About Us

WWCOA was started in November 1971 by Lillian Danboise. She was a wife, mother, hostess, organizer and good friend. When she moved to Lake Havasu City in the late 60’s, she saw the need for a women’s club. It was designed as a way for newcomers to the city to meet new people and form friendships. Initially it was called the Western Welcome Community Club.

It was loosely organized at first, meeting semi-monthly for social luncheons at various restaurants. Business meetings were held in the homes of members. One of the first “business meetings” took place on November 9, 1971 at the Frigate Restaurant with 30 members in attendance. The first “official” business meeting was held on November 23, 1971 and Lillian installed the first four Executive Officers. With five chairpersons, the board numbered nine. Club dues were set at $.75 semi-annually. From the beginning the club met at a restaurant on the second Tuesday of each month for its business meeting. It also held a coffee meeting on the fourth Tuesday at the home of one of its members or in a city park or beach. All of these activities were written up in the weekly Lake Havasu Herald. The club received enormous amounts of publicity for its charitable gifts, its dinners and dances, its fashion shows and box socials, thanks mostly to the constant influx of announcements from the publicity chair to Jack Hardy, the editor.  Officers changed quite frequently as their terms were for only six months up until 1978. Those installed in November 1971 were replaced in May of 1972. Installations took place during a High Tea at the Presbyterian Church at 11:00 a.m. with musical entertainment and food. The first London Bridge Costume Contest, sponsored by Western Welcome Club, was held October 9, 1971 at the dedication of the London Bridge. In December 1973, 19 women were honored for two years of membership. Six of them attended: Bea Pool, Phyllis Crosby, Kay Ruttman, Barbara Masden, Marie Anderson and Mrs. Robbie Frietzche.

A Herald article from January 24, 1974 talks about the Western Welcome Service, also started by Lillian Danboise as part of the Club in 1971, to “introduce new, permanent residents by meeting those families and explaining our local services, where and what products are supplied by our merchants and answering whatever questions they may have from drivers’ license tests to doctors, schools, acquiring utilities, joining social group associations, etc.” In this effort, she was the Welcome Wagon. Today, people still think of WWCOA as that group. Again quoting that same article, “a great deal of credit for the [cheerful] attitudes on the part of our newcomers is to be given to the Western Welcome Service headed by the leadership and enthusiasm of Lillian Danboise who is now assisted by two hostesses, Jean Laucher and Bobbie Best. This organization has been of unquestionable help in soothing the bumps and bruises that arise from everyone’s move to a different community. Additionally, this is a social club and offers membership to every family that joins Lake Havasu City’s ever-growing population.”

One of the early sign of the community-wide charitable donations which would become its hallmark was the donations from 92 members of groceries and money for two families in need, each having lost their father. The generosity of the club members was accepted with much appreciation by these families. A small truck load of groceries was collected. The WWCOA was fast becoming a leader in the community as it supported Sara Park and encouraged the community to support the newly formed Community Concert Association. The year 1978 added another attribute to the club when the members made Christmas baskets and distributed them to the needy.

Before long it became the best club in town. All the influential ladies of Lake Havasu were members. It was modeled after local Junior League and General Federation of Women’s Clubs: friendship and service to community. The membership grew quickly to over 400 in the 1990’s. 

In 1996, to celebrate it’s 25th anniversary, the club created a float for the London Bridge Days Parade, showing the Silver Jubilee theme with the wedding of Mr. Desert to Miss Water—both dressed in wedding garb. 

During the decade of 2000-2010 the Christmas Craft Boutique in mid-November became the Club’s biggest money maker. In one year, over $20,000 was raised and donated back to the community. Vicki Wainwright chaired the Ways and Means Committee and hosted the Boutique in her home for many years. Today it takes place the weekend before Thanksgiving at the Aquatic Center.

In 2004, the Club officially applied for tax exempt status as a non-profit, 501C-3 corporation and the name officially became The Western Welcome Club of Arizona.