Have Fun and Meet Your Neighbors…For a Good Cause!cinco-ranch-ladies-club-board-katy-texas

Cinco Ranch is a sprawling series of neighborhoods connected by a common series of amazing amenities. Within the master-planned community of Cinco Ranch is a group of women who make living here even more special. They are the Cinco Ranch Ladies Club. Like a golden thread woven into a fabric, the Ladies Club makes Cinco Ranch sparkle. The Ladies Club is one of the many reasons some residents have chosen to live in Cinco Ranch, and the reason some wouldn’t live anywhere else.

New Residents Find Friends
Women who are new to Katy can meet their neighbors right away at Ladies Club. Transplants from the West Coast, sisters Heather Nichols and Julie Mease moved here together with Heather’s family in July. Another new resident, Lisa Dickson, moved here this summer from Aberdeen, Scotland. She and Heather met at a Cinco Ranch park and decided to attend a Ladies Club meeting together. “I probably wouldn’t have come on my own,” says Lisa. They quickly met up with Paula Damingos, a California transplant who arrived in July. Now Lisa, Paula, Heather, and Julie get together often and meet at Ladies Club meetings and socials. This instant set of friends was made possible by the Ladies Club! Heather says, “Everyone has been so welcoming and open. We signed up for everything!” At the annual Luau, Heather’s husband Rod enjoyed meeting potential golf buddies and thought the women were “a kick in the pants.”

Relaxed, Fun, and Charitable
Meetings are held on the last Tuesday of the month at The Golf Club at Cinco Ranch, located at the corner of Cinco Ranch Blvd. and Peek. Women gather to chat around the cash bar, the first half hour is social, and then the scheduled program begins at 7:30 p.m. Ultimately, the point is to have fun and meet your neighbors!

Programs Director Laura Baxter plans a wide range of topics pertaining to women. Speakers such as Dr. Stephen Hotze may entertain and educate about women’s health issues one month, while the next month is pure fun with the Houston Firefighters Calendar models and karaoke. Many activities have a charitable function as well. Proceeds from the sale of Dr. Hotze’s book will benefit Hurricane Katrina Victims, and the HFD Calendar will benefit Shriner’s Hospital burn victims.

A Sense of Belonging
One popular meeting is Rush Night each August. Groups set up tables to highlight their activities and offer new members a chance to sign up or ask questions. CRLC can be a welcome wagon, a great way to meet new friends, and an instant support group. Anyone with an idea for a new group is encouraged to start it up! Jennifer Martin, who joined in July, started Ladies’ Poker in August. “I’m obsessed – I love poker, and this is a chance to teach other women to play.”

“We Came Back for Ladies Club”
Social Chairman Patti Pedigo has a special perspective after living in Cinco Ranch two separate times and being an active member and board member of the Ladies Club. Patti was a new member in 1998, elected Social Chairman in 1999, and was transferred to another state in July of 1999. Returning in November 2004, she and her husband Bob looked for houses exclusively in Cinco Ranch. “We could have lived anywhere, but we came back for Ladies Club.”

Socials Involve Friends and Families
Quickly re-installed as Social Chairman, Patti has a special flair for making parties fun and thinking through every detail. Because social events are a chance to involve friends or husbands in the festivities, they are particularly popular. “Denim and Diamonds at the Ranch”, Golf Tournament, and Luau are some of the events open to anyone. At Luau, live entertainment and a festive atmosphere gives the men a chance to join in the fun. Other events such as Fall Festival and Chili Cook-off are open to the entire family.

Come as You Are
Ladies Club is a place to gather with new friends and old. So, what makes Cinco Ranch Ladies Club work? “It’s not uppity”, says Liz Carter. “It’s casual, and you can come as you are.” Ladies Club started in 1993 with 10 members meeting in a home. Originally at odds with the developer for using the “Cinco” name, the Ladies Club is now embraced by the community and is a beacon in Cinco Ranch. Currently membership is around 250, though the highest membership has been up to 800 in the past.

It’s All About the Ladies
Whatever CRLC is doing, it is working. The vibrant, friendly group of women makes Cinco Ranch a neighborhood that is unique, welcoming, and full of life. President Jackie Scott explains, “Ladies Club is all about the ladies, what they want, and what interests them.”

Interested in joining the fun? Contact Lori Curtis, 281-395-0883 or Jackie Scott, 281-395-3074.

More Sub-Clubs
The CRLC also has several mall groups within the club where people can find others with similar interests and obtain a sense of belonging. Here are some of the most popular ones.

• Creative Kitchen
• Morning Movie Matinee Club
• Scrapbooker’s Club
• Bible Study
• Men’s Casual Poker
• Bunko
• Couples Gourmet Dining
• Expatriate Club
• Groupo de Damas Latinas
• International Indian Ladies Club
• Lake Walking Club
• Morning Coffee Book Club
• Children’s Playgroups