Men’s, Women’s Service Clubs Are Assets to Their Communities

A men’s or women’s service club might not appeal to some, who would find their exclusionary nature less than politically correct. But in Orange County, such groups are not only thriving, they’re doing a lot of good for the rest of us.

Today I’d like to mention two of the county’s most entrenched clubs, both of which have upcoming fund-raisers. Their money goes toward high school students, youth groups and those who work with abused children or spouses. Please note that I only mean them as examples. A lot of other service clubs around the county are perhaps just as dedicated.

The Exchange Club in San Clemente is more than 30 years old. On Thursday, I had the privilege of sharing in its lively weekly luncheon. Its male members are mostly retired, and good-natured ribbing among themselves is a huge part of the agenda.

“You’ll see us get pretty quiet in about 20 minutes, when we’ve all got our mouths too full of food to talk,” said retired Marine Col. Johnnie Vance, a fighter pilot who saw hazardous duty in three wars: World War II, Korea and Vietnam. “We always seem to be at our most rowdy when the guest speaker gets up to talk.”

The guest this day was city Treasurer Paul Gudgeirsson, who is asking voters to pass a tax increase to help solve the city’s $2.8-million budget deficit. (The reception was friendly enough until Gudgeirsson suggested golf fees might have to be increased.)

Thursday’s lunch happened to include a birthday celebration. Retired four-star Gen. J.K. Davis, who was once a wing commander at the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station, turned 70 and was surprised with a cake.

Al Wulfeck, a retired developer who was my lunch partner, told me he joined the Exchange Club 31 years ago, when it had only four members. It’s been a major part of Wulfeck’s life since.

“We have a lot of fun, but there’s a serious side too,” Wulfeck said. “This club has done a lot of good for the community.”

Each year its 80 members sponsor a dinner honoring the city’s top police officer and firefighter. The club’s second big night of the year happens to be tonight. It’s hosting a St. Patrick’s Day dinner at the San Clemente Community Center from 5 to 8 p.m. ($12.50 per ticket). Proceeds go mainly toward city youth groups and the Orange County Child Abuse Prevention Center.

Another service club with a history of helping its community is the Ebell Club of Fullerton. This year marks its 80th anniversary. The club hosts its annual fashion show a week from today, at 10 a.m. at Los Coyotes Country Club in Buena Park. Tickets are $30.

Ruth Underhill Andrew tells me she joined the Ebell Club “when my daughter was 18 months old, and now she’s 38.” Andrew was president of the club 20 years ago. Now she’s about to take over as president again.

Like the Exchange Club, the Ebell Club has branches in numerous cities throughout Southern California.

As a sign of changing times, Andrews told me with a chuckle: “In the beginning [in 1917], the wives had to ask their husbands if it was OK for them to form a club.”

Beneficiaries of club donations include the Fullerton Library, Fullerton Museum, the Arboretum at Cal State Fullerton, and the Florence Crittenton home for abused women.

The Fullerton Ebell Club outgrew its original clubhouse and moved to 313 Laguna Road in 1960. Its spacious clubhouse is rented out routinely for weddings, anniversaries and other parties.

“We’ve had a lot of mother and daughter members in our club,” Andrews said. “For a lot of stay-at-home mothers like me, it’s been a great way to really get to know other women.”

Singing the Blues: On my visit to San Clemente, I couldn’t help but notice one difference between that city and where I live in Anaheim: the color of the sky. It’s a wonderful shade of blue where Wulfeck and Gen. Davis live. Up my way it’s a bit more of a colorless, dingy tone.

Exchange Club member Ron Pontius once headed the Secret Service operation at the Western White House in San Clemente during the Richard Nixon days. He said his family liked the weather there so much they never left after Pontius’ Secret Service days were over.

“Every day is perfect,” he mentioned.

Singing for Fun: If you love children’s music, stop by the Anaheim United Methodist Church at 1000 State College Blvd. this afternoon. It’s hosting the Choristers Guild Children’s Choir Festival. Some 250 children will be on stage singing at once. For the first time, the 10 youth choirs participating include one from the Braille Institute of Orange County.

The event is at 4 p.m., in the church’s sanctuary.

Honoring Survival: Do you happen to know someone who has survived breast cancer and somehow turned it into a positive experience? Many women do, say the staff at the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation in Mission Viejo. The foundation is looking for nominations for an inspiration award, to be presented at its annual Survivors Tea on May 18. It will take nominations through April 1. You can call the staff at (714) 597-0654.

Wrap-Up: Technically, the Exchange Club in Fullerton is not a men’s club and the Fullerton Ebell Club is not a women’s club. Other Exchange clubs in Southern California do have female members. But the San Clemente group’s members are all men, and the Fullerton Ebell Club’s 140 members are all women. So to me, it’s splitting hairs if you want to call and harangue me for identifying them by gender.

Al Wulfeck explained to me that women are not deliberately excluded from the Exchange Club he belongs to. “The problem is we have a cap of 80 members, and we hardly ever get any turnover,” he said.

But the Fullerton Ebell Club might be changing in a big way. One of its leaders, Peggy L. Hedden, told me she wants to push this year for male memberships.

“There are a lot of men who retire but can’t really afford to join a country club,” she said. “I think we could have groups within our club--maybe a men’s golf or bridge section--and that we could all sort of live together within the club, yet each of us go our own way. You know what I mean?”

I do, and I’d say Hedden has a terrific idea that deserves some attention.

Jerry Hicks’ column appears Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Readers may reach Hicks by calling The Times Orange County Edition at (714) 966-7823 or by fax to (714) 966-7711, or e-mail to jerry.hicks@latimes.com