Learningwhether it’s about current events or history — is a major focus of Coterie, and at the luncheon that marked the close of another club year, members discovered that you didn’t have to grow up in the flapper era to know how to dance the Charleston.
Ida Daniel and Patricia O’Neal proved that point when they deftly showed how it’s done and then invited everyone in the audience to get up and join in.
The dancing helped illustrate Coterie’s study topic for 2008-09, the Harlem Renaissance. From October to April, the members examined topics that included James Weldon Johnson’s “Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man,” influential women of the period and such entertainers as Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, Eubie Blake and Duke Ellington.
Coterie was founded in 1915 as a venue for local African-American women to learn, laugh and form long-lasting friendships. Retired educators Marie Greenwood, who joined in 1937, and Esther Nelson, whose membership dates to 1946, remain active to this day. So, too, does Erma Ford, who became part of the group in 1958. Meetings are for members only, but the end-of-year luncheon is open to friends and family. Marilyn Lewis chaired the Saturday gathering held at the Doubletree Hotel; Lucille Thomas is the president.
JoKatherine Page, a member since 2001, brought her son, Hank Lewis, a writer who teaches at the University of Maryland; Jane Pigford, who joined in 2003, brought her daughter, Kaarin, the newest member of Denver chapter of The Links Inc.; her friend, Pat Raybon; and Arika Varney, one of Pigford’s students who had written a paper on the Harlem Renaissance.
Elenora Crichlow (1991) was accompanied by her granddaughter, Jade, and friends Christy Calvin, Myrtle Roane, Faye Wilson Tate and Rosemarie Allen. Tate and Allen are members of Jack and Jill and had spent the morning interviewing candidates for that group’s 2010 Beautillion.
Others enjoying the get-together were Nora Robinson, Gayle Leali, Marcia Williams, Terry Nelson, Fannye Evans, Sandra Roberts, Tish Williams, Kathryn Kaiser, Gloria Parsons Gray, Sandy Seale, Dianne Briscoe, Loujuana Terry and Lorene Peters.
More good stuff.
Colorado first lady Jeannie Ritter spent much of Wednesday planting flowers at the Governor’s Residence in preparation for the garden party she is hosting on Thursday for the Governor’s Residence Preservation Fund. Assisting her were members of a local Brownie troop and the outreach ambassadors from Tagawa Garden Center, LuLuBelle the Honey Bee (master gardener Luan Akin) and Grandma MiMi (former elementary school teacher Mary Ann Jordan). Garden party tickets can be purchased from Margy Moseley, 303-837-8350. . . . Denver Nugget Carmelo Anthony is raising money for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Denver by hosting MeloOut at his Studio 15 hair salon on Tuesday. There’ll be refreshments, entertainment by Kajmir Royale, JD Feighner and others, starting at 6 p.m. Reservations are a must and can be e-mailed to meloout@LAMGWorldwide.com. . . . The Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce, in cooperation with The Peaks resort, is having a networking party Thursday at Rotors of the Rockies in Broomfield. Register for the 5:30 p.m. event by visiting .
Society editor Joanne Davidson: 303-809-1314 or jdavidson@denverpost.com; also, . and GetItWrite on Twitter.
