization that operated to support the Agua Dulce School. When the school became part of the newly formed Agua Dulce-Soledad Union School District (alongside Acton School), there was a discussion within the Agua Dulce Mother’s Club whether to join up with the Acton Mother’s Club, or to start a new organization. The decision was made to form a new, official club, and it was the fall of 1948 that saw the creation of the new Agua Dulce Women’s Club. At the September 23rd meeting, an official vote was passed to rename and reorganize the club in a more official capacity. There were 15 ladies present, with Myrtle Fletcher selected as the first president. The board also consisted of Vice President Helen Turner and Secretary/Treasurer Helen Holcombe. Charter members were Vivian Fielding, Beaulah Bruce, Virginia Dyer, Helen Holcombe, Gladys De Mars, Margaret Lewis, Mabel Boston, Helen Turner, Myrtle Fletcher, Ruth MacNiel, Mae Hasket, Altedena Oliver, and of course, our beloved and recently departed town matriarch, Doreetha Daniels. The ladies of the club quickly formed their by-laws and constitution, incorporating both documents before the end of the year.
The remainder of 1948 saw the growth of efforts to raise funds to build a clubhouse, with the ladies (and men) of the club showing their creativity and senses of humor in raising the monies. Through fun events, such as a bazaar, dances, holiday dinners, and a paper recycling drive, the building fund began to grow. These efforts were also made into fun community events, with perhaps the most humorous being the “come-as-you-are” breakfasts, where the ladies of the club would randomly show up on your doorstep, whisking you away to a waffle breakfast in your pajamas (or whatever else you were wearing, including hair curlers), where you were invited to also make a donation to the fund. In a humorous snippet from The Signal newspaper on November 25th, 1948, the citizens of Agua Dulce were advised that “the come-as-you-are breakfasts are going to continue. Consider yourselves warned.” To offer additional support, the Agua Dulce Property Owner’s Association voted to cooperate in support of the A.D.W.C.’s efforts to obtain land and build a clubhouse.
The following year saw further progress for the club, with the overwhelming kindness of member Opal Sciarra, alongside her husband Ben, generously deeding acreage on Agua Dulce Canyon Road for the A.D.W.C. to finally build their club house. By August, the deed to the club’s new property, as well as the Articles of Incorporation, were both recorded in the County of Los Angeles’ records. As with any grass-roots building project, it would take years before the necessary funds were raised, but by 1951, the mighty little club did it. As noted, with great joy, in The Signal newspaper on April 26th the opening celebration of the brand new club house would be held on Saturday, April 28th. The community was invited, with great appreciation toward those who assisted in the efforts, to join for fun, dancing, live entertainment, and of course, lots of food.
In the following decades that the Agua Dulce Women’s Club has been in existence, it has evolved and changed to fill various roles in the community of Agua Dulce, and in support of neighboring ones as well. The clubhouse has served as a meeting place for community organizations such as the Agua Dulce Town Council, the Acton-Agua Dulce Chamber of Commerce, the Agua Dulce Civic Association, the Agua Dulce chapter of the Lion’s Club, the Agua Dulce Country Fair committee, local Girl and Boy Scout groups, 4-H, and many, many more. Our little clubhouse has seen everything from film shoots to the Miss Agua Dulce Pageant, teen dances, holiday celebrations, weddings, and celebrations of life. While the club is still small and humble, it is mighty, and the future continues to look bright for many wonderful memories to come. We invite you and your family to join us in making these memories, and allowing us to serve you as caretakers of our community.
Sarah Brewer, Historian
