PROGRAMS & EVENTS FOR 2026-2027

 

SEPTEMBER

 

GENERAL MEETING

❖ Thursday, September 24

Fellowship Hall of the Bedford Presbyterian Church

9:30 AM - Coffee Social & Pastry

10:00 AM - Meeting begins

Yearbooks will be distributed 

This is the perfect meeting for you to invite an interested friend or neighbor to join us. We will be reconnecting, mingling, and welcoming new members who have joined over the summer.We will hear about important upcoming events, dates, and locations as well as our interest group’s fun activities. Please bring your calendars so that you know when you are available to assist with our fundraising or join in other available activities. 

 

CHARITY: NH Prostate Cancer Coalition       COORDINATOR: Cathi Bachhuber

September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month so it’s the perfect time to remind the men in your life to get their PSA checked...early detection saves lives. The New Hampshire Prostate Cancer Coalition is all about awareness and early detection and we have partnered with the Solinsky Center for Cancer Care at the Elliot Hospital. The donations received are used to buy grocery store gift cards for the food pantry at the Cancer Center.

Items Requested: $25 Grocery Store gift cards. We usually do Hannaford, but Market Basket or Aldi would be great too. Any monetary donations received will be turned into gift cards.

 

 

OCTOBER

 

MIX & MINGLES

❖ Thursdays, October 8,15 & 29

What a good time to talk and laugh with members you may not see in committees or interest groups. No work, we just enjoy each other's company for a few hours. Members will randomly be invited to attend one of the three host homes. Bring an appetizer and your smile. The invitation to a specific members’ home will be emailed to you. 

 

GENERAL MEETING

❖ Thursday, October 22, 2026

Fellowship Hall of the Bedford Presbyterian Church

11:30 AM - 2:30 PM
PROGRAM:   Isabella Gardner Museum Heist - Geoffrey Kelly

 

On March 18, 1990, thirteen works of art were plucked from the walls of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston by two subjects posing as police officers. Over the next eighty-one minutes, they stole some of the world’s most valuable artwork, including a rare Vermeer and Rembrandt’s only known seascape -- a total loss estimated at over $1 billion. For more than two decades, Geoffrey Kelly, one of the original members of the FBI's elite Art Crime Team, was the lead investigator into the heist. Rather than working the case as a traditional stolen property crime, however, he framed it as a fugitive investigation. Thirteen fugitives, to be exact. In this captivating true crime story, Geoffrey Kelly shares his insights and theories about the case, and recounts his journey to apprehend those thirteen perfect fugitives.

 

CHARITY: Bedford Police Department      COORDINATOR: Becki Kuhns

Since 1989, more than 900,000 women have been trained by over 11,000 certified instructors worldwide. This month’s charitable donation request is for monetary contributions to help support the R.A.D. program and its mission of providing life-saving self-defense education and promoting safer communities through education and prevention.

Items Requested: R.A.D. (Rape Aggression Defense) Systems is an internationally recognized self-defense program dedicated to empowering women, men, children, and seniors through practical personal safety education

 

NOVEMBER

 

PAST PRESIDENTS' LUNCHEON

Monday, November 9. 2026, Noon

 

Past Presidents are invited to a special luncheon in their honor to celebrate friendship, service and their lasting contribution to our Club.

 

GENERAL MEETING

❖ Thursday, November 19, 2026

Fellowship Hall of the Bedford Presbyterian6 Church

11:30 AM - 2:30 PM

PROGRAM:  Operation Delta Dogs   

Speaker, Larry Meyers, one of the NH directors for Operation Delta Dogs

 

Operation Delta Dog is 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to reducing veteran suicide rates by rescuing homeless dogs and training them to be psychiatric service dogs for veterans suffering from PTSD, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and military sexual trauma (MST). By bringing together veterans and rescue dogs, we aim to provide healing, support, and a new lease on life for both.

 

CHARITY: Operation Delta Dogs   Coordinator: Deb Langer

For many veterans, the battle against the debilitating symptoms of trauma continues long after they return home. Through the healing power of rescued service dogs.  Veterans gain independence, hope, and a path forward. As the United States marks 250 years of independence, Operation Delta Dog invites you to honor the service of our veterans with the gift of freedom from trauma.

Items Requested: Cash or check donations. There will be a marked donation container on each table. Please make checks payable to: BWC with a note on the memo line for Operation Delta Dogs. Making checks out to BWC will make it easier for the staff of O.D.D. to acknowledge the generous donations with a single thank you note to our club.

 

BWC FESTIVAL OF TREES AND HOLIDAY MARKET 

❖ Friday, November 20 4:00 PM - 6PM

❖ Saturday, November 21 11AM -4PM

Bedford Presbyterian Church

 

 

 

DECEMBER

 

HOLLY LUNCHEON

❖ Thursday, December 10, 2026

Manchester Country Club

11:00 am - 2:00 pm

Chair: Linda Moreau

Join the Bedford Women’s Club for a festive afternoon of friendship, holiday cheer, and cherished tradition, featuring our beloved Holly Luncheon and Silent Auction. We look forward to celebrating the season together and continuing this wonderful tradition with our members and friends.

 

CHARITY: Bedford Community Food Pantry (BCFP)   Coordinator: Carol Conti

The Bedford Community Food Pantry provides food insecure residents and students of Bedford, NH with healthy food on a weeky basis. 

Items Requested: Items for December will be announced at the Oct & Nov meetings. Monetary donations are always appreciated. Checks can be made out to BCFP.

 

SILENT AUCTION at the Holly Luncheon

Chair:  Bobbie Gibbons, Betsy Stull

The Silent Auction, held during our annual Holly Luncheon, is an important BWC fundraiser supporting our scholarship program and charitable giving. The success of the auction depends on donations from local businesses—and this is where YOU can help! We encourage our BWC members to contact local businesses and service providers to request donations of merchandise, services, experiences, or gift cards. 

To make the process easy, a solicitation letter explaining the Club’s mission and 501(c)(4) tax status will be provided. A "Where Will You Go?" sign-up list will also be available at monthly meetings leading up to the auction so we can coordinate our outreach and avoid duplicate requests. Please deliver donated items to Betsy Stull or Bobbie Gibbons no later than December 3^rd.  Thank you for helping make the Silent Auction a success. Every donation—large or small—helps us continue supporting scholarships and charitable programs in our community.

 

JANUARY 2027

 

GENERAL MEETING

❖ Thursday, January 28, 2027

Fellowship Hall, Bedford Presbyterian Church

11:30 AM - 2:30 PM

PROGRAM:  A Week on the Summit

 

Have you ever wondered what it's like to live and work atop the highest peak in the Northeast?

Join Jim and Carol Zablocki of Warner, NH, as they share their unforgettable experience volunteering for a week at the Mount Washington Observatory. During their stay, they cooked meals, helped maintain the facility, and assisted the Observatory staff while living on the summit of Mt. Washington—where weather can change in an instant and the views are unforgettable. Through beautiful photographs and personal stories, Jim and Carol will take us behind the scenes at the Observatory, explore its fascinating history, and recount what it was like to spend a week "on top of the world in New England."  Whether you've climbed Mt. Washington or only admired it from afar, this promises to be an entertaining and informative program.

CHARITY: Animal Rescue League           Coordinator: Gen Miller

The Animal Rescue League of New Hampshire is a nonprofit organization that helps more than 2200 cats, dogs and small animals each year. The ARLNH was founded in 1902. In 1998, it opened their facility in Bedford. Being more than a shelter, ARLNH also offers community outreach programs to help people who love their pets, but are currently struggling to care for them. ARLNH offers a Pet Food Pantry and Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Clinics.

Items Requested: Gently used towels, washcloths, blankets and flat sheets; Gently used pet toys (no beads, electronics or hard plastic eyes); Gently used small-to-medium-size machine washable pet beds; Unopened, unexpired pet food; Unexpired, clearly labeled pet medication or medical supplies. You can also check out their website www.rescueleage.org for additional suggestions.

 

FEBRUARY

 

GENERAL MEETING

❖ Thursday, February 18, 2027

Fellowship Hall, Bedford Presbyterian Church

11:30 AM - 2:30 PM
PROGRAM:  “Name That Tune” game

Professional Pianist, Organist and Teacher, Nancy Jamrog-Couret is a lifelong musician and is the current Music Minister at St. Andrew’s Church, Manchester NH. Nancy has composed and produced numerous CDs of original spiritual music. Nancy will be our keyboardist for the game. 

“Name That Tune” is a musical guessing game where players work as a team and listen to a short snippet of a song and try to guess its title as quickly as possible. Variations of the game may include guessing the artist or singing a line from the song. “Name That Tune” is an entertaining game promising fun and laughter. Come test your musical knowledge!

CHARITY:  BHS Music Booster Club   Coordinator: Cathi Bachhuber

The Bedford High School Music Booster Club does fundraise as needed to supplement ongoing needs of the Music department. In addition, percussion instruments will be needed so the influx of kids who played in the percussion section in middle school will have instruments to play at the high school. The Booster Club also gives scholarships to graduating seniors who will further their music education in college.

Items Requested: Monetary donations give the most flexibility for funding ongoing needs. Checks can be made out to BHS Music Booster Club.

 

MARCH

 

GENERAL MEETING

❖ Thursday, March 25, 2027

Fellowship Hall, Bedford Presbyterian Church

11:30 AM - 2:30 PM

PROGRAM: Julie Schappals – Bedford NH’s contribution to the American Revolution

Julie has been a member of the Bedford Women’s Club since 2005.  She will share with us her wealth of knowledge regarding the history of Bedford, NH and how the community contributed to the nations fight for independence and formation of a republic.

CHARITY:  Families in Transition   Coordinator: Ambika Giri

At Families in Transition, we create collaborative relationships with our clients and provide vital services to empower individuals and families. We believe that every person should have the support they need to meet their goals and be treated with dignity and respect on their journey. At the heart of everything we do are individuals and organizations that choose to donate their time, money and services to help us make a difference in the lives of so many.

Items Requested: The updated “high-need” items can be found in the Families in Transition website. These are items we need, every day, to shelter, house, feed, and support our community.

 

APRIL

 

TIME & TALENT LUNCHEON AND LIVE AUCTION

Thursday, April 15

Puritan Conference & Event Center, 245 Hooksett Road, Manchester, NH

11:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Chairs: Betsy Stull & Bobbie Gibbons

Share Your Time & Talent! It's time for one of the BWC's most popular fundraisers—the Time & Talent Auction!

Our members have incredible talents, and now is your chance to share yours. Whether you love cooking, baking, painting, photography, decorating, gardening, crafting, or have another special skill, you can support BWC scholarships and charitable donations.

The choice is yours donate either:

A Talent: Create a handmade item, gift, or experience.

Your Time: Offer a service, lesson, or helping hand.

Not sure what to donate? We'd be happy to help you brainstorm ideas!

Auction items will be featured in our live and silent auctions during the luncheon, with our guest auctioneer leading the excitement.

Friends and family are also welcome to donate auction items and attend the luncheon to join in the bidding.

 

ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING

❖ Thursday, April 22

Fellowship Hall, Bedford Presbyterian Church

9:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Coffee hour followed by the annual business meeting

This is a members-only business meeting 

 

Charity: Bless This Home   Coordinator: Gabi Maters

Bless this Home is a Bedford based charity organized to support underprivileged women and their families emerging from restorative programs. Through the generosity and talents of the local community their goal is to provide both the necessities and the niceties of living. 

Items Requested: Pots & Pans - Bakeware, Shower Curtain, Liner and Rings sets – Kitchen Knives & Steak Knives, Like New Complete Queen Sheet sets - Full/Queen Mattress Pads. Please refer to their webpage for a more updated list.

 

MAY 

 

LIFE MEMBERS" TEA

Thursday, May 6^th

Beth Battison’s Home

 

An opportunity for Life Members to gather together for an afternoon of good talk and laughter.  These ladies have contributed to our club with their years of support and participation. It is an honor to recognize their history and contribution.  RSVP to Beverly Jo Synder by April 22^nd

 

MAY LUNCHEON  

❖ Thursday, May 20 , 2027

The Derryfield Country Club

625 Mammoth Road, Manchester, NH

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM: Social Hour

12:00 PM - 2:00 PM: Luncheon, Scholarship Winners & Installation of Officers

Chair: Linda Moreau

 

Please join us at the May Luncheon, the last BWC event of the season, for end of the year fun, food and fellowship. Let's celebrate the wonderful year of 2026-2027 and welcome the 2027-2028 officers. & Board. Guests are welcome.

 

BASKET RAFFLE at the MAY LUNCHEON

Co chairs: Bobbie Gibbons and Betsy Stull

Once again, the members and interest groups display their talent and generosity in our Basket Raffle. The money raised is held over to launch the 2027-2028 BWC year.

Charity:  Camp Allen      Coordinator: Betsy Stull

Camp Allen New Hampshire is a transformative place where individuals of all abilities can build confidence, make lifelong friendships and experience the joy of inclusive activities in a safe, supportive environment. Today, they have over 600 campers attend Camp Allen NH each summer. The same joyful, inclusive, fun-filled experience has been offered for over 90 years.

Items Requested: Support Camp Allen NH’s mission to provide inclusive summer camp experiences for individuals of all abilities. Monetary contributions would be greatly appreciated as it will help them buy needed medical supplies. Also check the amazon wish list posted on their website for donations.