Boating season to begin

5/22/2003

The Opening of the Port festivities this weekend kick off the boating season. There will be parties all weekend, but the sight to see is the official ceremony at 1 p.m. Saturday at Maumee River Yacht Club. Commodores from area yacht clubs, all in dress uniform, will gather by the flagpole at the club. Tim and Kathy Mikolajczak, who were inducted as the MRYC commodore and lady during the commodore's ball May 9 at Central Union Plaza, will be there, along with new commodores from co-sponsoring clubs: Doug Hoff and Lady Rita, Toledo Sailing Club; Jack Pozsik and Lady Deborah, Toledo Yacht Club, and Bill Lenz and Lady Pauline, Bay View Yacht Club.

RUTH DODGE, Bunny Kapp, Ellie Baker, Tibble Foster, Georgia Welles, Smiley Putman, Joan Haigh, Alice Weber, Phyllis Driggs, Nancy Metzger, Trish Branam, Mary Westphal, Judy Barnard, and Lillian Walsh. What do these women - some living, some deceased - have in common? They are just a few of the past presidents of the Junior League of Toledo, which celebrated its 70th anniversary Monday at Gladieux Meadows. Ladies gathered for cocktails and dinner, followed by the annual meeting and change of officers. The new president is Karen Driggs.

Tim and Kathy Mikolajczak were inducted May 9 as the Maumee River Yacht Club's commodore and lady.
Tim and Kathy Mikolajczak were inducted May 9 as the Maumee River Yacht Club's commodore and lady.

The Junior League of Toledo, Inc., founded in 1929 as the Junior Service Club, became a member of the Junior League of America in 1933. The national organization, now international, was founded by Mary Harriman, for whom an annual award is named. This year's honorees were Betsy Brady and Sue Lincoln.

Margaret Walbridge was the first Toledo Junior League president with charter members Fidelia Wallace, Annette Haigh, Hilda Bentley, Josephine Blair, Virginia Stranahan, Emma MacNichol, Paula Secor, Virginia Kirchmaier, Betty DeVilbiss, Madeline Waite, and Margaret McKelvy.

The purpose of the league is educational and charitable, with focus on training members to become community leaders. Over the years, the league has been a forerunner in serving community needs. Projects, mainly dealing with problems concerning women, children, and families, have included medical, social service, and clothing centers; art in Toledo Public Schools and the Toledo Museum of Art; music appreciation and book programs on the radio; the Voluntary Action Center; the art museum's docent program; Lucas County Juvenile Court Citizens Review Board; a conservation documentary, Fate of a River; Project READ, now Read for Literacy; Volunteer Focus, now in the high schools, and the Aurora House. In addition, the league has made many monetary donations to the community.

SEVERAL MOVERS and shakers are members of the University of Toledo Alumni Association. Karen Fraker was inducted as president May 15 during the annual meeting at Sylvania Country Club. Board officers also include Ted Hahn, Birdel Jackson, Barbara Berebitsky, Constance Zouhary, and Rob Robinson.

Meanwhile, other community leaders give their time to causes such as the Toledo Day Nursery, whose new president is Louise Barkan, with officers Zana Sandys, Margaret Hilfinger, Cheri Gosline, Equilla Roach, Barbara Boggs, and Marcia McCready.