“Like pebbles in the water, you just don't know” the ripple effect of the least little things, said Jan Sauvageau, president of The Woman’s City Club of Norwich.

“I think the more you give, the more you get back in ways that you haven't even thought of,” she added in a phone interview.

Sauvageau reflected on feedback from families at dinners when their graduating Norwich Free Academy children received club scholarships and how much it helps the whole family, “because there's so much stress in trying to provide for everything.”

“And the more you get involved, the more those blessings come back to you. I swear it works. I don't know how, but it does,” said Sauvageau, who worked as a head psychiatric nurse at Norwich Hospital until it closed.

Down from almost 300 in the 1990s, the 100-member club draws from across eastern Connecticut – from Dayville and Norwich to New London and East Lyme, and is in need of new members of all ages, races, ethnicities and educational backgrounds.

Sauvageau said the club no longer reflects the community, which is made up of over 100 different ethnicities. Many women from different cultures would like to join, but they are working, she added.

Members’ activities run the gamut: holding drives for food and hygiene products, bringing keepsakes and reading to seniors in assisted living facilities/nursing homes and spending time with individuals during their final hours of life through Hospice. Club members also maintain the watering troughs at Chelsea Parade Green and clean public areas.

Annually, they help organize, wrap and distribute gifts for the Tommy Toy Fund, participate in the Holiday Parade, award numerous scholarships to NFA students, donate at least $100 to ten charitable groups, and co-sponsor an annual Native Son/Daughter Luncheon with the Rotary Club of Norwich.

Being a member is very rewarding, especially when it involves special projects such as scholarship fundraising, which became more challenging during Covid, said Andrea Mallon, 75, who co-chairs the scholarship and yearbook committees. The Montville resident said during a telephone interview she also enjoys the social aspect of the club and has made many new friends.

The club was formed on April 6, 1927, when most women were homemakers and Calvin Coolidge was the U.S. president. That same year, the silent film era came to an end with “The Jazz Singer,” Charles Lindbergh flew his Spirit of St. Louis single-engine plane nonstop across the Atlantic Ocean and Henry Ford introduced the Ford Motor Company’s latest vehicle: the Model A.

“The Club is a women’s organization dedicated to community improvement by enhancing the lives of others through volunteer services. This nonprofit organization promotes civic, educational and cultural life in our community at large,” according to WCCN’s mission statement.

Member Beth O’Connell, now in her 90s, started the first scholastic/art scholarship committees in 1963 and the club presented awards that same year, member and East Lyme resident Cathy Chinigo said during a telephone interview.

"Laughter, being around others and having interesting and challenging conversations is something we need at every stage of life," said Fran Leta, publicity chairperson, from her Norwich home. And sometimes, "Just dumb conversations about nonsense,” with your peers, she said, smiling.

Leta said the club is working on dispelling the image of women just lounging about drinking tea.

Many members are in professions and stellar in their fields, said Leta, who joined the club after retiring as principal of NFA’s Tirrell Building in 2017.

She added that this “hands-on” club includes women from all walks of life, and a college degree or even attendance is not required.

Some members have retired, but not all, Leta said. “And now it's their time to give back to the community without any worry about salary or anything like that.”

As a member, she said women can do as much or as little as they want.

“If you want just the social piece, to go to hear the speakers or partake in the luncheons, you can do that, or you can be as active as you want. I'm somewhere in between.”

"It's positive interaction. Even if you disagree, it's still a positive and gets those synapses jumping," Leta said.

Explaining one reason she volunteers, she said, "I don't want my brain to go to mush."

“It's just a wonderful place to be,” Leta added. “Come join us and be part of the community."

The club’s mantra for 2023 "is about interweaving all walks of life in the community, diversity and inclusiveness.

Numerous club events are already being planned for 2023. A fast-paced Family Feud game (for members) will be held Tuesday, March 21, at 1:30 p.m. at the Rose City Senior Center in Norwich.

The American Home Day Luncheon will be held at noon on Tuesday, April 18, at Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation Casino's Lake of Isles in North Stonington. The annual event, which celebrates home and family, will feature guest speaker Beth Regan, an elder on the Mohegan Tribal Council. She will discuss the role of the Mohegan woman - past, present and future. Open to members and guests. Luncheon fee.

A free program to discuss mental health, addiction and available resources, which will be open to everyone, is being planned for May. Exact date, time, speakers and venue have not yet been decided.

During a membership meeting on Tuesday, May 16, at 1:30 p.m. at the Rose City Senior Center in Norwich, the Rev. Greg Perry will discuss "Celebrating and Appreciating our Differences and Similarities.” Open to members and guests.

Sauvageau said Perry will “speak to us on the differences in different cultures and what offends each culture that we would not be aware of.”

“I think it behooves us to at least be more aware of these differences.”

While traveling to many countries for numerous years, Sauvageau said she found “we are more the same than we are different.”

The club’s annual scholarship fundraising event is being planned for Friday, Nov. 10, at the Holiday Inn in Norwich. It will feature a wine, champagne, liqueur and mocktail tasting and silent 50-50 raffle (split between winners and club) offering tickets and certificates for services, restaurants and high-end venues. There will also be a live auction showcasing pieces by numerous local artists as well as an oil painting valued at $3,200 by well-known Massachusetts artist James Whitbeck. Open to the public. Admission fee.

This event is an opportunity to gather with friends, meet new people, enjoy delectable food and delightful beverages, while also viewing beautiful artwork and possibly taking a chance on the silent auction, said Chinigo, co-chairperson of the scholarship committee.

All club meetings (except lunches) are held at the Rose City Senior Center, 8 Mahan Drive in Norwich, every third Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. No meetings are held in January or February.

For more information about the Woman’s City Club of Norwich, fees for luncheons and some events, go to Facebook: The Woman’s Club of Norwich, or email Andrea Mallon at emtoandrea@gmail.com. To learn about joining, contact Joanne Fusaro by email at jomf@sbcglobal.net or by phone at 860-889-6784.

Jan Tormay, a longtime Norwich resident, now lives in Westerly.