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Sixty eight young ladies from seventeen different Girl Scout Troops and three different elementary schools, Harman, Smith and Holy Angels, met last Saturday morning for the Go Girl 500 Pinewood Derby race. After the race and the awards were handed out, the girls got together for a group photo.
Speed – Average of 4 races
Natalie Thielen Brownie Troop 2483 1st place fastest 2.5774 seconds
Paige Bennett Brownie Troop 1350 2nd place fastest 2.5783
Sophie Tokar Brownie Troop 2485 3rd place fastest 2.5811
Funniest Car
Hadley Smith Junior Troop 763 1st place Guinea Pig Car
Rachel Ramey Junior Troop 769 2nd place Crabby Car
Ilaria Crum Brownie Troop 612 3rd place Pickle Car
Best ThemeNoelle Kipp Brownie Troop 1712 1st place Oscar Mayer Hot Dog
Kristen Sharon Brownie Troop 2188 2nd place Go Girls Flyer
Abby Rubins Junior Troop 149 3rd place Lady Bug
Daisy Troop 660 earns their “Respect Authority” petal by taking a tour of the Oakwood Safety Building. The tour was given by Officer Tony Gressel.
 Gerry and Sallie Weisgerber of Mason announce the engagement of their daughter, Jennifer Marie Weisgerber to James Gobrail, son of Mark and Barbara Gobrail of Oakwood.
Jenn is a graduate of Stephen T. Badin High School in Hamilton and the University of Dayton. She is employed as a graphic designer by Real Art Design Group in the Oregon district.
Jim is a graduate of Alter High School and the University of Dayton with a masters from Ohio University. He is an English teacher at Alter High School in Kettering.
The wedding date is July 29, 2006 in Hamilton and the couple will be residing at Cooper Place in Dayton after the wedding.
 Mr. Mark A. Carl of Dayton, OH and Mr. and Mrs. John A. Lee of Oakwood announce the engagement of their children, Brianne Lacy Carl and Brian Joseph Lee.
The bride-to-be is a graduate of the University of Toledo with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication. She graduated from Archbishop Alter High School in 1999. She is currently employed with a not-for-profit organization, the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation in Alexandria, Virginia.
The groom-to-be is a graduate of the University of Toledo with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering. He graduated from Oakwood High School in 1999. He is currently employed as a Project Engineer with Ulliman Schutte
Construction in Washington, D.C.
The wedding date has been planned for June 3, 2006 at Holy Angels Catholic Church in Dayton.
By Jessica Moore
Anyone who has driven downtown Oakwood in recent months has undoubtedly noticed the building being constructed in the main street shopping district. With its progress developing so quickly, Oakwood residents have been left curiously excited about what to expect. I recently had the opportunity to sit and talk with the owner of one of the building’s future residents as she shared with me her contagious sense of excitement over the pending transition.
Lee Costle - owner of The Pink Daisy clothing boutique.
Lee Costle, an Oakwood native with a degree in fashion merchandising, whose love for fashion influences both her personal and professional styles, is the owner and operator of The Pink Daisy, an upscale clothing boutique boasting high-demand, hard-to-find brands. In a brief, but thoroughly enjoyable conversation, Lee took a moment to help me understand what all the fuss is about.
The Pink Daisy, long-touted as one of Oakwood’s most precious fashion commodities, has enjoyed successful business as it has catered to Oakwood’s fashion cravings for the past several years. The boutique, known for its selection of unique, big-city brands including: Lacoste, Lilly Pulitzer, and Vineyard Vines, an exquisite children’s line, will move from its current location in Town and Country Shopping Center to its space in the new building being constructed on the east side of Far Hills Ave. beside Talbots, in early summer. The move will allow Costle to further pursue her ultimate business goal.
“My desire is to build something wonderful for the people of Dayton, specifically Oakwood. I love this town. I never see myself leaving, and I want to give back to the community by providing it with amazing clothing and personal service every time they come into my store.” For the past year, since Costle purchased The Pink Daisy from its original owner, she has done just that. Women from Oakwood and several surrounding communities have sought her advice on everything from bridesmaid’s dresses to their children’s Easter outfits, and she loves every minute of it.
“Customers can go anywhere to buy clothing, but I want them to have a personal experience combined with the best selection when they come to The Pink Daisy. I love helping them plan for and celebrate the big events of their lives.” The only problem, according to Costle, has been having adequate space to accommodate the store’s growing needs. “We have simply outgrown our current space,” she said. Fortunately for Lee, however, the solution to this problem is in sight.
Designed by acclaimed local Oakwood interior decorator, Randy Luken, the new store will allow Costle to double her floor space, add extra dressing rooms, and include several additional, sought-after brands that are currently awaiting their time to shine on the showcase of shelves. Clean hardwood floors set off by bright, cheery, flirty “Pink” colors will illuminate the store’s décor and provide customers with an aesthetically pleasing atmosphere in which to browse, shop, and chat with Lee and Heike, who oversee the Pink Daisy’s daily operations. “Heike is my right hand woman, “stated Lee emphatically, “She is absolutely outstanding and I couldn’t do it without her.” Once in the new space, Lee also plans to add to the already extensive lines of shoes, accessories, and children’s clothing as well as extend the store’s current hours to accommodate a greater number of customers. When asked about the common misconception that The Pink Daisy carries only specialty women’s clothing, Lee quickly responded, “Many people don’t realize that we carry such beautiful children’s wear and accessories, but these are some of our best pieces.”
With only weeks remaining until she plants “The Pink Daisy” in its new home on Far Hills Avenue, Lee is anticipating a huge response from her customers and from the community. “We can’t wait to have the opportunity to serve more people,” she said, glowing; “I have a ‘pink passion’ and I want everyone else to have one too.” Lee’s pink passion will be evidenced in a dramatic way when the store holds its official grand opening. Curious readers won’t have to wait much longer to understand just how obviously her passion will be showcased.
By Jane Kuntz
The imposing Victorian house that sits at 225 North Ludlow Street looks like a dignified grand dame with her flowered skirt gathered primly around her peering out of her arched glass eyes with disdain at all the upstart buildings and parking lots that surround her. Her preservation, unlike former comparable houses in the neighborhood, is due to the efforts of her owner The Dayton Woman’s Club. She is about to celebrate 90 years, but all is not well with her. Changing times have taken their toll and she is in dire need of a healthy transfusion of money - $1,000,000 over the next five years.
Built in the late 1840s and designed by Robert Steele, the house belonged to Napoleon Bonaparte Darst. It was originally fashioned in the Classic Revival architecture but, after the Civil War, it was extensively remodeled into a Second Empire style residence. A new mansard roof allowed the addition of a third floor; shade trees, manicured gardens and a fountain further enhanced the property. The stately front porch was embellished with four columns. In 1974 the house was entered in the Ohio Historical Register and was elected to the National Register of Historical Places in 1975.
In 1916, the newly formed Dayton Woman’s Club purchased the property from the Darst family for $25,000; thanks to a gift of $6,000 from John H. Patterson, whose sister Julia Patterson Crane was a member of the group, the new owners were able to refurbish and furnish the clubhouse. The members raised additional money through the sale of stock at $10 per share. Mrs. Charles H. Kumler, president of the Dayton Federation of Women’s Clubs, was elected the new president of the Dayton Woman’s Club; the association of these two organizations, which continues to the present time, is credited with the early financial security of the DWC. By 1924, there were 1,549 resident and 178 non-resident members.
To this day the club has provided a center for social, civic and cultural activities. Due to declining membership during the Great Depression, two new levels of membership were added: Junior, for young women under 30, and Member Only, for women who didn’t own stock or pay initiation fees and couldn’t vote but paid regular dues. Currently there are also business memberships as well as a “Lunch Only” level. Renovations and additions have been undertaken. The building boasts a spacious ballroom, an up-to-date kitchen and a charming dining room as well as two parlors and smaller meeting rooms throughout. The facility is handicap accessible with an exterior ramp and an elevator.
The Dayton Woman’s Club calendar is literally stuffed with activities; there are a host of different interest groups that meet regularly: duplicate bridge, gardening, gourmet, travel, painters and stock investors, to name only a few. Special events and classes abound, from birthday and anniversary parties to craft classes to ethnic menu nights to buffets after the Town Hall lectures, all part of vast array of options. The dining room serves lunch, Monday through Friday, 11:00 am to1:30 pm. and the facility is available for special events by arrangement with the club and sponsorship by a member. Regular hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Like so many private clubs, the Dayton Woman’s Club has had fluctuations in the number of members. Gone are the days when the good women of Dayton would dedicate a delightful day to playing bridge and enjoying lunch at the club. During an interview, Barbara Markham, president, discussed the challenges facing the club: “Although we currently have 307 members only four are juniors; we need young women as a base for future membership.” She continued, “So many in the younger generation work outside the home and, when their workday is over, they want to return to their families.”
The Board has been meeting regularly to come up with ideas and actions to save the club from closure. “We have instituted some new membership options,” Markham explained. “In March we offered ’90 days for $90,’ and added seventeen to our roster. At the first of April we made it ’60 days for $70.’ We’ve also been talking to the boards of other downtown clubs for advice; the Engineers’ Club directors have been especially helpful.” She also noted that the Sunday brunch buffets are open to the public; all that’s needed is a reservation.
In a surprise move this past week Markham announced that the Woman’s Club had decided to invite men to join—but there was no mention of who the first new member would be. Later in the week Dale Huffman, columnist for the Dayton Daily News, wrote that he was the new “mystery male member.” Markham commented, “We are so glad to welcome Dale Huffman into the Dayton Woman’s Club. He’s always been so supportive of our organization!” She admitted that she didn’t know whether or not this new membership option would induce other men to join the DWC ranks.
There are so many opportunities to learn and participate at the Dayton Woman’s Club. The day of this interview, the Gourmet Club was meeting. Harriet Argue, local restaurateur and caterer, spoke about the traditions and practices around Greek Orthodox Easter; a sumptuous luncheon of Greek dishes followed, all prepared by the club’s chefs.
“This is just one of the many groups that meet monthly,” Markham said. Looking over the May Newsletter reinforced the imression that the members have a varied and interesting choice of activities. In mid-April, Mayor Rhine McLin, a DWC member, was honored as part of the “Outstanding Women of Ohio” series. A “Special Purple Party” is scheduled for the end of May and will feature memories and mementos from the history of the club. Other events on tap for the members and their guests are Chef Roger Smith’s program, “Cooking Healthy for Two,” a May Day luncheon, a Mothers’ Day Brunch and the gala 90th Birthday Party. Markham pointed out: “The menus for each occasion are included in the newsletter. We are fortunate to have two wonderful and creative chefs who provide delicious meals.”
The DWC also participates in charities: “We had a program, ‘Support Our Troops,’ where we gathered donations at a special dinner to send to our military troops,” Markham said. “We also collected stuffed toys for the children at the Battered Women’s Shelter; we had a huge array of all kinds of soft and fluffy toys.”
The mission of the DWC is “…to preserve and maintain the historical home located at 225 N. Ludlow while providing a gracious setting for Club members, their guests and citizens of the Miami Valley to utilize for personal, professional and philanthropic growth and development.”
To fulfill that goal the Annual Meeting, April 25, 2006, promised to be a lively one. Markham explained, “We are going to lay out all the options for the club’s future. Our members will have to make some hard choices.” She continued: “We’ve been working closely with the Downtown Dayton Partnership; its help has been invaluable.” In a burst of optimism, Markham said, “We’re not giving up; our members will do everything they can to keep the Dayton Woman’s Club alive and thriving!”
For further information, call the DWC at 228-1124; or better yet, plan to attend one of the lovely brunches and find out for yourself what a special place the Dayton Woman’s Club is.
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